NEWS: Auckland Arts Festival Announce Garden Stage Line Up

Auckland Arts Festival has announced a comprehensive line-up of free music part of the 2011 Festival, which takes place March 2-20.

Free music will happen every day in Festival Garden in Aotea Square on the TV3 Garden Stage.  The Stage will host a wide range of top local and international acts.  For audiences on a budget, the free music program in the Festival Garden is a great way to get into the Festival without spending a cent.

Starting at 5pm, the line-up encompasses world music, contemporary and classical music.  Artists include: Flip Grater, Sean Donnolly, Barons of Tang (on their way to WOMAD), LUPIN, Dr Colossus, Lisa Crawley, Phil Edwards Band, Andrew Keoghan, Grand Rapids and a host of well known local DJs, including Manuel Bundy, Cian, Julien Dybe, Dubhead and Bobby Brazuka.

The Festival Garden will be the hub of the Auckland Arts Festival, including four zones: the glamorous Spiegeltent, the Garden Theatre, the TV3 Garden Stage, and the Stoneleigh Bar.  The Garden boasts plenty of space to chill out on the lawn or under an umbrella, and soak up the Festival atmosphere. 

Live Music Details

Bobbito Brazuka & Jennifer Zea - Wednesday 2 March, 6 - 7pm

Hailing from Venezuela by way of Motown, Jennifer Zea is one of the freshest vocal talents in Bossa and Latino soul. She’s earned respect in her field by travelling the globe and notching up over 100 live performances, alongside world renowned artists of the Jazz and World Music scenes. DJ Bobby Brazuka is the unofficial Brazilian ambassador of music and culture in Aotearoa, with a distinguished palate for Samba, Soul, Funk and Latin hip hop amongst a host of other styles. Together they create a unique and truly legitimate Latin act which both bend and blend the traditional music of their homelands with the modern sounds of here and now.

Flip Grater - Thursday 3 March, 6 - 7pm

Gliding vocals dance over the top of guitars picked and strummed, and harmonies weave amongst the beauty of it all. Banjos, a bass, and a minimal drum kit complete the picture and the songs soar and fall, sometimes evoking sad feelings, sometimes stirring the heart with a gravelly punch. Where do you put Flip Grater? Somewhere along the lines of an alt-country songstress experimenting with indie music, and the grittier side of pop.  She has written songs that could prick the ears up of any that hear them, and with traces of PJ Harvey, a sprinkling of Cat Power and a touch of Suzanne Vega, Flip Grater's music has established her as one of our country's beloved indie-folk artists.

Barons of Tang - Friday 4 March, 6 - 7pm & 11pm - midnight

Lashing Tango, Rockabilly, Latin and Gypsy with breaks, hard hitting guitar riffs, double kick blast beats and massive horn arrangements, The Barons of Tang serve up their self described ‘gypsy deathcore’.  The catchy tunes and punk ethos all tie together to mean one thing, dancing is inevitable!  With accordion, double bass, saxophone and bass clarinet to name just a few, the 7 piece Melbourne outfit use mainly traditional gypsy and tango feels played in the most inappropriate ways. You’ll be hooked at the first Snap!

Storehouse - Saturday 5 March, 6 - 7pm and 11pm - midnight

Storehouse perform a uniquely raw and thoughtful blend of blues, calypso and spirituals, designed for dancing yet with an ear for artistic integrity and innovation - not the sleepy blooze sounds so often associated with the genre.  Their funky and improvisatory tour through lesser-known backstreets of blues and roots music includes unconventional re-imaginings of slave songs and street-preacher music, as well as double entendre-laced tunes from the Caribbean.  Storehouse shows also feature choice cuts drawn from early female blues, sung by Auckland actress and singer Colleen Davis, highlighting the often stark and surreal world of female blues expressionism.

Arte Kanela - Sunday 6 March, 6 - 7pm

Formed in 1990, Arte Kanela is widely acclaimed as the unsurpassed and most exciting force in the Australian Flamenco music scene. “Flamenco troupe Arte Kanela consolidated burgeoning reputations as the best concert act of their type in Australia” The Australian, 2009. Together with leading dancers, musicians and singers, Arte Kanela offers an emotionally-charged performance, a new perspective to a conventional art form that can be seen in the contemporary look, sound and feel of each presentation, whilst retaining the essential flamenco experience packed with extraordinary virtuosity, an emotionally charged execution, and an intimate, visceral connection with the audience.

The Grant Winterburn Experience - Tuesday 8 March, 6 - 7pm

Grant Winterburn is a maestro of the Hammond Organ and a feverish exponent of improvised musical mayhem. He can rock, he can swing, he can abandon all conscious thought and still play it sweet and nasty. He is a highly sought after musical director in the theatre realm (Threepenny Opera, Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, Rent, Assassins) and a sensitive accompanist to divas such as the Lady Killers and Jennifer Ward-Lealand.  The Grant Winterburn Experience is a power trio led by Grant on keyboards and features Aaron Coddel on bass and Chris O’Connor on drums. Jazz and pop standards are attacked with wild abandon - expect the unexpected.

Fondue Set - Wednesday 9 March, 6 - 7pm

Founded in 1997 by Graeme Webb (guitar/fretless bass) Steve Gerrish (guitar) and singer ‘percussionista’ Caitlin Smith, The Fondue Set draws from the deepest experiential and emotional well when they play. They combine truly original arrangements and sensitive re-workings of stunning songs with soulful musicianship and the heartbreaking immediacy of Smith’s vocal delivery. As Mike Alexander put it “She’s got one of those voices that imagination created.”  It’s 2011 and Smith, Gerrish and Nigel Gavin join forces to light the flame that ignites The Fondue Set – a melting pot of musical genres and spellbinding musical genius.

Nigel Gavin - Wednesday 9 March, 11pm - midnight

At first a visitor, now a resident, Nigel has long been a featured player in New Zealand’s music scene, particularly in Auckland, playing guitars, banjo, mandolin, bass - indeed, almost anything with strings - with the Nairobi Trio, the Fondue Set, Whirimako Black, the Jews Brothers, the Blue Bottom Stompers, Below the Bassline, Jonathan Besser’s Bravura,Trevor Reekie and Tom Ludvigson’s Trip Project and his own Snorkel, among others. In parallel to extending his ‘pure’ stringed instrument vocabulary, Nigel has pursued his deep interest in guitar-triggered electronic and loop-based work which he calls collectively his ‘science project’ - an array of electronics which, when addressed through his virtuosic guitar creates impro- visations which are as ephemeral as they are mesmerising.

Cosmic Noise Expedition - Thursday 10 March, 6 - 7pm

What do a songwriter and an experimental noise artist have in common?  Cosmic Noise Expedition is an unconventional musical conversation between Age Pryor (The Woolshed Sessions, Fly My Pretties, Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra) and Chris O'Connor (Ecstasy Trio, Urban Taniwha, Jonathan Crayford). No one, including the musicians themselves, know where this will go.   But somehow, underneath it all, lies a hint of a new civilization being forged, a frontier where people of any artistic background and stylistic leaning can meet on common ground to create their own special cosmic noise.

Sean Donnelly, James Duncan & Chris O’Connor - Friday 11 March, 6 - 7pm & 11pm - midnight

This so new it’s still unnamed trio features Chris O'Connor (Sjd, Don MCGlashan), James Duncan (Sjd, DImmer) and Sean James Donnelly (Sjd, The Bell Birds). The three local-music legends are joining forces to explore electro/kraut rock inspired grooves and sound-scapes.

Dr Colossus - Saturday 12 March, 6 - 7pm & 11pm - midnight

Grown in a stinking vat during the darkest days of the Cold War, the creature known as Dr Colossus was the abominable end product of an ill-fated Soviet attempt to weaponize American pop culture. For untold years the amorphous blob was force-fed a steady diet of plutonium, melted Beach Boys records and powdered US film reels until finally, enraged and bloated, it destroyed the research facility that housed it, killing 14 scientists and a baboon. Last seen in 1979 schlepping off into the Siberian wilderness whistling the theme from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, in late 2007 the monster reemerged, fully recovered from the shame of Yeltsin and ready to rip your face off.  Lead by Leon Radojkovic, the musical madman behind Festival show Live Live Cinema: Carnival of Souls, local act, Dr Colossus’ gigs are legendry, and the band has been described by the NZ Herald as “Balkan music titans.” 

Annah Mac - Sunday 13 March, 6.30 - 7.30pm

Annah Mac is a singer/songwriter with a dedicated and ferocious ambition; a sincere love of performing; and a writing talent rarely seen in any country, Annah has achieved much in her preparation. And at last she is ready to take her music to the people. She has written a repertoire of truly insightful, evocative songs where melody and words collide in mesmerizing fashion.  Her performance will feature her more intimate material. She has a long history of solo performances and will give a captivating performance.  Annah’s performance is part of the Festival’s Family Day entertainment and follows her performance Play It Strange’s Band of Strangers.

NZTrio - Monday 14 March, 6 - 7pm

NZTrio, this country’s leading exponents of contemporary classical programming brings you “songs/dances” – an hour-long exploration of their favourite dance-inspired music from around the world for violin, cello and piano. Enjoy the sophisticated and sultry sounds of the South American tango, some gritty Brazilian blues, cool New York club stylings, an Australian ‘maninya’ and the Mediterannean/Kiwi vitality that comes from the pen of NZ’s own John Psathas. Stylish, hip, and unexpected: NZTrio.

Gimel - Tuesday 15 March, 6 - 7pm

Gimel (or Gimel Kins) is the prolific composer pianist Jonathan Besser’s new music group. Gimel is a trio at its core, Besser on piano with the vibrant Vibraphonist John Bell; brilliant Bassist Peter Scott, and now with the renowned drummer Chris O’Connor joining in for their summer shows.  Besser’s music is related to both classical and jazz music - it uses notated counterpoint and flowing original melodies with Jazz structures, which leave a lot of room for the performers to improvise and for the music to come alive. Gimel will be performing ‘Gisborne in April’ and then my 50 minute non stop ‘New York Suite’ (composed in New York Dec 2009), ending the concert with ‘Light Pressure Building.’

Lisa Crawley - Wednesday 16 March, 6 - 7pm & 11pm - midnight

Lisa's sweet n sour brand of indie pop is in hot demand – so much so that she's recently opened for both John Mayer, Paul Weller and Jools Holland. She was the youngest member to perform in “Give it a Girl”, alongside top songwriters Sharon O'Neil, Annie Crummer and Julia Deans. Lisa's inspirations include Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Bic Runga, Feist, Beirut, and many more. Most often seen dazzling crowds with her virtuoso piano playing, Lisa is just as au fait with a variety of instruments including the guitar, melodica, clarinet, glockenspiel, recorder and omnichord. With a sound that incorporates elements of jazz, country, pop and indie, Lisa's music is a treat to be cherished.

Andrew Keoghan - Thursday 17 March, 6 - 7pm

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Keoghan combines his classical training in singing and violin, with elements of pop and folk – you could even call it chamber-pop.  He will be previewing songs from his much anticipated debut album Arctic Tales Divide, which is released just a few days after his Auckland Arts Festival performance.  Andrew's joined by a fine live band which includes Wayne Bell (Greg Johnson, Gin Wigmore), Ben King (Goldenhorse) and Victoria Girling-Butcher (Lucid 3) andGareth Thomas (Goodshirt)

Grand Rapids - Thursday 17 March, 11pm - midnight

Grand Rapids is the new band arisen from the ashes of Goldenhorse. Writer/Singer/Guitarist, Ben King, who, as a founding member and songwriter in Goldenhorse, saw the band through a decade of multi-platinum albums, sold out tours and a handful of iconic New Zealand songs, is back with Faintheartedness, the debut album from Grand Rapids.  Debuting at Nelson's Festival of the Arts in 2010 to rave reviews, this years upcoming performance at the Auckland Arts Festival is in itself a debut, as Grand Rapids will be performing at a full band for the first time, playing songs from the album, Faintheartedness, which will hit the shelves (and of course iTunes) in April.

LUPIN - Friday 18 March, 6 - 7pm

LUPIN is the solo project of Victoria Girling-Butcher, best-known as singer /songwriter for the now-disbanded Lucid3 and who has, over 15 years, earned a reputation as one of NZ’s key popular music composers.  LUPIN’s debut album, produced by Wayne Bell and Jol Mulholland, will be released in May and the Festival performances will be the Auckland debut of songs from the record.

Phil Edwards Band - Saturday 19 March, 6 - 7pm

This six-piece band possesses a distinctive summer feel to their songs. Ranging from warm acoustic ballads to blues numbers, the songs are all linked by honest, emotive lyrics and Phil’s unique voice. The first single Crash opens the album, a summertime anthem that has been gracing the NZ radio airwaves since its release late in 2010.  The Phil Edwards Band will be playing tracks from their freshly releases of the album, Slow Borders (March 2011).

For more details visit check out the Auckland Arts Festival website.