Whether you like to spend your Friday night with a glass of wine on the couch or soaking in some culture, on Friday 14 August you can combine the two, thanks to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

The NZSO, led by Conductor Laureate Edo de Waart, performed Beethoven’s beloved Seventh Symphony to critical acclaim back in 2017, and New Zealanders will now have the opportunity to enjoy the performance from all over the country, no matter what alert level restrictions you may be under.

The performance described by critics as a “revelation” and “delightful” that left “the audience in wonderment at what they had heard and seen” will be streamed to the nation on Friday 14 August at 7.30pm. It is part of the NZSO’s popular Engage@Home series of streamed and live-streamed performances. It will be available to view at live.nzso.co.nz.

Symphony No. 7 is one of the Beethoven’s greatest works, with the captivating second movement one of his most recognisable and moving achievements. The symphony has been used in many films, including The King’s Speech and X-Men: Apocalypse.

The NZSO has presented many wonderful performances and special events for stream and live-stream since March, allowing both long-time music lovers and first-timers to enjoy the experience of a NZSO concert. Some of the performances are available on demand at live.nzso.co.nz if you happened to miss them the first time around. These include the recent live-streamed concerts Spirit, Goldberg Variations and Ngū Kīoro… Harikoa Ake – celebrating togetherness, the Bach series Sei Solo, Ryman Healthcare Presents Discovering Beethoven, the Shed Series concerts Heritage, Voice and Speed, and Play Our Part, featuring NZSO players and international guests performing in their homes.

So add a touch of fancy to your Friday and relax with the soothing sounds of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, wherever you are. You can even keep your slippers on, which makes it a win-win situation in our book.

Bread and Circus – World Buskers Festival is back!

It's coming to Christchurch in January 2021, and will be a special home-grown edition, featuring New Zealand's most talented and wonderfully hilarious street performers in a new event called Bread and Circus - World Backyard Buskers Festival.

The World Buskers Festival always features a fantastic selection of home-grown talent ready to get a laugh or a wow out of the public. This year it'll also focus on highlighting iconic Christchurch venues, local food and beverage makers, and providing a bucket load of free outdoor entertainment to be enjoyed in the summer sun.

Loren Heaphy, ChristchurchNZ General Manager Destination and Attraction, is excited that the iconic event is coming back. “Bread and Circus is a beloved event and we are proud to support its return to the city," she says.

Bread and Circus is also putting a call out to artists - if you want to be in the festival, this is the time to make your pitch. Bread & Circus is currently taking artistic and creative submissions, and they're on the hunt for fresh ideas, event concepts, artistic proposals and performances from individuals or companies. Check out breadandcircus.co.nz for more details.

Finalists have been announced in the 2020 Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover, with 12 picklelicious toasted sandwiches from around the country making the cut.

The finalists are a mixture of established cafés, hole-in-the-wall hideaways, tapas bars and container eateries. Some are inspired by Indian cuisine, some inspired by burgers. Ingredients include BBQ jackfruit, peanut butter and meatloaf.

Each of the 80 entrants created a toastie that met strict criteria: filling between two slices of bread, able to be eaten by hand, and containing cheese and McClure’s Pickles. Between them, they served up a phenomenal 20,000 cheese toasties in July.

Head judge Kerry Tyack says the team of 20 assessors were wowed by this year’s toastie innovation. “We have seen great results from the ‘less is more brigade’ and equally successful offerings from the ‘go for broke’ crew. Experienced old hands have been matched by entries from pop-ups and food caravans. In all regions, scores were close with many contenders for the finalist spot.”

The competition toast-master royale will visit all 12 finalists in August to sample their creations and then together with Kerry Tyack and McClure’s Pickles co-founder Joe McClure, will determine New Zealand’s best toastie of 2020. They will announce the supreme winner on Wednesday 3 September.

Auckland

Jemima’s Kitchen – Oratia: Jemima’s Throwback - Smashed angus patty with house made tomato relish, McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles and Swiss cheese.

Cheese on Toast – Mt Eden; The Grilled Cheese Burger - Caramelized beef mince, tomato jam, McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles, mustard and white onion with a three-cheese blend toasted up on house made sourdough.

Waikato / Bay Of Plenty / Coromandel / Rotorua

Hayes Common – Hamilton: South of the “Bombay” sarnie - Based on the punchy street side sandwiches found in Mumbai (commonly known as a Bombay sandwich) this sandwich is filled with Meyer fenugreek Gouda, McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles, mozzarella, mint, chaat Masala, spinach and cucumber made with Volare turmeric and cumin loaf topped with a crispy onion and McClure’s Pickle bhaji, and spicy tamarind sauce.

Flock Kitchen & Bar – Tairua: A Flockin Good iDEER - Sourdough bread, house made brie, venison, house made plum chutney, McClure's Spicy Pickles, baby spinach served with house made potato chips.

Central North Island

Replete Café & Store – Taupo:* The Rogan - Indian spiced lamb, paneer, mango chutney with McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles on paratha.

Bay Espresso Karamu Road – Hastings: Jackfruit "Taco" Toastie - BBQ jackfruit, vegan friendly cheese, crunchy coleslaw, and spicy picklenaise sauce made from McClure's Sweet & Spicy pickles.

Wellington Region

Fix & Fogg Eva Street Window – Wellington: Fix & Fogg's 'Stay Toastie' toasted sandwich- Spicy smoke and fire peanut butter, McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles, cheese, rocket and an extra spicy kick.

Ten O'clock Cookie Bakery Café – Masterton: Sweet & Spicy Pork Toastie - BBQ pulled pork, McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles, fresh pineapple, gooey cheese & crunchy red onion stacked in thick home made artisan bread.

Upper South Island

Civil & Naval – Lyttleton: The ¼ Pack is Back - Civil fried chicken with McClure's Garlic & Dill Pickles, Frank's hot slaw, mashed potato bread, golden ale gravy.

Earl Bistro – Christchurch: Toastie Muff'aletta, shaved salamis & meats, ‘nduja butter, McClure’s Garlic & Dill Pickles, olive, provolone, buffalo mozzarella, winter pesto and house crisps in a milk bun.

LOWER SOUTH ISLAND

Love Chicken – Queenstown: The Southern - 3 Cheese mac & cheese, Southern-style fried organic free-range chicken & McClure’s McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles.

Hungry Hobos – Dunedin: The Bat Out of Hell - Homemade meatloaf (Grandma's recipe), with creamy mashed potato and gravy, layered with McClure's Sweet & Spicy Pickles and aged-cheddar, toasted between our herb-buttered ciabatta.

toastietakeover.com

Loud, crass and with a no-holds-barred attitude, personal trainer and fitness guru James Smith is heading to New Zealand in 2021 to change your life.

James Smith has a uniquely irreverent approach to tackling toxic myths surrounding the ‘normal life’ and our quest for happiness and fulfilment. His presentations are controversial, yet thoughtful and authentic, and might speak to you in a way no self-helper ever has before. Known for his outspoken and offbeat style, James will pass on concepts to rearrange your thinking, break through your limits, and change your life. As you might suspect, James is not your typical life coach, and he is not here to solve your problems, but with an erudite mix of hard truths and tough love, teach you how to reset your thought processes and help you find your own success.

“I'm incredibly excited to be hitting the road in Australia and New Zealand,” James says. “In a world where people are so caught up with how they look, they can often overlook how they feel, how they see the world, how they see success and how they judge their own progress. I will show people how to accomplish more, and how to have a different outlook on life with every chapter. From mental wealth, relationships and motivation, to uncovering why playing it safe by society’s standards can be tremendously risky. I'm not your life coach, but I reckon I can change your life.”

This refreshingly no-holds-barred talk will cover everything from self-worth and mental “wealth” all the way to comfort zones, escapism, values, and even relationships.

The UK-born author is touring his new book, Not a Life Coach, the follow-up to international bestseller Not a Diet Book. He has an international following of fans and recently toured with sell-out shows across Australia. This will be his first visit to New Zealand.

Auckland, SKYCITY Theatre, Friday 12 February

Christchurch Town Hall, Saturday 13 February

eventfinda.co.nz

Throw your arms (and conducting batons) in the air and get ready to dance, because Synthony is returning with a killer Kiwi lineup and a New Zealand tour in 2020 and 2021.

It’s a unique combination of body-shaking electronic dance music anthems and the unbeatable might of a full orchestra. The show will feature some of the country’s best symphony orchestras performing in each city, conducted by Peter Thomas and hosted by DJ General Lee with guest DJs and performances by Jason Kerrison, Ria Hall, Cherie Mathieson, Nate Dousand and Lewis McCallum.

With an epic backdrop of visuals, lasers, and a state-of-the-art sound system, it’s a magical, uplifting, hands-in-the-air dance party like no other. This dance music celebration takes the audience on a journey, track after track, down memory lane to celebrate unforgettable bangers.

Synthony founder and producer Erika Amoore says she’s incredibly excited to bring Kiwis an outstanding musical showcase based on performances of the world’s best dance music, performed solely by homegrown musicians. “Given the circumstances, it’s amazing to be able to pull together the 200-plus local artists and crew that make these events happen. Even with our borders closed to international musicians, we have all the talent we need right here.”

Tickets go on sale August 5. You can pre-register for the on-sale announcement at the Synthony website.

Friday 30 October 2020, Spark Arena, Auckland
Saturday 12 December 2020, Claudelands Arena, Hamilton

Saturday 23 January 2021, TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth
Friday 12 February 2021, TSB Arena, Wellington
Saturday 20 March 2021, Horncastle Arena, Christchurch

synthony.com

This Royal New Zealand Ballet season represents a new era in dance, with the powerful programme’s full repertoire choreographed by women. The masterminds behind the routines tell Cityscape what’s what in the whirling worlds of the 2020 season.

Venus Rising is first to ascend into the spotlight. The invocation of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and victory over adversity as well as Earth’s scorching hot sister planet, the brightest of stars and herald of the dusk and dawn, seems wholly appropriate for the ignition of this female-fronted year of ballet. “The astronomical symbol for Venus is the same as that is used in biology for the female sex. The Venus symbol also represents femininity, and the symbol for Venus has sometimes been understood to stand for the mirror of the goddess. Rather fitting at this time and place for the RNZB and for New Zealand,” says RNZB artistic director Patricia Barker.

The four-part Venus Rising will arrive on our stage in August, each part choreographed by a formidable and internationally-renowned female choreographer. Contemporary dance and choreography legend Twyla Tharp will headline the programme with the New Zealand premiere of Waterbaby Bagatelles, which showcases 27 dancers leaping and spinning across the stage, sparkling in an ever-changing ocean of light. The second ballet in the Venus Rising curation is Aurum, an award-winning piece by Alice Topp inspired by kintsugi, or golden joinery, the Japanese art repairing broken pottery with gold so the breakage becomes part of the vessel’s history and aesthetic.

The third part is an acclaimed recent commission by Andrea Schermoly. Within Without is complex, subtle and candid, in which overcoming pain becomes a thing of immense beauty. Venus Rising will be the New Zealand premiere of this commanding work by the sought-after South African choreographer. The quartet of ballets is rounded off with Ultra Folly by Sarah Foster-Sproull, one of New Zealand’s foremost choreographers. It’s a particularly appropriate piece built around the desire for physical connection in this time of social distancing. The ballet, inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s Baroque La Folia, is Sarah’s third work for RNZB.

With four challenging works on the Venus Rising programme, all of the RNZB’s dancers will have the chance to shine. This includes established soloists and principals such as Sara Garbowski, Paul Mathews, Joseph Skelton and Katherine Minor, as well as recently arrived artists Ana Gallardo Lobaina and Levi Teachout. The ballet also features Christchurch-raised international dancer Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson, the first time he will perform professionally in his hometown.

In November, Royal New Zealand Ballet will return to the Isaac Theatre Royal with The Sleeping Beauty. It’s the classic tale set to Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable music score performed by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, spilling over with fairies, royalty and magic. The three-part ballet tells the story of Princess Aurora who is cursed by a jealous fairy to fall into a 100-year slumber.

Goddesses and gold, madness and pain. This season’s two big ballets bring us world premieres, New Zealand firsts and an ocean of talent that will have us engrossed in worlds near and far inspired by the brightest star in our night sky and the epic scenes of a fantastical court.

Venus Rising:

Wellington, Opera House, August 20 – 22
Christchurch, Isaac Theatre Royal, August 28 – 29
Dunedin, Regent Theatre, September 5
Palmerston North, Regent on Broadway, September 9
Napier, Municipal Theatre, September 12 – 13
Auckland, Aotea Centre, September 17 – 19

The Sleeping Beauty:

Wellington, Opera House, October 29 – November 7
Invercargill, Civic Theatre, November 11
Dunedin, Regent Theatre, November 14 – 15
Christchurch, Isaac Theatre Royal, November 19 – 21
Palmerston North, Regent on Broadway, November 25
Napier, Municipal Theatre, November 28 – 29
Auckland, Aotea Centre, December 3 – 6
Takapuna, Bruce Mason Centre, December 11 – 12

rnzb.org.nz

The four formidables

The four choreographers of Venus Rising are teeming with talent, bringing experience from across decades and around the globe.

Sarah Foster-Sproull – Ultra Folly

Sarah Foster-Sproull is Royal New Zealand Ballet’s new choreographer in residence for the 2020 to 2021 season. She was born in Dunedin and trained at the New Zealand School of Dance where she is recognised as a distinguished graduate. In her previous career as a performer, Sarah was a founding dancer and choreographer of The New Zealand Dance Company and performed in Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Canada, Germany, Fiji, Japan, Indonesia and America. She is a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland’s dance studies programme where she researches choreography and creative practice, and she is also the artistic director of Foster Group Dance.

Alice Topp - Aurum

Alice Topp was born and raised in Bendigo, Victoria, and started dancing at the age of four. Her professional career began dancing on this side of the ditch for RNZB. Alice’s passion for choreography began when she created her first work, Trace, for the 2010 season of Bodytorque, Australian Ballet’s choreographic showcase. She has choreographed music videos for artists including Megan Washington and Ben Folds and has been invited to create works for Houston Ballet II and Queensland Ballet. Aurum, Alice’s work which forms part of Venus Rising, has been performed in Australia and New York and won a prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Ballet.

Twyla Tharp - Waterbaby Bagatelles

One of the world’s greatest living choreographers, Twyla Tharp has choreographed more than 160 works including dances, Hollywood movies, television specials, Broadway shows, figure skating routines and four full-length ballets – and she’s also a published author. Her career has seen Twyla awarded with a Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, 19 honorary doctorates, and many other honours and awards. Her dances are known for creativity, wit and technical precision coupled with a streetwise nonchalance. By combining different forms of movement – such as jazz, ballet, boxing and inventions of her own making – Twyla’s work expands the boundaries of ballet and modern dance.

Andrea Schermoly – Within Without

South African-born Andrea Schermoly trained at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg then Rambert Ballet and Contemporary School and The Royal Ballet School, London. She competed internationally for The South African National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team, and danced professionally for Boston Ballet and the Netherlands Dance Theater. She has created ballets all around the world and directed dance narrative film, as well as choreographing for feature films, commercials and music videos including ‘Beautiful Now’, 'Bunheads', Justin Bieber, Poo Bear and Deorro.

Husband and wife musical duo Aro’s upcoming bilingual EP He Manu Anō celebrates tales and melodies of Aotearoa’s native birds. Emily and Charles Looker korero with What’s Hot New Zealand about te reo Māori and music.

What has been your experience of bringing te reo Māori further into the music spotlight? While touring the country the last two years with our waiata, we’ve been encouraged by the engagement and interest people have expressed for our bilingual music and the Māori perspective that informs some of our songs. One thing we weren’t expecting was for our music to connect with people of all ages, from little ones right through to the grandparents. It’s been cool to hear who’s been jammin’ our waiata across the country, and a bit overseas as we’ve recently discovered! We’ve been humbled by the recognition our Manu album received, particularly for the first track ‘Korimako’ - which was up as finalist for the APRA Maioha Award 2019 and the APRA Best Children’s Song Award 2020. 

Do you have any great stories from recording He Manu Anō? The whole project has been recorded from our home which has been a sweet experience. We did one single from home during the lockdown and thought it would be a good project for us to record this one from home as well. One challenge with recording from our whare is picking our times to record, between the neighbour mowing their lawn, the house party getting started down the road, or our two animals who we have to make sure are in their chill mode rather than hypo or we won’t get the quiet needed.

Tell us about the process of creating waiata inspired by the tales and melodies of native birds. It starts with hearing the melody of their song - that usually piques the interest. Then we go on an adventure of learning about their stories, how Māori saw them, and try to weave the narrative into something that’s relatable to all of us in our songwriting. We learn from our tūpuna Māori the practice of taking direct inspiration for songs and melodies from our environment, even to the point of some using mountain ranges to guide a melody. Likewise, we try to incorporate a bird’s melody, even down to the clicks, by imitating it with our own vocals or some kind of instrument – usually hidden like a Kinder Surprise.

What is the kaupapa of this EP? Similar to what it has been since we started this journey as Aro – to encourage and remind all of us, including ourselves, that we’re all taonga, and we ought to take care of each other and our environment. We’re making deliberate choices this time around to try to appeal more to our young people. It’s a crazy world out there, and we want to encourage everybody to have each other's backs – we need it!

What do you hope people will take away from listening to it? Hopefully the above, in that we feel just a little bit closer to our brothers, our sisters, our neighbours, whoever they may be. It’s about love, and there are countless whakataukī, proverbs that speak of how important love is, especially with each other (not just the butterfly kind either), and some of which feature on this EP.

Do you have a favourite te reo word or phrase you want more people to learn? That’s a tricky question. We would hope that if people want to learn Māori they would want to learn it in its entirety, whatever that looks like, and encourage learning what the real meanings are behind the kupu, the words, and not just by its English translation. If there is any word to encourage someone reading this to go and discover, maybe our name Aro could be a good place to start, it’s almost like a reference to why our kaupapa is what it is, or you can learn the lyrics of our songs if that’s better for your learning style.

How does the creative dynamic work between the two of you? We don’t know, except that it does work, and not all the time either. We are definitely strong in what we are most comfortable with, that is Emily with vocals, and Charles with instruments. Regarding songwriting it’s quite balanced, and at the same time very different depending on who is taking the lead in any of our songs, as we do have our own favourites as well. Being a husband and wife kind of helps the dynamic too, knowing each other that much, dwhile acknowledging we’ve still got heaps to learn about each other too.

What does your chill time look like? Dream chill time for Charles is in a remote place somewhere on the rocks fishing, but he gets by with a bit of gaming. Dream chill for Emily is being with people, having friends over for a dinner party! Together it’s food and movies, in the comfort of our whare with our little animals.

You use quite a few different percussion and instruments in your music. What's your favourite quirky sound? We’re massive fans of manipulating natural sounds, like slapping non-instrument surfaces, or distorting a whistle, or swinging a metal bench stool and catching it ringing. I think our favourite thing is actually in the fun of making something quirky.

Who would you most love the opportunity to jam with? We feel like we’re blessed to know so many great musicians in our circle of friends/family that the desire to jam with somebody amazing is pretty much fulfilled. Lianne La Havas would be cool to jam with though.

What is the best thing happening in Aotearoa music right now? The use and response to te reo Māori in mainstream songs. There have been a couple of moments where Charles has remembered some of his grandparents' stories of what it was like for them as Māori, and what that meant for a language. We acknowledge things aren’t perfect, but we do feel blessed and excited to be living in times like these, where major change seems to be afoot.

What's next for Aro? Next up for us, after the release and tour of He Manu Anō – which is also paired with a schools tour: workshops around identity, songwriting and our native manu – we have our annual summer tour, which is Aro bringing sounds to a bunch of campgrounds, a few festivals and local gigs around the North Island. 2021 we will be releasing our next project, He Wai, which will be waiata inspired by the underwater life, creatures and stories of the voyage to Aotearoa. We’ll be touring this around the country and look forward to seeing where our mahi in schools will take us next too.

Aro release their single Kōtare on 13 August, and the full EP will be available from 27 August.

aromusic.co.nz

The group behind smooth Kiwi singalong anthems ‘Fish in the Sea’ and ‘Wandering Eye’ have just announced two live shows and free limited-time streams of a live recorded session.

Jam along to Fat Freddy’s Drop for free this weekend with live streams of a one-off concert captured in the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington. With no audience present, it’s a personal and meaningful studio-like experience.

The band were forced to pull the pin on their 2020 tour of Europe and the UK, and say the live streams are a way to show those fans some love. Having hurriedly returned home from Germany in March as the Covid pandemic broke out, the band then had to wait almost three months for their tour gear and instruments to get back to New Zealand. That moment inspired the idea of putting on a show with no audience at the Michael Fowler Centre.

The live concert of eight songs spans the gamut of Freddy's career, leaning towards songs of freedom, and includes a brand new track in the making. It will stream just two times on YouTube and Facebook, once on Saturday at 9pm, and once on Sunday at 8am New Zealand time.

The crew will also perform two headline live shows this September in Auckland and Wellington.

FB/fatfreddysdropnz

Recorded Live in Wellington
Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 July

Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Thursday 24 September

The Cauldron, Spark Arena, Auckland
Saturday 26 September

Flox, AKA Hayley King is one of New Zealand’s coolest contemporary artists and we’re seeing her distinctive spraycan handywork all over the place, from street art to super-trendy stationery. She’s just teamed up with BLUNT umbrellas for their third collaboration on an umbrella that’s practical and looks amazeballs.

Do you have a favourite New Zealand bird? You know what? I’m all about the Kākāriki parrots right now. 

Tell us about the birds and plants on your new BLUNT umbrella design. The New Zealand Kākāriki and native botanicals feature alongside native Australian flora and the Crimson Parakeet and Ringneck Parrot. I wanted to incorporate the brightest birds and foliage for the highest impact on a grey winter’s day, but also pay homage to our-long standing trans-Tasman relationship.

You don’t seem like someone who collaborates willy-nilly. What drew you to BLUNT? Not only do BLUNT have super high standards with their products, but they’re a really trusted New Zealand brand, and are seen as the leaders in the game. Who wouldn’t want to collaborate with that! They ticked all the right boxes for me.

We’ve seen your art on umbrellas, walls, sitting on people’s desks and just about everywhere else – is that a weird feeling? Ha, yes it can be a bit weird, but the overwhelming feelings of gratitude far outweigh the weird vibes.

How has your distinctive palette evolved over the years? I consider myself to be a bit of a colourist. I work with spray paint predominantly and I’ve used the same brand for many years now, allowing for a really innate understanding of the tones available and what looks good with what. Sometimes I work to specific briefs in terms of colour, but in terms of my collections, I like to research current interior trends and let this inform some of my colour choices.

How colourful is the inside of your home? The base of the home is modern with white walls, accented with lush green indoor plants and wooden floors, which is perfect for me as I can decorate and accent with poh in Auckland and down in the South Island along with some much anticipated Flox products landing on our shores. I’m also developing a new Flox DIY range and am really excited about being involved in some up-and-coming retreats and workshops. All the international stuff has obviously been put on hold, but I’m kind of liking not bumbling though airports right now!

Who’s your favourite artist right now? Okay, okay great, love this question. I am totally stalking an old friend of mine, Jonathan Brown who’s now based in the Hawkes Bay. You must check out his latest collection, seriously cool work.ps of colour through decor and artwork. I’m actually working my way through the house one bedroom at a time, painting the interior. I’ve just painted my room and my little boy’s room a deep sea blue, which I’m completely in love with.

How does your creative process happen? Do you sketch concepts on paper before getting the cans out? I use Pinterest as a starting point, often creating boards that encompass colour way, style, concept and resources. Then I use my iPad Pro to redraw the elements into stencil form. Everything is then put into Photoshop where I build the compositions. Up until very recently I used to hand-cut every individual element, but now with the iPad the cutting is at a bare minimum.

Do you have a day job, or is it all about Flox for you? The only other job I have, and love, is being a mum.

What’s happening on the Kiwi art scene in 2020? It’s tricky to know what’s going ahead due to the current climate, but it’s looking likely that the street art festivals that I know about will go ahead. Galleries are still pushing forward with exhibitions and there’s a mountain of stuff on for Aucklanders during Art Week this year.

What’s on the cards for you in the next few months? I have some large-scale murals both in Auckland and down in the South Island along with some much anticipated Flox products landing on our shores. I’m also developing a new Flox DIY range and am really excited about being involved in some up-and-coming retreats and workshops. All the international stuff has obviously been put on hold, but I’m kind of liking not bumbling though airports right now!

What’s your favourite street art in New Zealand?  Oh without a doubt, Rone's work on Worcester Street in Christchurch always mesmerises.

Who else would you like to collaborate with?  Air New Zealand, I’d love to wrap a plane. We did it with a train, so we can do it with a plane!

You’ve done some stunning public artwork in Christchurch. How does the city speak to you? I have such a soft spot for Christchurch. I’ve spent a lot of time down there the last few years and the people really resonate with me. There is so much talent and entrepreneurship in Christchurch and they’ve obviously been through a lot, but at the same time so much humility – it’s a really beautiful synergy and I love them for it.

Do you have a favourite spot around New Zealand? My dad and stepmum live right on the beach up in Ahipara. It’s super humble but it’s my home away from home and the kids absolutely love it. When I can, I make sure I get up there and go off grid.

He’s an undeniable Kiwi music legend – Dave Dobbyn has been gracing our ears now for four decades and he’s hitting the stage in September to play all the hits.

The man behind so many of New Zealand’s classic tunes and his band will play The Cauldron at Spark Arena in Auckland, treating us to memorable bangers such as ‘Slice of Heaven’ and ‘Whaling’ as well as homegrown anthems like ‘Loyal’. Expect to hear songs spanning Dave’s career including songs by Th’ Dudes, DD Smash and his solo work.

Dave’s career kicked off as a guitarist with Th’ Dudes in the 1970s, which became world famous in New Zealand for its songs ‘Be Mine Tonight’ and beer-drinking singalong ‘Bliss’. He continued on a strong note with his own band DD Smash and its smash hit ‘Whaling’. His solo career brought forth many songs that Kiwis young and old are guaranteed to recognise, including ‘You Oughta Be In Love’ and ‘Welcome Home’.

This gig will feature supporting act Milly Tabak & The Miltones, and Dave’s band will have its own horn section.

Where: The Cauldron and Spark Arena

When: Saturday 12 September

ticketmaster.com

Matariki is rising next month, with the star cluster appearing in our skies from July 13 and bringing with it the Māori New Year.

The Matariki star cluster signifies Aotearoa’s own midwinter New Year, and with it a series of events around the country. Check in with your local council and iwi groups for festivals and community activities happening in your area.

Matariki events are generally family-friendly and educational. As well as music and storytelling, some events will encourage you to take part in tree planting to give back to the land mother Papatūānuku.

Matariki Festival is running in Auckland with online activities, screenings of Māori short films, performances, community activities, arts, and workshops.

In Wellington, Kia Whakanui i a Matariki will run for three weeks with performances and workshops that engage tamariki through taonga puoro (Māori musical instruments), kōrero paki (storytelling) and kanikani (dance).

Christchurch is hosting Matariki in the Zone 2020, with live music by Lisa Tui, activities for all ages, a traditional hāngi, hot drinks and a lighting display at Avebury House & Richmond Community Garden on July 19.

Whangarei’s Matariki Festival will be smaller than usual this year, but will involve zero-waste community planting days.

Tauranga will host Piki Mai Te Kaupapa O Matariki Tauranga Moana 2020 with exhibitions and workshops including how to ubild your own waka.

In the Waikato you can find a series of Matariki events including performances and delicious food at the Tino Reka te Kai Matariki Dish Challenge.

As 2020 got off to a rocky start, NZIFF decided to stream its films for viewers to watch when and where they want. You can also catch selected viewings at cinemas and venues around the country.

The festival will kick off on July 24 with a screening of True History of the Kelly Gang at ASB Waterfront Arena in Auckland, followed by a series of films at venues in Wellington, Christchurch,  Dunedin, Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay, New Plymouth, and Gore. The usual extensive programme of screenings throughout the country won’t go ahead as usual.

Never fear though, anyone in New Zealand will have access to the full lineup of 19 feature films and seven collections of short films, thanks to the wonders of streaming technology. Most films will be available to rent and stream on devices for up to a week.

Catch live screenings at the following venues between July 24 and August 2.

Auckland

ASB Waterfront Arena

Bridgeway Cinemas

The Capitol Cinema

Hollywood Avondale

Monterey Cinemas (Howick)

Tauranga

Rialto Tauranga

Hawke’s Bay

MTG Century Theatre

New Plymouth

Govvett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre

Wellington

The Roxy Cinema

City Gallery Wellington

Christchurch

Lumière Cinemas

Isaac Theatre Royal

Dunedin

Regent Dunedin

Gore

SBS St James Theatre

Dates: Friday 24 July to Sunday 2 August

nziff.co.nz

You can stop holding your breath, the opera is back! New Zealand is leading the way with the imminent return of live opera performances.

New Zealand Opera’s 2020 season will resume this October with five performances of a brand-new immersive production of Handel’s Semele at Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Following Semele, New Zealand Opera will stage The Human Voice in hotel rooms in Auckland, Taupo, Wellington and Christchurch in October and November. Rescheduled Christchurch dates for the critically acclaimed Eight Songs for a Mad King are due to be announced soon. The three-city tour of The Marriage of Figaro that was originally scheduled for June and July this year has been moved to mid-2021.

Semele general director Thomas de Mallet Burgess says the team worked on different scenarios through lockdown, and were “delighted” to confirm the rest of the season when New Zealand moved to Covid-19 Level 1.

“Opera in much of the world is at a terrifying standstill due to the Covid-19 crisis, and we’re thrilled that we’ll be able to bring this new site-specific and immersive production of Handel’s life-affirming Baroque masterpiece to New Zealand audiences in September. We are currently fundraising to film this production so that we can share our New Zealand talent with the rest of the world.”

Semele is a sensual story exploring a love triangle between Jupiter, King of the Gods (Sol3’ Mio’s Amitai Pati), his wife, the goddess Juno (Sarah Castle), and his lover, the mortal princess Semele (Celeste Lazarenko).

Audience members are invited to dress up as guests at the wedding of the year and be at the heart of the story of love, passion, revenge and quest for fame.

The company will open its doors for a special open day during Semele rehearsals on Saturday 22 August, allowing the public to see the behind the scenes preparations for the production, including costumes, wigs and make-up and the chance to watch part of a rehearsal.

Semele
Thursday 29 October – Friday 6 November
Holy Trinity Cathedral

nzopera.com

What's Hot New Zealand talks to Kiwi singer songwriter Jed Parsons.

You learned the guitar and drums from your brothers. What else do you think brothers are good for, other than teaching you epic music skills? Brothers are good for toughening you up when you’re young – my brothers once stuffed me in a cardboard box and balanced me on top of the mailbox, ready for pick-up. When you’re older they become your best friends, with comfy couches to crash on whilst touring.

What was the first song you ever wrote? Was it any good? I think it was ‘Lose My Mind’, or ‘Banana’. Performed by The Muffin Men or Choco Pie. Neither of them were good but people still remember the hooks, which is what I try to be all about.

What’s your songwriting process? I generally start with a small random idea, which could be a title, line or just a thought. That part of the process can happen when I’m just humming a melody, or when I’m just thinking or writing. I then analyse the little bit I’ve got and decipher whatever meaning I can from it, and then I’m away. Otherwise it starts with a chord progression, but chords and melodies come as a bit of a package in my brain.

How did you get into the music industry? The first big step was making the top 20 of Mike Chunn’s ‘Play It Strange’ songwriting competition at high school. Part of the prize was studio time, and I ended up getting along really well with the guys who played as session musicians on the track – they were jamming at the studio just by chance. I was two days into Jazz School when the big Christchurch earthquake happened, so with the same group of guys we formed a band called House of Mountain, which I played drums in, and got straight on the road. We played over 50 dates in under a year, mostly around the South Island before playing bigger locally here and abroad. I ended up playing in all sorts of projects from folk to hip-hop, which all led to the development of my own solo project.

Do you get stage fright? Not really. I would have played over 300 shows now, so I feel pretty comfy on stage. A band I played drums in opened for Imagine Dragons in front of many thousands, and my limbs all kind of seized up, which came as a real surprise to me. Once I’m on stage, I’m usually right at home.

Tell us about your best/worst experience on tour/at a concert? I toured Iceland after playing at Iceland Airwaves Festival with a singer songwriter called Hera. One of the shows was in a little stone church in the middle of nowhere, and after the show the entire crowd came outside with us where we all buzzed out at the Northern Lights together. That was pretty amazing. The worst (and some great) experiences were moments on tour with a band whose lead singer would insist on trashing hotel rooms. I also played at a festival on a small island in Sydney Harbour where the accommodation for eight of us turned out to be a single tent, and they didn’t have a drum kit for me on our stage.

Weirdest fan request/incident? There used to be a squad of girls called Tegan and the Troubles who would turn up to every single Christchurch gig and do parlour tricks around the dance floor. They used gymnastics ribbons and glittery makeup, and would get kicked out of most gigs. They were pretty quirky.

Tell us about your first event/gig. My first proper gig was in Wanaka for a Christchurch rebuild fundraiser concert. Straight after the February 2011 earthquake, Snow Park had offered their accommodation for free to Cantabrians as a bit of an escape, so my crew of creatives headed down there and set up a studio in the lodge for a week where we wrote songs and recorded. We played at the concert as “repayment” for their hospitality. It was super fun, and Cairo Knife Fight played.

Person you’d love to collaborate with. A healthy Neil Diamond would be pretty hilarious.

Biggest influence. It’s a tie between the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and 10s. There’s no second place, though.

If you weren’t doing what you are now, what would you want to be? Sometimes I wish I was a builder – I love the idea of being able to create something tangible, with clear start and finish points. I hate mornings too much though.

Fave haunt you’ve ever performed at? There was a place in Harlem, New York called Silvana – it was super jazzy and pretty entertaining. There was even an ex-US marine that got up on stage and proposed to his fiancée in typical American style, which really got me going.

One day I’ll … Pull big crowds in Japan.

If you could invite any three people living or dead to a dinner party, who would they be? Tim Shadbolt – what is it about that guy? Have you seen the video of him riding a child’s scooter past someone’s house? Jimi Hendrix – he’s probably the coolest person ever, plus he was OK at music. Donald Trump – he’d make the dynamics at my dinner party hilarious, plus I’d love to figure out what’s going on up in there.

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