Your Summer Music Guide!

Summer is here. It’s time I outlined the concerts and events that you can find happening over the summer, in Ponsonby, wider Auckland and out of the city. Whether you are staying in town for the holiday season or making your way out to New Year’s festivals or summer beach locations, there is plenty to do.

Across December and January you can see the Hipstamatics perform their up tempo soul and funk act on Wednesdays, 9 and 23 December and 6 and 20 January. The seductive Quantum Blue play a mixture of R&B, soul and jazz on the other Wednesdays in December and January. On Thursdays there are further alternating acts, including a Celtic power duo! Fridays and Saturdays feature a rotating cast of tremendous bands, including Albi and the Wolves, Strangely Arousing, Motown and Gold and Double D. If you have a free night and are not sure what to do, you had better get down to Grand Central.

Further down the road, Golden Dawn is your stop if you want to hear some of the hottest alternative bands in town, featuring a stellar selection of beer and food, to accompany some bands both well-known and lesser-known.
A little further afield is Portland Public House in Kingsland. They have just reinstated their Wednesday night jam session where all musicians are welcome to bring an instrument and get amongst the music. This is a great opportunity to test your new ideas and, especially if you are someone who hasn’t written your own songs, go along and play a solo with someone else or jump in a makeshift band for the night.

Along the main strip is one of my personal favourites, One2One cafe, home to an open mic night, a Jam Nite and a jazz night, these will all run through until Christmas before taking a break for January and returning with the jazz night on 30 January. They are very excited to be hosting the blues crooner Ray Wolfe with Julie Mason on 12 and 13 December. This is sure to be exceptionally popular and despite running two nights, it will fill up so if you are interested get in touch with One2One.

One of the most exciting music spaces to pop up this year has been Freida Margolis in the West Lynn shops. Hosting music on the first Sunday of each month, with a few bonus gigs every now and again, the first Sunday of December will be the last concert of the year, and features the return of a crowd favourite. Wellington alt-country stunners, Eb & Sparrow are returning to celebrate their brand new album being released on vinyl. They performed a sellout show at Freida’s a few months ago and are delighted to be stopping back in Auckland. The show will sell out, and with only 45 seats available I strongly recommend you check it out, tickets may still be available from www.undertheradar.co.nz.

Western Springs Stadium plays host to AC/DC on Tuesday 15 December. I must say, as someone who no longer listens to the old rockers, I remember their last show at Western Springs very fondly. It was, and still is, one of the loudest, most exciting and rocking nights I’ve had at a gig.

New Year’s Eve is one of the most troublesome nights of the year in some ways, it requires months of planning for some people, and for many it never lives up to all that work. Obviously, if you are going out of Auckland there are many options for music festivals, with most areas hosting bands, or a giant party. For those staying in Auckland though, don’t despair, most bars have a party. I’m here to highlight my pick of the bunch - The High Rollers Extravaganza New Year’s Eve: 95bFM’s Border Radio host Bernie Griffen has put together a stunning lineup for a late night party at the Kings Arms Tavern. Featuring his own band Bernie Griffen and the Thin Men, plus many other local acts, the music kicks off at 8.30 and will finish whenever! Tickets can be found at www.undertheradar.co.nz, and if you’re in Auckland then this is the place to be.

Now, I must mention all the stunning festivals that are happening over January and February in Auckland. First up is the Echo Festival (previously known as the McLaren Falls Festival), being held at Vector Arena on 11 and 12 January. This features an absolutely amazing lineup of international and local artists, with many of my personal favourite folkies and country stars gracing the stage.

Laneway Festival returns to Wynyard Quarter on 1 February. As always, Laneway features a lineup of artists you’ve heard of and many you’ve never heard of. It’s always a blindingly hot day with amazing food, good company and the best alternative and electronic music from around the globe. If you’ve never been then perhaps it’s time to remedy that!

My pick of the festivals, unsurprisingly if you know my tastes, is the Auckland Folk Festival over Waitangi weekend, 6 - 8 February. This is three days of folk music, jamming, camping and relaxing at the Kumeu Showgrounds. There’s an exciting lineup of local and international folk royalty, including more to be announced across December. It’s going to be one of the most exciting Auckland Folk Festivals yet, with more going on than ever before.

Finally, throughout January and the rest of the summer, the Auckland Council will be presenting Music in the Parks as they do every year! January offers up some lovely jazz and swing at the Auckland Domain Band Rotunda. Every Sunday starting on 10 January from 1pm until 4pm, you can have a picnic and settle into an afternoon of music. Jac and Trudy Lile take the stage 10 January, followed by Epitome and Kevin Fields and the A List on 17 January. June Hayes Set and Jonathan Besser & the Jazz Zestniks take over on 24 January before Mira Lacey and Twistin’ the Swing close out on 31 January.

February and March have some exciting events offered by Music in the Parks in our very own Ponsonby parks but you’ll have to wait until the February issue of Ponsonby News to find out more about those!

Have a lovely summer, and I hope you get out to as much music as you can. Don’t forget to check out the local bars and cafes wherever you are and see what they’ve got on offer. The summer season is the perfect time to stretch those dancing muscles and check out music you’ve missed the rest of the year! (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT)

Finn McLennan-Elliott has a Bachelor of Science Honours degree specialising in human geography at Auckland University. In his spare time, Finn plays clarinet and guitar in an orchestra and a folk music group. He is hosting ‘Folk at the Old Folks’ on the first Sunday of every month at the Auckland Old Folks Association Hall, an intimate afternoon concert of folk music.