Posts Tagged NZ
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June 17, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
RNZ Reviews: May 2018
Once a month or so I have a chat on RNZ on their Afternoons show with Jesse Mulligan. These things start – randomly and stop in much the same way. I hope to keep doing this. For a while at least. I think I started in December of 2015, so a couple of years into […]Archive
May 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 206 Split Enz
I saw them at some key gigs in their strange career. At the Great Ngarauawahia Music Festival when they were Split Ends. I was fourteen and like most people there to see Black Sabbath but I do remember they were interesting. Dressed pretty much like everybody else there – a much different spectacle than what […]Archive
May 14, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Tour Announcement: Bob Dylan to play TWO NZ Shows (August, 2018)
Bob Dylan will play Auckland’s Spark Arena on Sunday, August 26 and Christchurch’s Horncastle Arena on Tuesday, August 28. These will be Dylan’s first New Zealand dates since 2014 and the first time he’s played Auckland since 2011. The Dylan Neverending Tour reaches Australia in August and then down to New Zealand.Archive
May 10, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Film Preview: Swagger of Thieves
Swagger of Thieves – the documentary feature about Head Like A Hole made its debut last year at the Wellington Film Festival (see here for my review). The independently produced and distributed film will now have a limited run in theatres across New Zealand from May 17. See here and here for more details. And see here for […]Archive
April 5, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Five Of The Worst NZ Songs You’ve Had To Hear Way Too Often
Opshop’s song, One Day has to be a contender. Ew – this “expression of you” sentiment is cloying at best. At worst it’s hand-in-your-testicles, I-am-no-longer-a-man songwriting. To put it bluntly, it’s James Blunt – at his worst. There should be no way the members of Opshop can hold their head high after this song; it’s the negation of why they got […]Archive
March 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
NZ Festival Writers & Readers: CK Stead – In Full Stride
CK Stead: In Full Stride Circa 2, Circa Theatre Saturday, March 10 This Writers & Readers session, featured CK Stead in conversation with Steve Braunias. The reason for the talk was Stead’s latest novel, Necessary Angel; reviewed well, largely, received well, Braunias joked in his intro that it should be boring, shouldn’t work but somehow […]Archive
March 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Marching To The Beat Of Their Own Drums: Short Interviews With Ari Hoenig, Anthony Donaldson and Dave Weckl
There are drummer jokes for most musical occasions but almost all of them feature a punchline mocking the drummer’s intelligence. Talk to a good player and they’ll be thoughtful and wise; focussed and passionate. I talked to three great drummers – all set to be the star of the show for a few moments or […]Archive
March 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
NZ Festival Writers & Readers: Francis Spufford & Elizabeth Knox Talk About God
Francis Spufford & Elizabeth Knox Talk About God Circa One, Circa Theatre Saturday, March 10 This Writers & Readers session featured a conversation about God between long-time correspondents Francis Spufford (UK) and Elizabeth Knox (NZ). It was, if you’ll pardon the pun, a spirited conversation. It was lively, funny and often irritating. For a start, […]Archive
March 1, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 430
Anna Leah, Love Bug [Single] (1973) Anna Leah arrived in NZ from the UK – she ended up over in Australia, where her career dwindled, then ended. But in the early 70s she surprised a few Kiwis with a small handful of hit singles. There was that one about the Wahine – bummer. And the […]Archive
February 27, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Mockers: Live At The Powerstation
Mockers Live At The Powerstation (Independent) The recent reunion tour of the Mockers was a triumph – here’s the (lasting) proof, the band’s Powerstation gig from its national tour captured on double-CD and DVD. In the time since the band broke up its guitarist Brett Adams went away and became one of the best and […]Archive
February 15, 2018 by Simon Sweetman