Posts Tagged Gig Review
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September 4, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: # 233– AC/DC, Wellington, 2015
I first got to see AC/DC in 2010 and it was good. Okay, it wasn’t AC/DC in 1977 or 1980 or even in 1991 – but it was my first chance to see the band. And it was great. Solid-af. I dug it. I didn’t really think it would be as good seeing them a […]Archive
August 27, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: # 232 – Suzanne Vega, Wellington, 2018
It felt like I had been waiting my whole life for a Suzanne Vega gig – then I saw her twice in two weeks. First in Australia (I couldn’t take the chance that there wouldn’t be NZ shows) and then I saw her in Wellington also. Was worth the travel. And the two shows. They […]Archive
August 12, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Jennifer Stumm & Te Koki Trio (August 8, Wgtn)
Jennifer Stumm & Te Koki Trio: Secrets & Hidden Messages MFC Thursday, August 8 This Chamber Music NZ concert featured touring American violist Jennifer Stumm with local musicians Inbal Megiddo (cello), Jian Liu (piano) and Martin Riseley (violin): Te Koki Trio. The opening piece was just for the trio, a Chamber Music-commission by local composer Michael Williams. Over a see-sawing frenzy of violin the piano provided […]Archive
August 5, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: STROMA – Voices of the World (August 1, Wgtn)
Stroma: Voices of The World Hannah Playhouse Thursday August 1 In a wide-ranging program that sought to show connections and cross-pollinations between cultures, between the scored notes of music and the more off-the-cuff field recordings of human and animal voices, of natural sounds (rainfall), once again the Wellington-based Stroma collective hit it out of the park. This […]Archive
August 3, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: # 231 – Laneway, Auckland, 2019
I don’t get to Auckland for very many gigs – once or twice a year if I’m lucky – it takes a lot of planning (and saving) usually. But since I was in Auckland making my debut on Waiheke Island (and there to do some book research and other work) I realised I just happened to […]Archive
June 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: The Monkees (June 10, Wgtn)
The Monkees MFC, Wellington Monday, June 10 I’m a believer (ha!) that you have to do the research – you have to know what to expect. Anyone thinking they were getting anything close to the actual Monkees would be defeated purely by numbers; part-time players in their later years Mike Nesmith and Micky Dolenz (now all that’s left) were never going […]Archive
June 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Simon O’Neill & Rodger Fox (June 9, 2019)
Simon O’Neill & Rodger Fox MFC, Wellington (3pm) Sunday, June 9 Every year, in the Sunday 3pm slot at the Jazz Festival, Rodger Fox (and his Big Band) offers up an innovative collaboration. We’ve had Rodger and band with classical pianist Michael Houstoun – they even made a record together as a result. We’ve had Fox reuniting […]Archive
June 9, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Alicia Olatuja (June 8, 2019)
Alicia Olatuja MFC, Wellington (8pm) Saturday, June 8 Alicia Olatuja has the perfect backstory for a jazz festival appearance in NZ – she was part of the choir at one of Barack Obama’s inaugurations and with that as a springboard she is still in the beginnings of her solo career but has recently released a fine-enough album where she pays tribute to […]Archive
May 26, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Gregg Bissonette Drum Workshop (May 26, Wgtn)
Gregg Bissonette: Drum Workshop Memorial Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington Sunday, May 26 American session-star drummer Gregg Bissonette is in the country as part of Rodger Fox’s touring Jazz Gala and ahead of those concerts for a series of drum workshops. He’s been to New Zealand a bunch of times – some 20 years ago as a clinician and more recently as the […]Archive
May 22, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Brodsky Quartet (May 20, Wgtn)
Brodsky Quartet MFC Monday, May 20 Britain’s long-running Brodsky Quartet (formed in 1972 and still with two original members) are known for their regular touring (including at least four visits to New Zealand) and their crossover pop collaborations (Elvis Costello, Bjork, Paul McCartney) as well as their refined chamber work – including a fondness for the string-quartet […]Archive
May 20, 2019 by Simon Sweetman