Visit our libraries next week for a series of free workshops for everyone aged over 55.
Workshop topics include gardening, yoga, estate planning, jewellery care, family history, antiques and more. Interested in writing for teenagers? Come along to a workshop with award-winning author Fleur Beale. Want to get into organic gardening? Come and listen to New Zealand Gardener of the Year, Sister Loyola. There’ll be lots of opportunities to ask questions, and if you’re an antiques enthusiast coming along to our Antiques Show and Tell session with Tinakori Antiques’ John Fyson, you can even bring along your family heirlooms and find out more about them!
40 years ago this July humans landed on the Moon for the first time – and then did it five more times over the next three and a half years. In this illustrated presentation, David Maclennan, President of the NZ Spaceflight Association, will reflect on how and why the Apollo programme came to be, its historical and cultural significance, and how we experienced it all from afar here in New Zealand.
Project Apollo reflected the heady optimism of the “Swinging 60’s”, when the world finally shook off the post-World War 2 gloom and envisaged a bright, shiny future, perhaps best epitomised by Stanley Kubrick’s classic movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. That this utopian future never quite eventuated may in part explain why humans haven’t returned to the Moon since December 1972.
But all that will soon change – come along to find out more about plans for humans to be back on the Moon by 2020, and later on to Mars…
When: Tuesday 21 July, 7-8pm
Where: Central Library, 65 Victoria Street, Wellington
A dedicated crowd turned out to quiz Lee Prebble and Age Pryor on all things music…
…and now you’ll get another chance with Samuel Flynn Scott and Luke Buda of The Phoenix Foundation in the Wellington Central Library TONIGHT at 4.30pm.
Music producer Lee Prebble from The Surgery and his musician buddy Age Pryor from the Wellington Ukulele Orchestra and The Woolshed Sessions, will be at the Wellington Central Library TOMORROW 26th May at 4.30pm
They will be talking about how you can make it as a musician. All the inside tips and tricks.
It’s FREE! Brave the weather and we’ll see you there!
How much of your income is derived from record sales & how much comes from touring/live gigs?
I would say record sales probably account for about %5 or less of my total income. Live gigs maybe more like %20. Most of my income as a musician comes through licenses for film and TV.
What advice would you give young musicians just starting out?
Work on your songwriting and take that side of things very seriously. Songs are what all music is based on and without good songs a great singer or guitarist will never make any impact.
How does being on a major label differ from being on an independent? In today’s musical climate is one better than the other?
I don’t think it makes much difference anymore. But I could be wrong. Certainly majors have a lot more sway with radio and they have more money to spend on advertising but there are advantages to small labels too. You usually get better deals from small labels and you get a team of people working on your product who are very passionate about what you do. Ultimately the choice between the two comes down to who is making offers and who has the best vibe. Working relationships are paramount.
Who would you cite as your biggest musical influence/influences?
That is almost impossible to answer. For me it might be the Velvet Underground who are a great 60’s underground rock band. The Beatles are pretty hard to beat when it comes to stealing great ideas off a great band!
Do you have any future projects/new recordings in the works?
Yes we are working on a new Phoenix Foundation album at the moment.
Check out Samuel Flynn Scott and Luke Buda from the Phoenix Foundation at the Wellington Central Library on Thursday 28th May 4.30-5.30pm
We put a few key questions to our lovely (and knowledgeable) Wellington Library staff about New Zealand Music.
The most under-rated NZ band or musician:The Rabble are a great up-and-coming NZ punk band.
Your favourite NZ band or musician:Goodnight Nurse rank highly. their songs are catchy and their gigs are consistently fun and entertaining.
Your favourite live NZ music act:Streetwise Scarlet are wonderful live with high energy and great interaction with the crowd. Also, Wellington-based covers band, The Business are guaranteed to get everyone dancing.
It was a cold wintery night, but a small group of music groupies braved the cold to see Brad Dring from Rapture Ruckus talk about is career path to becoming a famous musician at the Central Library on the 8th of May.
Don’t miss the next New Zealand Music Month session- Music Producer Lee Prebble, from The Surgery, and musician Age Pryor, from the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and The Woolshed Sessions, will be at the Central Library on Tuesday 26th May at 4.30pm.
If you could ask musicians some questions about their job, what would you want to know?
Post your questions in the comment section below. We’re going to find some musos to quiz, so we need to know what to ask them.
To celebrate New Zealand Music Month Wellington City Libraries have invited musicians to give interactive QnA sessions at the Wellington Central Library.
Brad Dring of Rapture Ruckus 8th May @4.30pm
Lee Prebble of The Surgery and Age Pryor of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra 26th May @ 4.30pm
Samuel Scott and Luke Buda of The Phoenix Foundation 28th May @ 4.30pm
No bookings required at these FREE sessions.
Keep checking back here for more info about NZ Music Month.
Wadestown Library now has a new dedicated space for the whole community where you can meet, hold events and find community information. To book the space or for more information please contact the Community Coordinator
The Community Space will be officially opened by Mayor Kerry Prendergast on Saturday 14 March at 12:15pm as part of the Wadestown Fair day.
The Wadestown Fair is a great day for the whole family. Check out some of these activities at the library on the day!
11:30am – Children’s Storytime in the library
12pm – Kids Dress-up competition. Come along dressed as your favourite storybook character. Join the fancy dress parade outside the library and be in to win prizes!
Visit our libraries next week for a series of free workshops for everyone aged over 55.
WCL has over 600,000 books, 450,000 magazines, and 85,000 CDs, DVDs, videos and other items at our central library and 11 branches. We are located in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington. Looking for your local branch? Have a look at our 