To celebrate International Women’s Day in 2019, over 20 of Aotearoa’s finest female artists are gathering across three cities to perform a series of shows on Friday 8 March.
The Auckland edition is split across a show at the Powerstation and one at Whammy Bar and Wine Cellar on Karangahape Road. Tami Neilson, Nadia Reid, Julia Deans, Ria Hall and Sandy Mill (DJ) are headlining the Powerstation.
Tami Neilson needs almost no introduction. She has won the Tui Award for Best Country Album for each of her past four albums, and was the winner of the APRA Silver Scroll in 2014. She is regarded as one of the biggest and best personalities in New Zealand’s music industry, and regularly represents the country at international festivals, including as far afield as Denmark.
Nadia Reid has experienced a huge few years off the back of her first two albums. She has been a finalist for the the Taite Prize for both of these records and for the Silver Scroll in 2017. 2017 and 2018 saw Nadia perform globally across Australia, Europe and the United States. This year, Nadia is working on her third record due for release April 2019.
Julia Deans came to national attention as the front woman for Fur Patrol in the early 2000s, but in the last decade has reworked herself and transitioned from that rock chick to songwriter and collaborator. She has worked with Neil Finn, SJD and been a finalist herself for the Taite Prize and the Silver Scroll. Her newest album, ‘We Light Fire’ was released in 2018.
Milk & Honey has three aims.
1. To celebrate the incredibly talented women who work in all facets of the New Zealand music industry;
2. To make female artists and crew visible to younger women, and encourage them to see many different possible roles they could find for themselves in the music industry;
3. To provide a safe, inclusive, respectful festival and gig environment. “We really wanted to create something where younger girls and women have someone to look up to and aspire to, and something where women are very clearly visible in all parts of the event.
“I'm so excited to be part of the inaugural Milk & Honey Festival. We're going to blast the roof off The Powerstation with this powerhouse line-up! What a way to celebrate International Women's Day,” Tami Neilson states. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT)
Tickets are on sale now through their website, www.milkandhoneyfestival.co.nz.
Each gig is stand-alone and are individually ticketed.
POWERSTATION
Tami Neilson, Nadia Reid, Julia Deans, Ria Hall and Sandy Mill (DJ).
WHAMMY/WINE CELLAR
carb on carb, CHAII, Cheshire Grimm, Dead Little Penny, HEX, LEXXA, Randa, Sami Sisters, Tooms, Wax Chattels, Valkyrie.