Bloggers Predict: 2008
So last night, the good people of Unlimited Potential held their annual Bloggers Predict event, in which they get a bunch of guys (emphasis on the all maleness of the event) to say what they think is going to happen over the year.
The Bloggers
- David Farrar, of Kiwiblog fame
- Mauricio Freitas, Geekzone Guru
- Hamish MacEwan, local visionary
- Philip Fierlinger, turntable technologist
- Tom Beard, Wellurbanite
No doubt those nice people will post about what their predictions were, so let me instead tell you what my predictions are, and then after the jump, I will share with you my thoughts on the night in note form.
My predictions
- Hopefully they’ll try harder to get a woman on the panel. “They’re all at the Linux Conference” is not good enough, because while I do love Brenda, turns out that there actually are other females interested in technology in Wellington. I suppose they could argue that no women approached them in 2007 about doing it, but meh.
- Face to face contact will make a comeback, facilitated by internet arrangements, like Facebook Events, etc. The stigma of meeting someone over the internet will be almost entirely gone.
- All new workplace Codes of Conduct will specifically mention blogging
After the jump, my nonsensical (did I mention there was free beer?) notes from the night.
Summer city
For some of the smallest Wellingtonistas the most important part of the council’s Summer City festival has finished with the end of Fairy Trina’s wildly popular run of Enchanted Tales on Saturday.
And this evening marked the end of a series of pretty interesting evening Gardens Magic events with a gig by OdESSA. But fear not – there’s still lots more excitement for everyone between now and the end of March when the festival wraps up.
We’d recommend picking up one of the guides from the library or other spots around town; or failing that, download a copy from the council’s event website.
Then, assemble your own programme of activities. Hmmmm… maybe those same small Wellingtonistas would like to see The Phoenix Foundation on Valentine’s Day? Because their parents sure as hell would…
Jealous Girls and Bad Kids
I keep meaning to post about all the fantastic international gigs that are about to happen in Wellington as summer kicks in, but what with the 2AWA and Blams fever, the launch of CHOICE magazine, the golden weather and the party season, I’ve been a bit slack.
So it is with some urgency that I draw your attention to two shows coming up in the next week:
Galesburg presents The Gossip and Palomino presents Black Lips
The Gossip play this Saturday night (8th) at the San Fran Bathhouse with locals Cortina, and Black Lips at the same venue next Tuesday the 11th with Knife Fight.
Tickets available from Slowboat Records, Cuba St.
Read more after the jump about both bands and supports…
On the Wireless
Continuing the fine tradition of mixing up venues for different purposes comes On the Wireless. It’s radio in the theatre! Yay!
The show is three original and hilarious radio plays performed on-stage with live sound effects and live music.
at 6 at the San Francisco Bathhouse on Tuesday December 4. The show stars Wellington actors Gareth Williams (The Lonesome Buckwhips), Brad McCormick(Stones in His Pockets) and Leon Wadham (The Cape), and the Wellingtonista would like to salute all three gentlemen for appreciating that theatre goes so much better with caberet-style seating and a bottle on the table in front of you.
PS: Don’t worry, we’re assured it’ll be finished in time for Quiz…
Pao Pao Pao
This evening the town hall will play host to three hours of indigenous noise making as Pao Pao Pao takes centre stage. This lucky Wellingtonista is on a mission; I have gained access as an embedded civilian photographer to report on the proceedings and soak up the atmosphere. My compatriot will be reporting for Taiohi. She is tasked with extracting some sound bites from the rangatahi and I will be running around with a camera in place of the delicious Mys‑T.
Wellington is a small place, as I have been discovering since I moved here. Unless you are a complete hermit you will find yourself being inexorably drawn into various networks and their attendant sticky webs of gossip. Of course this is the same where ever you go, I think anyone who has felt slighty queasy looking at those Facebook friend wheels will know what I am talking about. On the other hand, sometimes the people you meet make you feel like the universe is conspiring in your favour. I am happy to be a drone for the hive mind here at Wellingtonista and will do my best to bring the honey, so in that spirit here is a link to my girl Shaarne clad in Blackberi. Some of our readers may remember a shop called Stand Up Apparel on Plimmer Steps that was featured on Wellingtonista way back when. Blackberi is still alive and kicking via Trademe and Bebo, so check it out if you like what you see.
Shaarne and I will be joining the hordes at the Wellington Town Hall from 7pm. The cost is $30 which is very reasonable for such a wide range of performers. I am looking forward to my first taste of the ancient art of taonga puoro and a chance to check out 4 Corners. Come along and get down with the tangata whenua.
Summer in the City Suburbs
You’ve got to love the effect a sunny day has on people – I’ve seen more smiles on the streets of Newtown today than I have done the entire 6 months that I’ve lived here.
And speaking of Newtown, time to give props to a local icon,The Adelaide…
Once the infamous Tramways Hotel, and sticking resolutely to the “smalltown pub” vibe and decor, the Adelaide has quietly reinvented itself as one of the best places in town to see bands play for around the $5 mark. Cheap beer, great mirrors in the ladies’, flashing lights behind glass bricks at the counter and under the stage, pool tables, pub meals … one day I’ll devote an entire post to how much I love unpretentious hospitality. But the point of this post is to announce the inaugural Saturday Matinee at the Adelaide – just in time for the return of the golden weather!
Details after the jump…
The Garbage and the Flowers
The Garbage and the Flowers (formerly of Wellington and now based in Sydney; Myspace) are touring NZ.
They’re playing tomorrow night (Friday Nov 2nd) at Happy with Birchville Cat Motel and Panel of Judges.
Maximum Joy Number Two
Disk-jockeys Longboss and Name return to Mighty Mighty for another night of dizzy disco heat this Friday with MAXIMUM JOY #2.
MAXIMUM JOY!! is night to celebrate leftfield disco, Balearic soft rock, postpunk and electrofunk: music to boost your mind, ass and soul to cosmic new heights.
Through the year, Name and Longboss toil tirelessly to source the hottest, most bent-up byproducts of the disco era and today. Using extra sensory intelligence, they bring MAXIMUM JOY!! to Wellington.
MAXIMUM JOY NUMBER TWO: Friday 2 November at Mighty Mighty, 9pm till late. Dress to impress, not suppress…
Swiss on Wry – Saturday at Mighty Mighty
As the newest member of the glitterati set colloquially known as Los Wellingtonistas, I would like to draw readers’ collective attentions to one of this weekend’s musical highlights:
Lonesome Cowboy Wanderer Delaney Davidson, formerly of Switzerland (via Christchurch), returns to New Zealand to share his primitive rock ‘n roll folk with Wellington.
This Saturday night the Mighty Mighty hosts Delaney, his lapsteel, and his friends the Wrongdoings of Wellington County, and Wairarapa Wolfman Boss Christ.
Delaney was the NZ member of Pan-European cabaret noisenik folksters the Dead Brothers, once described as “more or less what’s left of a symphony orchestra after their car crashed”. The Wrongdoings are a twisted country foursome; and Boss Christ is a spectacular half-man, half-wolf, all-blues, primitive dynamo.
Saturday 26th October, 9pm at the Mighty Mighty
$10 entry
See you there!
Halloween Howl II
It may come as somewhat of a surprise to you to discover that Wellington has a pro-wrestling circuit. However, now you know, you really must come along to Halloween Howl II on Saturday October 27. It starts at 7.30pm so you’ll be out in time to attend other Halloween shindigs, and damn, it’s men in tights. Writhing around on a mat together. How rad is that? We especially recommend that you cheer for Lazarus Volt, and that you come dressed up to go with the Halloween theme.