Hard News by Russell Brown

I like how Golden Pony's remix forgets about Eminem, and lets Dre soak in his own goodness. He was always the steak in that song, now with a different marinade. (It's now 15 years since this was blasting from garages and school fields in Mangere and Onehunga...)

Connan Mockasin should be heard across the airwaves and on every device in the country. We've got so much going on right now, and such a slivver of it ever survives commercial programming.

Quiet applause here for interesting radio stations. I’ve been delving into internet radio a bit more in recent times having acquired a nifty standalone Rotel component & while I haven’t fully harnessed it’s capabilities as of yet (i.e. one’s PC ‘anchor’), I have been noticing some differences in the level of investment different stations make re: the availing of streams etc. For me the ‘on demand’ facility is key, and in this respect BBC is the standout, allowing me to check the latest shows from the likes of David Rodigan, Benji B & Gilles Peterson whenever I like (typically whilst cooking dinner!).

Dubber tweeted a link to an interesting piece on the growth of digital/internet radio in the UK not long ago (which I can dig up if anyone is interested) & that seemed to underscore what a growth (renaissance) area this currently is thanks to technological advance. I have looked at the WFMU (and Cali’s KRCW ?) but they’re not as advanced as BBC options, nor I suspect – sadly – are the Base FM & BFM ones. Something to keep an eye on, and support should any investment proposals emerge in the near term.

Mundi on Sunday
Paul Ubana Jones and Mundi play the CCC's Ingham's Lazy Sundays on the Archery Lawn in the Botanic Gardens
- this Sunday March 2, 3 - 5pm.
(it was postponed last week)
see here for more details

Two new festivals to chchch this weekend:

Audacious Festival of Sonic Arts
opening tonight in New Regent street
runs Sat and Sunday all over the place

Navigate the city by ear at Canterbury’s first ever Festival of Sonic Arts. Over a weekend of active listening and sonic adventures, Christchurch will resonate with a diverse and interactive programme of installations, workshops, interventions, performances and sound walks exploring the dynamic sonic landscapes of our rebuilding central city.
Across the city, local and international sound artists will be filling the streets and vacant lots with sound. There’s plenty of chance for direct interaction with the exhibits, such as in the pedestrian symphony created specifically for the streets of Christchurch by UK artists, Circumstance. In this, the audience becomes the orchestra as they walk in groups around the city holding portable loudspeakers.

Nostalgia at Ferrymead Heritage Park
Saturday March 1 - afternoon
here's what The Press said it would be:

NOSTALGIA AND FOOD
The Nostalgia Festival to be held this Saturday promises to be very food focused. From 12.30pm to 6pm at Ferrymead Heritage Park the festival will offer awesome food and music "set in history". A Local Food Project will be making pizza and The Woolston Market will be there grilling meat, making salads and serving cheeses. Cakes by Anna will be there with her lovely creations, as will gourmet sammie stall Dukes of Sandwich and BearLion Foods. Cassels will be providing the beer and Lyttelton Coffee Co will bring the coffee.

But I believe there is strong sustainability ethic, with a free bus from the Pallet Pavillion, reusable Festival Cup, interesting sounding marketstalls and steampunk elements, some fabulous live music including Delaney Davidson, Mara TK and Aaron Tokona plus Auckland 10-piece Sal Valentine and the Babyshakes - (who could almost be The Parnell Roof Orchestra - if such a thing existed) - should be a fun day.

There's an article in the Go supplement in The Press today
- not online that I can find.

here, gatecrash the APRA christmas party and catch SV & the Babyshakes

Yoga in the park is on again tomorrow as well

Free Yoga in the park in the Daffodil Lawns Saturday March 1st at 9:30am, Hagley Park (enter past the hospital on Riccarton Ave)

Yoga in the Park is a two and half hour inspiring yoga event for all levels and all ages.
Join four local Christchurch teachers for a playful, dynamic, and FUN exploration of some of the many styles and approaches to yoga practice.
...FREE. Bring your own mat or beach towel.

It was huge last year I believe...

OK, I'll stop with the gig guide now

Went to the Taioreore performance by Turtle Lake on the final night of the excellent Hamilton Gardens Festival. Initially it seemed rather daft, blending traditional Japanese song and percussion with Maori waiata , haka and poi. But it worked, largely due to the most tremendous and strenuous drumming by three very handsome Japanese male drummers. Great gut-sturring thumps and clatters echoing across the lake in the moonlight.
Incidentally, I was commenting to someone about how lively summers in New Zealand have become, with every weekend crowded with competing events,

Posted on the Split Enz Facebook page this afternoon: this 1980 alternate video for I Got You, recorded for the Paul Hogan show. Artsy! Acting! Winkle-pickers!

OK, I’ll stop with the gig guide now

But don't stop doing it, though. I like seeing what's going on.

So Springsteen tomorrow night. He did Free Nelson Mandela in SA, Highway to Hell in Perth, Stayin Alive last night. Which kiwi classic will he pull out tomorrow night?

My guess? 'Loyal'.

Also new on Audioculture, I am delighted to say …

Cheers for that Russell. Here’s a photo that didn’t make the first 15 but was very close – David Saunders and Street Chant at the Waitakere Festival in October last year. Hey Seuss, where you been?

My guess? ‘Loyal’.

mash-up - 'Loyals'?

applause

So this #freethemusic thing turns out to be a Telecom/Spotify campaign, and they've got behind Benny Tipene and shot this performance video in Otara.

I suspect the multicultural haka at the end wasn't entirely spontaneous, but it's still a nice idea.

Suggestion from Twitter: Springsteen opens with 'Be Mine Tonight'.

I could get behind that.

ringing in the changes…

a Telecom/Spotify campaign

Spark/Spotify thank you!
:- )
I heard something this week about how they were joining together to provide free music – and I thought “how generous of them, giving other people’s music away”
- tell me I’m wrong and there is a generous artist reimbursement scheme…

Totally weird….
Spark – is so wrong a name for them on so many levels …
here are some other ‘small points’ against it
- the primal spark preceded the Big Bang!
or is the result of some other conflagration….
Sparks tend to flare brightly and die,
they sputter and don’t release even energy,
or are used to start explosions in petrol motors
(or grain silos).
The energy of a spark is too raw, disruptive and uncontrollable for the kind of devices they are catering to, which will operate at near Planck Scale soon it seems….

They may end up pin pricks when they just wanted to be flash!

apologies to the crows nest!

I like seeing what’s going on.

Sorry, I forgot to tell you about the most important festival Dramfest - but it was sold out and you probably already knew, right?

Maybe they could widen it out to a bigger
barrel party or even a 'Drami Gras'...

----

Royals ... I was kinda half right on the Bruce Springsteen kiwi opener,
even though i was joking!
Do those lyrics work from a 64-year-old?
- but nice anyway, good on him.

Royals tease
I wonder does Lorde (Ella/Joel) get live performance royalties from the Springsteen concert cover?
How does that work?
Is it based on crowd size or door take?

I wonder does Lorde (Ella/Joel) get live performance royalties from the Springsteen concert cover?

For sure.

How does that work?
Is it based on crowd size or door take?

I'm not sure of the exact formula, but it's a performing right fee and is collected by Apra from the promoter's take.

Yoga in the park

Bloody bugger. I didn't read this until Sunday night.

Go on, do the gig guide every Friday....please.

I didn’t read this until Sunday night.

don't worry - it was cancelled,
ground still too wet...

do the gig guide every Friday

The Press does do a pretty good job with Go...
I just cherry pick anything that interests me
or seems underpublicised
or seems like it would be useful
or of (wide or narrow) interest to PA
or if people I know are involved
- with my usual 'random factor ethic'.

It would be better done earlier
than the day before too, but hey...

Regarding Phil Warren, is his son Peter "Rooda" Warren, drummer for DD Smash in their early-mid '80s heyday ? If so, whatever happened to him ? Any ideas, please ?

Regarding Phil Warren, is his son Peter “Rooda” Warren, drummer for DD Smash in their early-mid ’80s heyday ? If so, whatever happened to him ? Any ideas, please ?

No, no relation. Peter Warren has been in the UK most of the time since DD Smash, still playing music I think. He was back in the country late last year for for Dave Dobbyn's Silver Scrolls Hall of Fame. Nice chap. Doesn't have the hair any more.

Cheers, thanks for that Russell. I was told ages ago that he was Phil's son, but obviously not.

My guess? ‘Loyal’.

Ooops, missed that.
Snap.
Well spotted Ian.
Loyals..
fnahh
;-)