Music Month update

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It’s week 3 of NZ Music Month, and there’s still a whole lot more to come at Auckland Libraries.

In last week’s ukulele lesson, we worked our way through Iko Iko and Pokarekare Ana, and tried to come to terms with the D major chord.

For all our students who would like to learn more, check out these links:

  • Kiwi Ukulele
  • Ukulele Hunt
  • The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra

  • Ukukele method books at Auckland Libraries

    • And if you don’t yet have a uke, here are a few good ideas:

    The Rock Shop has ukuleles from $35 to $1299.

    Mr Hewitt at Hewitt's Fiddle Shop makes Kapono, some of the most beautiful ukuleles around. See his site here.

    And of course there’s an interesting range of new and pre-loved ukuleles on Trademe.

    So what’s coming up?

    The Grey Lynn Ukuladies continue to tour, playing Grey Lynn Library on Friday 27, and Blockhouse Bay on Sunday 29!

    This week Avondale Library has two musical storytimes on Thursday 19 and Saturday 21.

    Tomorrow at 3.30pm in Glen Innes Library, local legend: Tony Paki with Julius bust out their favourite grooves.

    Remuera Library continue to feature a fantastic range of classical performances, including St Kentigern Boys Soloists and Jazz Quartet on the 19th at 11.30, Remuera Intermediate School Orchestra and Ensemble on Friday 20, at 12.15, and the beautiful sounds of the Baradene Girls' Orchestra on Thursday 26 May at 11am.

    Over on the island, Waiheke Library have Waiheke High School's all-girls choir, led by Sarah McNabb performing Canto Isola on Saturday 21 at 11am, and at the same time the following week, Little Sister – Four 'sisters' of big Sister Shout bring a full house with their a capella set.

    To find out more check the What's On page!

    High Frequency: Sound Thoughts at Central City Library

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    Want to know the best carparks in town to get you to soundcheck on time?

    Wondering why it always rains at Big Day Out?

    Auckland Libraries High Frequency panel discussion has the answers.

    Join us for an entertaining evening of sound thoughts, old arguments and true stories about the highs and lows of making music in Auckland.

    Our esteemed panelists include writer/musician Gareth Shute, venue manager Rohan Evans, producer/engineer Dave Parker, record label boss/DJ Andrew Maitai and the infamous Street Chant.

    Following talk and refreshments, Lisa Crawley will be at the grand piano to perform an intimate set of songs from her upcoming album.

    Where: Level 2, Central City Library
    When: Friday 20 May, 6.00pm

    Cost: Free

    Ukulele lessons

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    Come one come all and find your inner Hawaiian! All you need are four fingers for four nylon strings and one day this might be you:

    Whether you're in a mid-life crisis and can't afford a Fender Stratocaster, or you've been learning the recorder and would like to upgrade, this class is perfect for you.

    So book your place and get to Auckland Central City Library tomorrow, Wednesday 11 May, at 1.30pm on Level 2, for an intensively fun session with our resident ukulele-qualified librarians.

    All ukuleles will be supplied.

    New Zealand Music Month is here

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    It’s May again, the month we dedicate to celebrating the successes of homegrown music! And as usual, there are a lot of amazing events happening around town, here are some highlights (click on the blue words to follow the links!):

    The Whiskey has a huge series of gigs, including Andrew Keoghan, Anika Moa, Avalanche City, Bic Runga, Che Fu, Clap Clap Riot, Dave Dobbyn, Don McGlashan, Greg Fleming & The Trains, Greg Johnson, Hello Sailor, Motocade, Nairobi Trio, Nathan Haines, The Peter Urlich Sextet, Ruby Frost, and The Jordan Luck Band.

    And on the classical side, the University of Auckland Music Theatre have a number of performances and seminars with important figures like Nick Bollinger, many of which are free!

    In the Libraries we have a great variety of concerts, seminars and workshops, kicked off by the APO Young Achievers Concert which includes the premiere of a new composition by Callum Blackmore, inspired by the Auckland Art Gallery’s Warren Viscoe artwork.

    Towards the end of the month, we will reflect on Auckland music’s recent past and future at High Frequency! This free panel discussion with local music luminaries, including Dave Parker, Gareth Shute, and members of Street Chant will be a fun night of stories, memories, hopes and thoughts on where Auckland independent music is headed. The talk will be followed by refreshments and a performance by Lisa Crawley.

    Be sure to check our page for more details on what’s on! Book yourself into a ukulele class, come in to Central Library on your Thursday lunch break to hear some beautiful music, or see the amazing array of local artists in the community libraries around town.

    Auckland Libraries NZ Music Month.

    More info on NZ Music Month here.

    Rachel Dawick on Music 101 and upcoming tour

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    This looks interesting!

    From Radio New Zealand:
    Rachel Dawick is a blues/folk musician who has returned home after eight years in the UK studying for a Masters in Songwriting. Wanting to re-connect with her homeland, she began searching for songs written by early female European settlers of Aotearoa, and finding very little, she's decided to collect the stories and write the songs herself.

    Listen to her on Music 101 on Radio New Zealand National tomorrow.

    And for more stories check out her website here.

    Moments of genius on YouTube...

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    Prepare for a combination of cuteness overload and amazement as young Jonathan conducts Beethoven's 5th, with more passion than any professional I've seen, picking his nose AND keeping in time. Incredible.

    If you want your baby to be a musical prodigy, click here, and here
     


    Also this week on Youtube: on March 20, after decades of amazing, influential recordings, Tom Waits was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He was inducted by the legendary godfather of grunge, Neil Young. What follows is a glimpse of genius which has only burned brighter with age.



    If you want to know more about this strange poet/musician/magician/actor/performer, click here.

    Or here, for an insightful book about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

    End of summer & back to work

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    It has been nearly two months since the last post! All Things Musical has been on hiatus while summer has come to an end, many festivals have come and gone, and now it’s raining, so time to get reporting again.
     
    There’s too much to summarise, but here’s a list of highlights over the last month or so:
     
    Auckland Arts Festival: a lot of good free music in Aotea Square, an international premiere of a John Psathas work, not to mention the amazing Paul Kelly and beautiful Martha Wainwright.
     
    Gang of Four played an energetic set at the Powerstation, one of many classic reunited bands who Auckland’s been lucky enough to host.
     
    The city lost a number of its indie kids for a weekend, for Campus a Low Hum in Bulls. A few of Auckland’s most exciting bands played, including Street Chant.
     
    Nas & Damian Marley satisfied the city’s need for some good hip-hop, after Mos Def’s strange show. And Queens of the Stone Age played a deserved three rocking shows, as well as doing an instore signing at Real Groovy.
     
    On the record releases front, well, there is so much to mention we’ll just link you to our New & Recommended! Lucinda Williams – Blessed, is a good listen if you’re into country. And for the best local release, check out Dudley Benson – Forest: Songs of Hirini Melbourne.
     
    And what’s coming up? NZ Music Month is not far away, and Auckland Central Library’s Thursday Lunchtime Concerts are starting in April! Check out the link for who’s playing.
     
    And Bob Dylan is coming to play Vector in a month or so. Have a listen to his latest single, a cover of Rebecca Black – Friday.

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    Here's a little something to whet your Laneway Festival appetite. Videos from Kiwi indie stalwarts Lawrence Arabia and LA dreamsters Warpaint.

    See you at Aotea Square on Auckland Anniversary Day




    More concerts than you can shake a stick at

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    So January’s almost over: Christmas, New Year’s, weeks at the beach have been and gone, and all the while Auckland has seen & heard plenty of great music through the days and nights. But there’s still plenty more to come.
     
    Big Day Out, despite the rain and timetable clashes, was its usual rocking success, featuring Iggy & the Stooges  Tool and Rammstein . Best of the local acts was Home Brew, as expected. Unfortunately we don’t have any of their material in the library but you can by their record at the local Marbecks. For a review of BDO’s highlights, check out the city's finest writers at The Corner.
     
    This weekend is shaping up to be very musical with Laneway Festival in Aotea Square, featuring Ariel Pink, Beach House, Blonde Redhead, with our very own amazing Lawrence Arabia and Lady Hawke.
     
    Meanwhile a whole lot of Auckland will be descending on Hamilton for Parachute, which is hosting the likes of ex-Korn man Brian Welch, Stan Walker, Chris Tomlin, Elemeno P, Rapture Ruckus and Ruby Frost.
     
    And to top it all off: Music in Parks is happening! There is truly something for everyone with this lineup. Do not let these gigs pass you by! Yes they are free! Yes they are in your neighbourhood! So no excuses. For some beautiful sounds this Saturday, treat yourself to a magical evening of opera in the idyllic setting of Dingle Dell, from 6-8pm at 29 Dingle Road, St Heliers. The NBR New Zealand Opera presents a programme featuring both 2011 resident and emerging artists for this concert. Or if you're into a bit of rock n roll, see you at Coyle Park Sat 5 March for Anika Moa, Autozamm and Julia Deans.
     
    And this is just the beginning. Check here for our next post on the Bfm Summer Series, and did I mention Bob Dylan is returning in April? It couldn’t get much better.

    Free Avalanche City

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    While we await the beautiful sounds of Christmas (see last week's post), and stage our plans of attack on the local mall, here's a free album download to get you in the summer spirit. Yep, it's a whole album, it's full of toe-tapping singalongs, it's free for all to keep. And who knows, your love for Avalanche City's debut album will hopefully inspire you to donate some cash so they can make more. Definitely check this out. 

    Avalanche City : Our New Life Above the Ground

    A Merry Little Monster Christmas

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    Mr Dave Parker, music producer/engineer extraordinaire, has been working away in his home-based studio on a beautiful Oratia farm for quite a while now. The man behind such increasingly admired recordings of Artisan Guns, Bear Cat and Great North, has recently been assembling some local favourites for a Christmas album.
     
    Auckland Central Library was lucky enough to host a number of the album’s contributors back in NZ Music Month, who have all since released their own EPs and albums to generate some of 2010’s best New Zealand music.
     
    Dear Time’s Waste, Tono (of the Finance Company) and Great North, whose recent releases have all won the admiration of the country’s major critics, appear on the Very Little Christmas compilation. The album includes an impressive line-up of the city’s finest alternative/folk/rock/miscellaneous artists, who are inspired by Christmas time, Christmas Songs, and Christmas Pudding.
     
    The best part is the album will be available for free download! You can send the link to your loved ones as a priceless Christmas present! So thank you Mr Parker for getting this amazing project together, and to all the artists for contributing! It’s going to be a sweet sweet Christmas.

    Keep your eyes on Little Monster Studio and A Very Little Christmas

     ~ Matthew

    30 years of The Chills

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    So legendary Dunedin band The Chills have announced a one-off Dunedin show in celebration of their 30th anniversary.  In tribute, please enjoy The House of Love's cover of The Chills' classic, Pink Frost below.

     ~Jerome

    Laneways Here We Come

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    The 2011 Laneways Festival line-up was just announced.  Being held on Auckland Anniversary Day (31 January 2011) at the re-christened Aotea Square, this year's announced line-up are: Yeasayer - Foals -Ladyhawke - !!! (CHK CHK CHK) - Deerhunter - Blonde Redhead -Children's Hour - Warpaint - Beach House - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- Lawrence Arabia - Holy F*** - An Emerald City.
    Acts I'm looking forward to seeing:
    This an indie heavyweight line-up for sure, but it does omit lots of great artists that are on the Australian leg of the tour.  Why couldn't Auckland get the insanely amazing Les Savy Fav,  Los Angeles upstarts Local Natives, skewed popsters Menomena, and the cutesy duo of Jenny and Johnny?  Yes, I'll end up going and will probably enjoy myself in the sun(fingers crossed) and sonics of Aotea Square. Although one has to ask, when does Auckland begin to not get the short end of the stick when it comes to Laneways?  Just saying.
     ~Jerome

    Making Music in Auckland

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    With the vast amount of technically brilliant studio albums released today, the result has been the great improvement and ease of home recording. What used to involve a bedroom full of heavy and expensive analogue equipment is now refined into a laptop with Garageband or Protools. It has become so readily available, anyone with a microphone and a bit of computer know-how can record.
     
    All you need next are some songs.
     
    And plenty of fellow Aucklanders have swooped on these new opportunities to produce their own music. To encourage this creativity, Auckland City Libraries started the Made In Auckland CD collection, for unsigned artists who do not have the funding to professionally record and distribute their works.
     
    The cool thing about Made in Auckland is the CDs are free rentals! They’re also an ideal way to share and archive artists’ work, as we all know by now: itunes hardly caters for tangible album artwork, or familiar names in the credits and thanks notes. So if you have an EP or album that you would like to see stored in hard copy on a shelf, send it in to the Music department.
     
    Our latest donations to the collection include quality sounds from The Roulettes, Toi Ora Live Art, and Anna Kaye. Check out the collectionhere, or come into Central Library and have a listen.

    There's so much coming and going musically through town right now, we're trying to keep up. Coming up soon on the blog: Metallica, Laneways and Super City Summer Anthems!

     ~Matthew

    Making Music Part 2!

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    WANT TO WRITE THE SONG OF NZMM 2011?

    This awesome opportunity just came through on the wire. If you're a student with a song to sing, enter this competition and be the 2011 NZ Music Month anthem!


     ~Matthew

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