The WOW that was
Well WOW’s 21st is officially over, although the decorations from the party are still up with the frufru pink tutu posters adorning bus stops around Welly. Now is the time to cash up, make assessments and ask the perennial question: Fab or Fug?
Last year a Wellingtonian took out the top spot with a leather warrior bird queen that was truly a-may-zing, go the home team! This year the supreme gong went to Alaskan David Walker for his entry ‘Lady of the Wood‘, made entirely of wood (even the curly blonde wig was made from wood shavings). David is a carpenter by trade and has made the long trip from Alaska for the last three years to enter WOW. Wellingtonians Hayley May and Fiona Christie won the runner up to the Montana Supreme Award and the top prize in the Gen-i Creative Excellence Award section, themed "fold" this year, with an entry entitled ‘Second Skin‘.
Chris Watson tomorrow night
Altmusic is proud to present Chris Watson, a founding member of influential experimental music groups Cabaret Voltaire and The Hafler Trio.
Watson is now one of the world’s leading sound recordists specialising in capturing the sounds of wildlife and natural phenomena, and he currently records for and makes programmes for BBC Radio 4’s Natural History Unit.
In 2006 Watson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Technology by the University of the West of England "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sound recording technology, especially in the field of natural history and documentary location sound."
Chris Watson puts his microphone where you can’t put your ears.
In a performance you might hear the unearthly groaning of an Icelandic glacier or the voices and rhythms of the Humboldt current around the Galapagos Islands.
Tomorrow night, you will experience a Live Soundmap of Red Rocks as recorded by Watson and a team of local recordists.
Chris Watson at the Adam Art Gallery
Saturday 10th October at 8 pm, $10
Workshop at Fred’s at 4 pm, earlier the same afternoon
For more information about Chris Watson’s extensive audio career: ChrisWatson.net
Cinephilia: Opening This Week
As that old war film quote goes, "it’s quiet, too quiet": only three films opening this weekend as the mad rush of the last few weeks works its way through the system.
Back from the Festival (and haven’t I had to say that a lot recently?) is An Education, adapted by Nick Hornby from Lynn Barber’s memoir of growing up in 1960s England "before it became the 60s". Wise bods are picking newcomer Carey Mulligan for an Oscar nomination next year as the lead, and she’s very solid support from the likes of Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson and Peter Saarsgard (whose English accent is very good judging by the trailer). The director is Lone Scherfig who came out of the Dogme movement in the late 90s but also made the dark comedy Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself. Empire, Penthouse and Lighthouse.
The rest of this week’s new releases after the jump.
Beans!
Beans (aka Mr Ballbeam)- MC, worldwide maverick and global raconteur, is set to soon be shakin’ our minds, asses and possibly tectonic plates later this month of October.
A restless shifter, finder and pusher of boundaries — artistically, lyrically, sonically, Beans has been creating and perfecting his own style for over a decade, solo and as one quarter of seminal (and recently reunited) New York hip hop group The Antipop Consortium. Ever relevant, Beans teeters on the edge of the hip hop avantgarde, leading the charge against mediocrity wherever it exists. Inquiring impulses and relentless questing lead him to find others also seeking, collaborating and touring with kindred spirits as varied as they are amazing – Holy Fuck, Battles, Radiohead, DJ Shadow and Public Enemy to name but a few in a long list.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7oMG81awEY]His most recent album, Thorns (2007) twitches, glitches and snaps with beats that run the spectrum from minimal growl to tongue-in-cheek cheesy, sweetly sleazy, while his words are angular and confessional, going for the jugular of reality — politics, sex, death, love, and music. The stuff that matters, that moves.
Prepare yourself to be moved, and in a pioneering spirit venture forth to listen, watch, shuffle, nod with arms folded, and maybe, just maybe even dance to Beans.
Sunday 25th October – Wellington – SFBH – $25
Support from Eru Dangerspiel & Alphabethead!
Tickets are $25 and available from Slow Boat Records or Under The Radar… updates and more info from Galesburg.
Announcing 4TAWA and a call for nominations
Go get yourself a big thick permanent marker and put this date in your diary right now: Thursday December 17 will be the Fourth (The) Annual Wellingtonista Awards. Yes, that’s right, it’s TAWA TIME! As is tradition, the awards will be at the lovely Mighty Mighty, and there will be all kinds of other goodness on the night that we have yet to announce. For now though, it is safe to say that we recommend taking the Friday afterwards off.
And what would the awards be without nominations? We want you to suggest who you would like to be nominated in each of the categories. This is where I break out the bold tags. This is your only chance to say who should be nominated. By the time we open up voting, it will be too late. Leave us your comments and suggestions now. Suggestions for nominations will be open until November 1, then we will take your ideas under advisement, and come out with our final lists. Voting will open in early November.
Categories for this year are after the jump.
The future of Lyall Bay
Right now the Dominion Post is running a public opinion poll on the future of the Maranui Surf Club and Cafe.
At this stage the Council’s preferred option appears to be demolishing Maranui and its three adjacent buildings to create a brand spanking new "Super Building". You can hear the collective groans from here.
It was the heritage and character of the building which made it such a popular destination for Wellingtonians and out-of-towners alike. As a Lyall Bay resident it’s been obvious how desolate the Bay has become since the fire.
Let the City Council know what you think via the poll right now.
In the meantime….you can get your Maranui fix with their world-famous salads, available now from Moore Wilson’s Fresh. Apparently the punnets are big enough for two.
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Cold comfort though.
Eating our way through the recession
Remember a few months ago, when doom and gloom dominated the hospo news? Well, there certainly have been a lot of closures in central Wellington, but many of those places have re-opened, and we’ve even got a few brand-new bars and restaurants to celebrate.
Here’s a list of reincarnations:
- Vintage → Hashigo Zake
- Calypso → Elixir
- Epic → Rhythm
- Chow Cabaret → The Library
- Paradiso → Betty’s (I insist on the apostrophe)
- State Opera House Espresso Bar → Pollux
Some brand-new places:
- Portofino (at Kumutoto)
- Red Ginger (underneath Hawthorn Lounge)
- Lychee (in the wilderness of Arthur St)
A couple of rumoured upcoming openings:
- "Cuba" (replacing Zeal in Garrett St)
- Yet another Irish pub, replacing New Orleans in Allen St
That leaves a handful of recent failures yet to be revived:
- Herd St Brasserie
- Subway at Chaffers Dock
- Emporio in Chews Lane
If anything, the industry looks to be healthier than a few months ago, and a few of the new places (Pollux, Hashigo Zake and The Library in particular) are among our new favourites. If this means that consumers have stopped spending on Plasma TVs while still dining out, then I applaud their good taste. Of course, it could mean that we’re all committing kuidaore (a Japanese term roughly meaning "to ruin oneself through extravagance in food"). But what a lovely way to go.
Three Fiddy?!
Three bucks fifty to eat lunch at Logan Brown!
That got your attention right? Well, the fine print is you have get educated about climate change first and click on a few links, then you will be in the draw to win one of 40 lunches for two (for only three fiddy) at Logan Brown.
Click through to the 350 Aotearoa site to find out how the Wellywing of 350 Aotearoa is part of a global movement pushing for action on climate change and enter the competition. They have undertaken a bunch of stuff since December 2008 and are ramping up for an international day of climate change action on the 24th of October.
Wellington being Wellington it is *the* place to come to make some noise politically and try to directly influence decision-makers. Some choose the traditional ways with a hikoi, some placards and a loud hailer; others use their purchasing power or womanly charms to push things gently in the direction they would like to see the world go. A good source of contacts and ideas for those interested in sustainability is the social network Intersect, they have a meet up for Wellingtonians on the last Tuesday of every month at Mon Ami. Expect a report back soon from this Wellingtonisa about what it is like to "Intersect" in person with these sustainability types.
Coffee Art Throw-down
Twitter has informed us that Mojo Old Bank (@mojooldbank) and the Mojo on the Terrace are having a coffee art throw-down at 6.30pm tonight at the Mojo located in the PWC Building on the Terrace (map here).
There is talk of beer and pizza for those wanting to watch the action.
I think we could be up for some coffee porn this evening…..
Newtown: it’s sometimes more than a bit shit
On Wednesday night, our next door neighbours were burgled. On Friday night, my house was burgled. A couple of weeks ago someone tried to climb in my window while I was sleeping. My flatmate’s car has been restolen from outside our house, but ha ha, sucks to be them because the previous thieves had used up all the petrol in it. It’s times like this that I need to be reassured of the good things in Newtown. Things like:
- The otters at the zoo!
- The haloumi at Cafe Kialis
- The macademia & chicken salad at Baobob
What are your favourite things about Newtown right now?