Reviews
Kiwi sounds on the rise
Steve Asplin, Manawatu
Standard, May 2007.
A week-long festival is set to thrill musicians and music lovers alike in Palmerston
North this month.
May has been promoted as Kiwi Music Month for the past seven years and the prominence
of home-grown music has grown substantially in that time.
In 2001 the percentage of albums sold in New Zealand by Kiwi artists was 6 percent.
By last year it had increased to 29 percent.
There has also been a big increase in radio air play measured for Kiwi artists in
the past five years and the number of chart-topping singles from Kiwi artists has
risen dramatically in recent times.
Throughout New Zealand events are timed to coincide with May and in Palmerston North
there is one festival of music that particularly promotes local original musicians.
Entitled Swampfest, the full event is a weeklong and is an ideal opportunity for
those unaccustomed to seeing live original music to check out numerous and various
acts over four nights of performances.
The shows are being held next Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a
Sunday matinee show with each performance showcasing a different grouping of genres.
Thursday's gig will feature solo acts and will include a performance from long-time
local rocker Man Alone. It is being held at Bar Mode in George Street, Palmerston
North, and is free for the public to attend.
As well as the solo acts there is rock 'n' roll, hip-hop, electronica and heavier
music on offer and this diversity is a testament to the variety of music styles
being created in the region.
In addition to the two licensed venue gigs, three all-ages gigs are being held at
The Globe Theatre and a Sunday matinee show starting at 2pm is planned for The Globe
Theatre.
For the first time this year acts who wanted to perform at Swampfest had to submit
to an application process. Those groups selected to play were judged the best representations
of their genres to give a complete snapshot of the local scene as a whole, according
festival coordinator Craig Black.
The first Swampfest was held in 2004 and was a showcase of eight bands over two
nights. This year there are 23 groups performing over four days and the festival
has grown from the original concept to also include workshops presented from industry
experts. This year's workshops featured local punk rocker Dwayne Yule sharing his
song writing ideas and tips, home-recording information from Matt Tucker and advice
on touring from Blink, a prolific promoter of national tours.
For the past two years Swampfest has been organised by Creative Sounds, the society
that administers the community recording and performance venue The Stomach. For
more information on the acts playing and the venues, check out The Stomach's website
or buy a ticket for $15 from Mango Music to watch all the shows.
Sharing love for music
New Manawatu Standard music columnist Steve Asplin says the Manawatu music scene
has taken off and he's looking forward to bringing some of that excitement to his
weekly column.
From today, Steve will write about events and musicians every Wednesday in the Manawatu
Standard.
"I want to share stories about these local musicians with the community. The music
scene in this region has spawned national and international success stories like
Evermore, Grayson Gilmour and rapper PNC.
"There are other local artists whose potential for success is high and encouragement
from their community could make all the difference to them feeling confident enough
to go out and attempt fulfilling their dreams, whether it is singing their songs
in public, releasing their CD or talking about their music with a stranger."
Steve's experience with the music industry goes back to 1998, when he self-released
a CD called Lament.
He's been a songwriter ever since and for three years hosted the breakfast show
at Radio Control 99.4FM.
"It was there I discovered the wealth of local music that was largely undiscovered
by the wider community.
"I got the chance to interview Helen Clark, Muse and Tim Finn.
"Yet the most enjoyable and fulfilling interviews were with local musicians Bing
Turkby and Grayson Gilmour."
For the past few years he was half of a duo with Tom Firth called The Relaxo Brothers.
Their music is similar to that of Simon and Garfunkel, using acoustic guitars and
vocal harmonies.
"We supported some fantastic local and international performers in Wellington and
Palmerston North, including Andrew White, The Violent Femmes and SJD."
The band is on a break at the moment as Tom has relocated to London.
Steve's main role now is with managing other artists, but he still performs music
and plays jazz and blues on Saturday nights at the Lombardi Cafe.
I've lived most of my life in Palmerston North and am looking forward to meeting
more people who love making music here."