Review: Strike Sessions with Adam Page
Strike Session with Adam Page is about halfway through its run at Downstage. Strike is a long-standing New Zealand-based percussion group, and they’ve teamed up with Adelaide multi-instrumentalist Adam Page for this show.
After the jump, kumaras, mirimbas and old car parts.
Fight of the Conchords, Part Deux
Recently the gals over at Pretty Pretty Pretty ran a poll to settle the age-old argument about which of the Conchords is prettier – Bret or Jemaine. Bret won that round, but now that Jemaine has been nominated for an Emmy for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, that means he’s at least the sixth funniest actor on telly, and Bret isn’t. Right?
Oh, and they were also nominated for Best Comedy Series. Good for them.
Same old
The Graffography and Wgtn Wall Street graffiti blogs noticed that the Wellington City Council’s anti-graffiti posters (you know, these ones) had illustrated the evil graffiti by using a photo collage of actual non-illegal graffiti.
Wgtn Wall Street says:
My man over at Graffography first alerted me to the work by Drypnz and Random being used in the campaign, artwork that broke no law and was now put under a negative spotlight by the Council.
So then Wgtn Wall Street emailed the council with his concerns.
They were apologetic and apparently the ‘photographer’ didn’t know that the work used in the campaign was deemed legal. They agreed to remove the work from future campaigns but god knows how many posters, stickers etc that have already printed and not to mention the amount of money wasted on a poorly researched scheme.
It doesn’t reflect so well on the council. Their anti-illegal-graffiti campaign seems to demonstrate that they don’t actually know what they’re fighting.
Remembering Dr Seddon Bennington
Quite apart from the work he did at Te Papa, Dr Seddon Bennington was someone who will be remembered by many Wellingtonians, both personally and professionally. I met him a couple of times through the Civic Trust, and was always impressed with his charm and intelligence.
His funeral will be at Rongomaraeroa (Te Papa’s marae) on Wednesday afternoon and his casket will be brought onto the marae on Tuesday 21st July at 4pm. Those wishing to pay their respects will be able to do so until 10pm that night. Dr Bennington will remain on the marae overnight until the conclusion of the funeral service on Wednesday, and there is also a memorial book to sign on Level 2 of Te Papa.
PUDDLE PUDDLE PUDDLE
The loveliness of one of New Zealand’s best-ever pop bands The Puddle is manifesting at Happy on Saturday night.
They’ve even got a video for a single off one of their new albums:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q3hhurq5Fo]Support from Marineville. Happy downstairs cnr Vivan and Tory streets.
Stockhausen! (reminder)
Just a quick reminder: Stockhausen’s Mantra! Sunday, 6 pm, Hunter Council Chamber, VUW Wellington.
There will also be a pre-concert talk by Robin Maconie at 5 pm in the Hunter Lecture Theatre. Tickets: $5/$10/free for students.
More here.
fabric, fabric , everywhere
After a brilliant launch in April, Fabr ic-a-brac is back!
Here’s your chance to pick up fabulous vintage, unusual and modern fabric, buttons & patterns. Fabric-a-brac promises a huge range of fabric styles – from offcuts of upholstery fabric, to style-y leather and tons of vintage
So head over to Brooklyn Community Centre this Saturday from 12 noon till 3pm. We reccomend getting there bang on noon as we know from last time the early bird does score the best fabric haul.
Fabric-a-brac also features a stall raising money for Mary Potter Hospice. Anyone can donate for the table just pop along to any of the places listed on the website.
Now parking is pretty tight so consider catching the bus and since you are up that way drop into the penthouse and catch some film festival screenings.
When: 12noon – 3pm, Saturday 18 July
Where: Brooklyn Community Centre, 18 Harrison St, Brooklyn
More info head over to the Fabric-a-brac website.
Cinephilia: Film Festival Preview
The Wellington Film Festival (sorry, New Zealand International Film Festival, Wellington Branch) is a huge undertaking for the committed cinema-goer. Every year we devour the programme for weeks in advance, scheduling annual leave and long “lunch breaks”, trying to work out what is essential and what isn’t. After 20 years of this, I’ve only just begun to realise that in the search for the essential many other pleasures have been passing me by. This year, before I even looked at the programme, I asked the Festival to choose a stack of DVDs for me, with the emphasis on the unheralded and the unexpected. Thus, of the 13 films I’ve been watching over the last three or so weeks, all but one of them were from the back half of the book (and probably would not have been on my personal shortlist) but all of them had something special to offer. So, is my advice for the Festival to not book in advance but instead choose films at random depending on your own availability and proximity to a venue? Maybe it is.
[Read the rest of the Wellingtonista Film Festival Preview after the jump]
Never mind the bad puns, here’s Pollux
One of the worst-kept secrets in Wellington bar-land is about to be revealed: new wine bar Pollux will open next week, in what was once the State Opera House espresso bar in Manners St.
Now, as a modestly-educated fly I knew that Pollux was a god and a star, which made me wonder what made it a good name for a wine bar. But apparently "Pollux" comes from polydeukeis, Greek for "much sweet wine", so that astrologers associate the star Pollux with prosperity and celebration with wine. I’m not one for astrology myself, but I’ll drink to that!
Real Hot Bitches – record breakers
Who knew (this particular Wellingtonista didn’t) that our fair city’s top ’80s cheese-rock dance troupe’ – the Real Hot Bitches – had set the world record for most people in a synchronised dance? In Christchurch, of all places. Here’s the evidence, in all its legwarmed, spandexed glory…
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8izqfvSXQs]
[Hat-tip: From the Morgue]