It’s from Markus Lupfer and is SO cool; it may be the new love of my life (sorry, Ferragamo scarf). I can’t wait to wear it with my black pleat skirt, stockings, black studded brogues and neon pink lipstick.
Jumpers and knits are a new thing for me… In past winters I have preferred to dress up plain merinos with cute skirts and chic scarves but this year, I have a real thing for proper knitted jumpers worn with a collared shirt underneath. I’m really enjoying the old school combination of elegance and simplicity and it is sooo cosy!
These are my faves that I’ve seen around recently:
Fox forever, Mary E Pearson – the conclusion of the Jenna Fox trilogy. “Locke Jenkins has some catching up to do. After spending 260 years as a disembodied mind in a little black box, he has a perfect new body. But before he can move on with his unexpected new life, he’ll have to return the Favor he accepted from the shadowy resistance group known as the Network. Locke must infiltrate the home of a government official by gaining the trust of his daughter, seventeen-year-old Raine, and he soon finds himself pulled deep into the world of the resistance – and into Raine’s life.” (goodreads.com)
Paper valentine, Brenna Yovanoff. “The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls. For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness. With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life – and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.” (goodreads.com)
Dr Frankenstein’s daughters, Suzanne Weyn. “A new generation is creating a monster…. Giselle and Ingrid are the twin daughters of Doctor Victor Frankenstein, but they are very different people, and when they inherit his castle in the Orkney Islands, Giselle dreams of holding parties and inviting society -but Ingrid is fascinated by her father’s forbidden experiments.” (goodreads.com)
Prisoner B-3087, Alan Gratz. Based on a true story. “As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is at the mercy of the Nazis who have taken over. Everything he has, and everyone he loves, have been snatched brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner – his arm tattooed with the words PRISONER B-3087. He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could have never imagined, but also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. He just barely escapes death, only to confront it again seconds later. Can Yanek make it through the terror without losing his hope, his will – and, most of all, his sense of who he really is inside?” (goodreads.com)
These books shouldn’t take too long to make their way to Wellington – reserve one today!
It’s still New Zealand Music Month! There are so many awesome New Zealand acts around right now, but have you heard of Black City Lights?
They’re a Wellington duo consisting of Calum Robb and Julia Catherine Parr, a producer and vocalist respectively, and they are certainly on the way to making it big. Just over a year ago they released their debut EP called Parallels (which you can listen to here) and since then they’ve gone from strength to strength. They’ve opened for Grimes, Baths and Van She, and done a whole bunch of headlining shows too. They received two highly sought-after grants which allowed them to make this stunning video for their song Parallels:
Their song Rivers is a personal favourite, so check that one out too! Black City lights are just about to begin releasing their new material (a new single is being released on Thursday) leading up to their debut album release in August. AND they’ll be heading to the States shortly touring the East and West coasts for three months! Phew!
If you get a chance, check them out playing live as they are incredible! I’ve seen them at least three times and they impress me more every time.
Aroha, Anaru Bickford (284 pages) – In the year 2019, Māori teenager Aroha lives in the United States with her aunt and uncle, and is tormented daily by the cousin who holds her responsible for ripping their family apart. Aroha also suffers from dreams that have plagued her since her childhood in New Zealand, in which the world ends in a wall of fire. Are these dreams, or premonition? Nightmare, or prophecy? Aroha’s story is a journey to find love and accept responsibility … at the end of the world.
First lines: “There is a myth that attempts to explain the last days. It describes the end of the world as a coming together of two lovers: the earth and the sky reunited, plunging the world once again into darkness. Let me assure you – the end of the world was nothing that any myth or legend could have prepared you for.”
Return to me, Justina Chen (341 pages) – Nothing is going as planned for Rebecca Muir. She’s weeks away from starting college – at a school chosen specifically to put a few thousand miles of freedom between Reb and her parents. But her dad’s last-minute job opportunity has her entire family moving all those miles with her. And then there’s the matter of her unexpected, amazing boyfriend, Jackson, who is staying behind on the exact opposite coast. Reb started the year knowing exactly what her future would hold, but now that her world has turned upside down, will she discover what she really wants?
First lines: “If you believed my so-called psychic of a grandmother, she predicted that I would almost die. Her eerie, creepy forewarning made no difference at all. I was seven. I still jumped into the murky lake. I still dropped to its mossy bottom. I still almost drowned.”
Steal my sunshine, Emily Gale (333 pages) – Hannah is a fifteen-year-old girl whose greatest desire is to belong and be loved by her family. However, dark family secrets threaten everything. Combined with Hannah’s contemporary story, is her eccentric grandmother’s painful story about a shameful aspect of Australia’s history and how it affected thousands of girls and women: the forced adoptions that saw ‘wayward girls’ and single mothers forced to give up their babies by churches and hospitals.
First lines: “The morning it started Mum freaked out about the Christmas tree. It had been thirty degrees most of the night and I wasn’t sure if I’d been asleep for any of it. I could tell from the safety of my bedroom that Mum had woken up foul: heavy footsteps in the kitchen, cupboard doors slammed in, the dishwasher drawers yanked out and rammed in again.”
Battle lines, Will Hill (702 pages) – The third installment of the epic Department 19 series promises to promises to deliver higher—and sharper—stakes than ever before! Secret government unit Department 19 is recovering from evil vampire Valeri Rusmanov’s deadly attack on their base. The Department’s newest member, teenage operator Jamie Carpenter, is tasked with training up a new squad, as his friends and colleagues desperately search for ways to try to stop what is coming.
First lines: “In the village of Crawthorne is an alarm. A direct copy of a World War Two air-raid siren, it is bright red, and sits atop a pole two metres above the ground.”
Chosen at nightfall, C. C. Hunter (399 pages) – The cover describes this as Shadow Falls novel as “the magnificent final chapter in the breathtaking series!” And based on the reserve queue, more than a few of you are eager to read it! So here it is: Kylie’s most powerful enemy returns to destroy her once and for all, there’s only one way to stop him–to step into her full powers and make a stunning transformation that will amaze everyone around her.
First line: “Kylie Galen looked up from the slice of pepperoni pizza on the fine china plate and tried to ignore the ghost swinging the bloody sword right behind her grandfather and great-aunt.”
By any other name, Laura Jarrat, (355 pages) – Nobody can know the truth – Holly’s life depends on it. Holly is fifteen years old, but she’s only been “Holly” for a matter of months. Because of something that happened, she and her family have had to enter witness protection and have all assumed new identities. All, that is, except her sister Katie, who is autistic. Starting at a new school mid-term is hard enough at the best of times, and Holly has no clue who she is any more. Lonely and angry, she reaches out to friends – new and old. But one wrong move will put all their lives in danger.
First line: They told me to pick something unobtrusive, then they handed me a book of baby names and a cup of hot chocolate from a machine, and they left me there in the white room.”
Inferno, Sherrilyn Kenyon (451 pages) – the fourth ‘Chronicles of Nick’ book finds our protagonist unable to trust anyone but the being he has been warned will ultimately kill him (Death). If Nick is to survive this latest round, he will have to sacrifice a part of himself. However, the best sacrifice is seldom the sanest move. Sometimes it’s the one that leaves your enemies confused.
First line: “Silhouetted by the setting sun, and completely rusted out on the inside from his hatred of every living thing, Nick stood on the top of what remained of the old Jax Brewery building, watching his once beloved city burn to the ground.”
Unravel me, Tahereh Mafi (461 pages) – Juliette has escaped to Omega Point, the headquarters of the rebel resistance and a safe haven for people with abilities like hers. She is finally free from The Reestablishment and their plans to use her as a weapon, but Warner, her former captor, won’t let her go without a fight. Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that in her present, she will have to make some life-changing choices. It’s the second in a trilogy though so make sure you read Shatter me first.
First lines: “The world might be sunny-side up today. The big ball of yellow might be spilling into the clouds, runny and yolky and blurring into the bluest sky, bright with cold hope and false promises about fond memories, real families, hearty breakfasts, stacks of pancakes drizzled in maple syrup sitting on a plate in a world that doesn’t exist anymore.”
The Subterranean Stratagem, Michael Pryor, (362 pages) – The follow up to The Extinction Gambit finds Kingsley and Evadne, the Extraordinaires, struggling to contain Kingsley’s wolfish side and save their juggling and escapology act. The secret to controlling the wolfishness is in Kingsley’s mysterious past. Was he really raised by wolces? Who were his parents? What happened to them? What begins as a quest to restore Kingsley’s past becomes an adventure that pits the Extraordinaires against forces that could shatter the minds and souls of millions.
First lines: “The giant steel jaws on either side of Kingsley Ward were quivering. Being suspended upside down as he was, it was difficult to judge the trap’s eagerness to close on him, so he ignored the metal monstrosity and focused his attention on wrenching himself free from the straitjacket.”
Emilie and the Hollow World, Martha Wells (301 pages) – While running away from home, Wmilie’s plan to stow away on a steamship go awry. Suddenly she’s on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure. Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine to journey to the dark interior of the planet in search of her new guardian’s missing father. Emilie must take daring action if they are ever to return to the surface alive.
First line: “Creeping along the docks in the dark, looking for the steamship Merry Bell, Emilie was starting to wonder if it might be better to just walk to Silk Harbor.”
I’ll admit it; I have a bit of a crush at the moment. On… flamingos. Yes, you read right. Basically, if I see ANYTHNG with flamingos on it, I need to own it straight away.
I recently bought this dress online and am soooo excited for it to arrive.
I also have a brand new phone cover! Flamingo-themed! Yusss! I have a newly-acquired LOVE for Ted Baker accessories, they are so feminine and chic and shiny. (See here, here and here for my most lusted-after pieces…) This phone case combined my Ted Baker love with the… thing I have for flamingos, so double win.
I have had this fabulously flamingo top for a wee while and I absolutely killed it over summer (with my bangin’ teal pencil skirt – best buy ever). Am already counting down until the warmer months come around so I can start wearing it again! Unfortunately, this is a top which is tricky to make trans-seasonal (cute blazer over top is not gonna cut it on a Wellington winter’s day).
I was also dangerously close to buying this skirt, but bf did not look pleased. Although I wish I had now, because I still love it! So cute. I also have a mad crush on this dress, but when I counted up my digits it was going to be waaaay too short. Alas.
The next items on my list are a silk square flamingo scarf (naturally) and a flamingo wall print (am thinking this one).
And, on a non-flamingo note. We have this sassy new number: The closet stylist : your guide to personal style / Anna Caselberg.
“Do you have a wardrobe full of clothes but you still can’t find the right thing to wear? Do you find yourself buying the latest season’s styles but then never wear them? Do you put off buying clothes until you can shift those last few kilos? Then fashion stylist Anna Caselberg is here to give you expert advice on how to dress to suit your body shape; mix and match outfits; choose the most flattering styles; shop on a budget; update your wardrobe while including last season’s styles. By following Anna’s style tips and wardrobe advice you’ll discover your inner stylist and learn to create the most flattering looks to suit your body shape and lifestyle”–Publisher information.
I am particularly excited about this book because it’s written by a New Zealand author, which means the things she writes about will generally be available here. Yay! If this sounds like your thang, I recommend you reserve it pronto (beware: wee queue) as it’s proved pretty popular so far.
Here’s our weekly run down of what’s on about this splendid city during the weekend.
The mind blowing moving image exhibition “Moving On Asia” has only a fortnight left at Wellington’s City Gallery.
Our freshest up and coming young comedians perform at Bats theatre in “Class Comedians“.
After some free film? The New Zealand Film Archive is currently hosting Samin Son TV – a self titled exhibition of Son’s time in the Korean Army. It sounds pretty interesting and is… the big ol’ price of NOTHING.
In music news it’s still New Zealand Music Month. Lorde released the music video for Royals (below) this week – she’s going to be a superstar. The Naked And Famous snuck this single, ‘A Source Of Light’, into the webosphere off of their upcoming remixes and b-sides follow up to Passive Me, Aggressive You.
Canada’s most famous (and only) astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield returned to earth this week but not before gifting planet earth another of his amazing videos. Music + science = awesome!
The fall of Five, Pittacus Lore (August) – for fans of the Lorien Legacies, here’s the next one! The Garde have taken refuge in Nine’s penthouse in Chicago: they don’t have enough fire power to defeat the Mogadorians… yet. When they receive a sign from Number Five - a crop circle, awesome – they know they’re close to being fully united. But is it a trap? (Book cover to be revealed!)
Gorgeous, Paul Rudnick (May/June) – “When eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness. Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.” (goodreads.com)
Isla and the happily ever after, Stephanie Perkins (September) – this book revisits Anna and Etienne, and Lola and Cricket from Stephanie Perkins’ previous two books, yay. “From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.” (goodreads.com)
The Lucy variations, Sara Zarr (May/June) – “Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain. That was all before she turned fourteen. Now, at sixteen, it’s over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano – on her own terms. But when you’re used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?” (goodreads.com)
Fathomless, Jackson Pearce (soon) – Jackson Pearce gets back to fairytale retellings (as seen in Sisters Red and Sweetly). “Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant – until Celia meets Lo. Lo doesn’t know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea – a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid – all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she’s becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she’s tempted to embrace her dark immortality.When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude’s affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there’s only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her… and steal his soul.” (goodreads.com) The Little Mermaid!
Gosh, volume five! That means we’ve been finding you gems (we hope) for nearly six months now! This is exciting for us, even if it’s not for you. Anyhoo, remember ages ago when we raved about Kristin Cashore as one of our favourite authors? That’s because of her Seven Kingdoms trilogy which really needs to be talked about as a whole. There’s Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue, all of which are awesomely awesome. Tamora Pierce goes as far as to say (about Bitterblue) “There aren’t enough words to describe how awesome this book is.” So that’s a pretty big recommendation!
Unusually, all three books feature the same villain (who is one scarily sadistic psychopath) but at different stages of his life. If you read them out of order the second book will give away a MASSIVE plot point of the first book. This is a fantasy trilogy and as such it takes place in a magical realm separate from our own. What makes it different is the presence of ‘Gracelings’ who are ordinary people with incredible abilities. Their eyes are two different colours and they are (mostly) feared and hated by everyone else. Their abilities can go from things like being able to hold one’s breath forever or being a master in the kitchen to extreme fighting skills or the ability to read people’s minds. In the spirit of three, we’ll give you three reasons why we love these books:
1. The badass heroines. Each book features a very different young woman, all incredible for different reasons, but who are all embarking on major ’save-the-world’ quests. All three go through a transformation as they work out who they are, what their place is in the world, and accept the power they have (in this case, a literal power that no one else has). It’s so well done though, you almost don’t notice the coming-of-age element. Because there is just so much awesomeness happening. BUT after all that they don’t get their happy ever after. Well, not in the traditional sense anyway. This is a sneaky reason number four why we love these books. You may not agree, (plenty of people on GoodReads hate this part) but we think that while it makes it frustrating, it also makes the books a whole lot more believable. We don’t want to ruin it for you but essentially they all choose to be part of something bigger than them at a personal cost.
2. Kristin Cashore is a marvelously adept storyteller and gets more so with each book. The books are told entirely from each heroine’s perspective and function like a mystery, we discover things as they discover things. It’s obvious that this is Kristin Cashore’s world and that we’re only visiting. As such, you feel like she has the entire narrative carefully worked out in her head, with each piece of the puzzle released to keep you guessing till the end. But at the same time you know that all the mysteries will be solved and a happy ending (of sorts) reached, making it an extremely enjoyable read.
3. The diegesis (fancy talk for setting). Often when I read fantasy novels (especially those that are grounded in our world like The Raven Boys) I find it hard to fully embrace or believe in the world (or diegesis) of the characters. Kristin Cashore makes it so easy to do this. She explains her diegesis and it doesn’t change (their almost magical capabilities are never increasing for example). The aspects that link this world to our world are in human nature. For example, being (magically) different in the Seven Kingdoms makes you feared and an outcast. Which is similar to how difference is treated in our world. Furthermore, the plot is driven by human conflict. So things like rivalry and love and anger and friendship are the cause of character’s actions firstly, and then secondly will be the influence of their magical component. When you can relate to a character’s emotions, it makes their world so much easier to believe in. Well, that’s what we thought anyway, feel free to disagree.
The best thing about this tremendous trilogy? Kristin Cashore hasn’t ruled out a fourth book!
Firstly!! This made me laugh. Karl Lagerfeld in a library…lol.
Aaaaand, onto business. I know it’s not quite winter yet, but the weather has been feral. And one of the highlights of feral weather is DVD time! I don’t know if you realise, but the library has really good fashion documentary DVDs; I have been well-stocked for the entire time I’ve worked here, and we still get more! SO good. Our DVDs are $4 for one week. I’ve watched most of them and, so far, these have been my favourites:
I love this DVD for the insider’s view on the world of Vogue… one woman really shines in this DVD and, I can tell you, that for me it is not Anna Wintour. The September issue [videorecording] / an A&E Indiefilms production in association with Actual Reality Pictures presents a film by R.J. Cutler.
An unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the making of the coveted September Issue of Vogue in 2007, which was the largest and most sold to date. An intimate, funny and surprising look at the legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team of larger-than-life editors. This is the captivating story of how they create the must-have bible of fashion. At the eye of this hurricane is the two-decade relationship between Anna and Grace Coddington, incomparable creative director and fashion genius.
This was quite a startling look into the world of modelling. A real eye-opener, and an insanely good watch. Picture me [videorecording] : a model’s diary / Digital Bazooka presents a film by Ole Schell and Sara Ziff.
“It’s one of the most glamorous and controversial jobs in the world, but what is it really like to be an international fashion model? In this frequently shocking behind-the-scenes documentary, filmmaker Ole Schell presents a visual diary of his partner Sara Ziff’s rise to international acclaim as a globe-trotting fashion icon. Ziff soon realises that the fairy-tale glamour of the modelling industry has a thin veneer, under which a culture of sleaze, exploitation and sexual abuse is prevalent. With her unparalleled access to fellow models, she and Schell present a hard-hitting and honest insight into the dark side of fashion”–Container.
This was my absolute fave; SO entertaining and I demand you watch it. Valentino [videorecording] : the last emperor / Acolyte Films presents a film by Matt Tyrnauer.
It is a behind-the-scenes look at the world of fashion, featuring unprecedented access to the high temples of Haute Couture. Follows the legendary Valentino and his longtime business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti during the final two years of their careers, and shows the struggles the two men face as they confront the final act of a nearly 50-year career at the top of the world’s most glamorous and competitive game. An intimate, engaging and very funny fly-on-the-wall exploration of the singular world of one of Italy’s richest and most famous men. Tells the story of his extraordinary life and work, and also explores the larger themes affecting the fashion business today.
We have a few documentary movies on Chanel; I’ve watched them all and this is by faaaar my favourite. Audrey Tatou is so incredibly charming, and Coco Chanel’s story is really quite amazing. Coco avant Chanel [videorecording] / a film by Anne Fontaine.
Years after being abandoned at an orphanage by her father, Gabrielle Chanel finds a job in a tailor shop where she meets, and soon begins an affair with French millionaire Etienne Balsan. Through Baron Balsan she is introduced into French society and given the opportunity to design her own style of hats. Though her career takes off, her personal life becomes more complicated when she falls in love with Balsan’s former best friend Arthur Capel.
Catwalk [videorecording] / a Daniel Wolf production.
A camera follows model Christy Turlington through the spring fashion shows in Milan, Paris, and New York one year in the early 1990s, probably 1992. She and others dash from one designer’s unveilings to another. Extended footage looks at Versace and Armani in Milan, Galliano, Gaultier, and Langerfeld in Paris, and Isaac Mizrahi in New York. With Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Turlington, we see the nature of friendships among models.
The tents [videorecording].
New York. The name is enough to make fashionistas weak at the knees. But only a few years ago, New York’s now-famous fashion scene was a mess of mismanagement. THE TENTS traces the genesis of New York as a fashion powerhouse, the success of which is linked almost exclusively to the setting up of “The Tents” at Bryant Park, which finally brought the couture together under one (removable) roof. Featuring interviews with world class designers and fashion personalities such as Caroline Herrera, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Carson Kressley and Miss J Alexander, THE TENTS is an insight into the coveted and glamourous world of New York’s fashion scene…and how it almost failed.
I have recently had this DVD recommended to me and am excited to watch it: Bill Cunningham New York [videorecording] / the New York Times and First Thought Films presents ; a film by Richard Press.
For decades, Bill Cunningham “has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirées for the New York Times Style section in his columns ‘On the Street’ and ‘Evening Hours.’” Presented “is a delicate, funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist whose only wealth is his own humanity and unassuming grace”–Container.
Have also just put a somewhat nervous hold on this… having read the synopsis, I think this could either be a super awesome or super painful watch! Will keep you posted! Shopgirls. Series 1 [videorecording] / directed by Giorgio Capitani.
Marta, Roberta, Fiorenza, Paola, Lucia and Romen are very different but work together in an elegant Roman fashion boutique. They must put up with their overbearing manager Francesca, and each has dramas of their own.
Brr! What a week. Floods, a (very tiny) earthquake and although the great day star showered us in splendour the mercury hasn’t climbed very high. It’s probably safer indoors with weekend warmers. We’re going for a blog in two halves today Wellington’s what’s on closely followed by a continuation of last weeks NZ music scrape over.
Our friendly neighbours Lower Hutt have some sweet badge making going down for Youth Week at The Dowse Gallery if you’d like to pimp your bag, hat or jacket for free. Here’s a full run down of Youth Week events in the region.
Want to get inside a navy ship and see what goes down? HMNZS Wellington will be open up for your viewing pleasure on Queens Wharf this Saturday. Don’t forget the sea legs. There’s also a fascinating film festival in town this weekend. Documentary Edge Festival 2013 has all sorts of interesting offerings including Only The Young a study in youth and coming of age.
This week we’ll take a look at the “naughties” (2000-2009) for the weekend playlist. At times you could’ve been forgiven for thinking that music had taken a turn for the worst this decade. International offerings like Axel F’s totem to annoyance Crazy Frog weasled themselves to number one. Reality superstar competitions started to change the face of how musicians are made (you web-savvy folk may’ve already encountered Dave Grohl’s thoughts about these competitions via meme). Here in New Zealand we had a go. Yes we did. New Zealand Idol delivered us (briefly) Ben Lummis and Michael Murphy, we also got Stan ‘yous’ Walker through Aussie Idol. The decade had gems, don’t get me wrong. The star of the decade was a (then) young rapper from Christchurch, Scribe. He dominated 2003’s charts with his debut single Stand Up. Hip Hop/R&B were the champion genres across the airwaves with acts like Savage (with Swing), Dei Hamo (We Gon’ Ride), swaggy Dane Rumble in his past life act Misfits Of Science,Nesian Mystik, P-Money (who has some new stuff too!) and Smashproof. Our other genres did well with Fur Patrol, Goodshirt, Atlas, Tiki Taane & company keeping the singles chart kiwi. Some other favourites include Stellar*, Zed, Salmonella Dub, Che Fu, The Datsuns, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Anika Moa. Many of these artists albums are still lingering in our CD collection, if any take your fancy have a dig through their discographies.
Here’s a kiwi music video treasure from the decade to take us out, cue Kora and their EPIC anime video for Skankenstein.
Fox forever
Paper valentine
Dr Frankenstein’s daughters
Gorgeous
Isla and the happily ever after
The Lucy variations
Fathomless
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