Hard News by Russell Brown

There’s no way this ain’t gonna be great.

It will be a treat – as witnessed by 250 of us at a packed Blue Smoke two weeks ago. No covers, not even Reduction Agents, no need really this time around, just a sublime set.of the LA catalogue.(focus naturally on Absolute Truth). This man and his band are at their peak if you ask me and I’ve never seen a dud show.

James did hint to the crowd that he may return to the Garden City on a more permanent basis in the not too distant future.

Shaft …They’re playing with Minsnap, Nakey and others tonight at the Darkroom in Christchurch.

Can’t wait!

Further to LA, I've come across this 2010 session recorded at WFUV (Fordham University in the Bronx).

Includes one of my all time LA faves, Talk About Good Times

Shayne P Carter will be talking to Kim Hill between 11am and midday on the Saturday Morning programme tomorrow, playing tracks off his forthcoming album Offsider, and a few... classics.

Pull up to the Bumper...
Murray Cammick's Flash Cars photo Exhibition opens next Tuesday night (Aug 2) at Black Asterisk, 10 Ponsonby Road.
Runs till the end of the month.

H/T to Graham Reid's excellent Elsewhere

Take a sneak peek here at Capture (from 2011)

Maui wowie...

With Tearepa Kahi’s Poi E: The Story of Our Song poised for general release, it seems we’re paying some overdue attention to a proper legend.

...also nice to note that local parish legend (and beyond), Joe Wylie's original art for the Poi E album cover is held in the National Collection and is 'zoomable' in high res here!

While I’ve got the fanfare trumpets out…
Chchch folk don’t forget to keep next Thursday evening clear.
It’s almost time!
..it’s less than a week until First Thursdays: ABRACADABRA,
They are very excited to unveil the programme and map of events taking place all over Sydenham over the course of the evening.
With a night market, multiple art exhibitions, gallery openings, interactive faerie grotto and CGI green screen, live music, late night eats and more – there is something for everyone on offer at First Thursdays.

Join them from 5pm until 9pm to celebrate and support local businesses and the arts in Christchurch and have a great time doing it.

First Thursdays Chch: ABRACADABRA
Thursday 4 August
5pm – 9pm
SYDENHAM

Yep, thanks Ian, it's in the diary! No, I won't cite the Steve Miller song...

Some pictures from Lawrence Arabia last night. The Crystal Palace is a damp, cold, musty old room at this time of year, but, especially once the crowd eagerly accepted an invitation to leave their seats and dance, it warmed up nicely. Pretty fab all round.

The show began with the Black Quartet playing a couple of pieces – the second of which was a cool medley of David Bowie’s space-related songs. Then they launched into ‘God Defend New Zealand’, at which point the members of the band appeared and ran around the the theatre waving and wearing flags. It was an audacious display of nationalism.

And then we all sat down until we stood up and danced.

What a wonderful looking venue. I can half imagine the in-limbo-currently Odeon Theatre fulfilling a similar role one day in the Garden City.

Dark Space on Friday went down a treat - six bands over two venues. Because of liquor licensing issues, security was required but it was low key, polite and non-intrusive. Well done both venues for organising.

Everything I saw (before tiredness took over) was on the money. Most impressed by those Auckland lads The Situations (who reminded me in places of a nascent Mint Chicks) and 'veterans' Minisnap (and if the pic uploads, L-R Kay Woodward, Malcolm Grant, Marcus Winstanley, Mikey Somerville (on fiddle) and the beanie-clad Paul Kean.)

Russell, when you're down in August for Festival, be sure to check out Space Academy, a space enhanced further by its hosting the odd live event like Friday's.

What a wonderful looking venue. I can half imagine the in-limbo-currently Odeon Theatre fulfilling a similar role one day in the Garden City.

It's not quite there yet. It's a cold, damp, musty room at this time of year and it doesn't so much have a bar as a tuck shop that serves drinks. There's no lighting truss and the PA has to go at floor rather than stage height. And yet ... it's great and special. The curtain adds such a lovely touch and it's good to see a band in a theatre. It needs refurbishment to achieve its potential as a venue, basically

But all credit to the young guys from Monster Valley, who are the reason it's open as a venue. I strongly hope they can keep doing it and get to the point where refurbishment is an option.

Dalvinious is an intriguing character, and his records are pretty damn elusive! The odd one pops up on Ebay, and theres even a strange xmas themed 45 (with groovy cover art) that he cut out there .. I've got the Collision LP, on which he does back up vocals. Thanks for posting that link :)

Recently came across my Willams S Burroughs Spare Ass Annie cassette - suspect I won it off BFM back in the 90s, as I recall them pushing it a bit BITD ... Micheal Franti was involved with that one too .. might have to rig up the cassette deck to revisit

After reading the Dal post by Moana I was thinking some more about how Australia – Sydney and Kings Cross in particular – was almost a rite of passage for many Kiwi groups in the 70’s (not to mention that oz rockers like Billy Thorpe also got their major start in the Cross).

The other notable thing in the comments on Moana’s piece were all the references to Renee Geyer as the source for songs back then ,,, some of her songs, like ‘Be there in the morning’ are ‘celebrated’ but not sure it extends to much of the catalogue.

Pretty sure Blerta had Renee do vocals for their first album – This is the life – recorded in Sydney, after which there was a label disagreement or something. I’ve got two copies, and on the back of one a bunch of names/credits are blacked out. Details seem scant, but I do wonder if the OG tapes with Renee are still kicking about somewhere

Bit of a bump ... Dalvanius seems to be the latest NZ artist to be co-opted by the Aussies, Voodoo Lady is included on this forthcoming comp (with awful cover art)

A little kiwi-run outpost of funk (and general cratedigging) exists in the Blue Mountains - Tuesday nights 6-8pm (Aust time) when the site is running properly - some fun links on the facebook page too...

Thee ol Blue Mountains, home of Hermitude !