wellington (you can’t beat it etc. etc.) – Page 2

Category: wellington (you can’t beat it etc. etc.) Page 2 of 4

It’s May 2021, which means that New Zealand Music Month | Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa is upon us once again. We like music here on the Teen Blog, so we thought we’d share with you some of the cool stuff you can see, hear, or do to mark the occasion.

Album art for the following albums by Wellington artists: Kugels, Raven Mavens, Estere, Stalker, Flowz, David Harrow, Ariana Tikao, Spook the Horses, Julie Lamb, Phoenix Foundation, Neil Johnstone, and more.

A festive panoply of recent additions to our collection of Wellington music.

Find local music at the library

The theme of NZMM21 is simple: ‘Support Local. Stream Local. Follow Local. Buy Local.’ I’m not sure if there’s some kind of subliminal messaging at play here, but I think it’s possible that the kind folks at the New Zealand Music Commission are encouraging us to check out local artists. This is a message we at Wellington City Libraries wholeheartedly support. Our Customer Specialist for Music and Film, Mark, runs the Wellington Music blog and Facebook page, and if what you’re after is a constant stream of local Wellington content — interviews, videos and performances, anecdotes, new releases and more — well, he definitely has you covered. Check out his exhaustive Artist Directory for lists of literally hundreds of Wellington musicians and bands going back to the 1940s, complete with links to their material. It’s the best place you could start if you’re wanting to explore the music of this place.

On the off-chance that you are the kind of person who still likes to bust out the odd CD or vinyl record and give it a spin, we actually have a massive collection of both, at our Te Awe branch on Brandon Street, and Te Pātaka, our Collection Distribution Centre in Johnsonville. Use the Artist Directory to search by artist/composer/band, or browse the whole gosh darn collection at once:

Vinyl (Wellington) (New Zealand) (All)
Music CDs (Wellington) (New Zealand) (Māori) (All)

If you’re into classical music or jazz, we have a bunch of awesome resources for you to check out — from the score and songbook collection and classical and jazz CD collections (including the music of prominent New Zealand composers like John Psathas and Gillian Whitehead), to the truly massive and amazing online repositories of the Naxos Classical and Naxos Jazz Libraries — free with your library card.

Make music with the library

If you want to make music of your own but don’t have the means, you can actually borrow audio equipment like mics, PAs, field recorders, even the legendary Synthstrom Deluge synthesiser/sequencer/sampler/marvel of engineering from the library. It’s super easy — just pop your details in the form, tell us what you want and when you need it, and we’ll make it happen. One of our librarians will even sit down with you and show you how it all works if you need.

If the home studio isn’t quite the vibe you’re going for, you could also use our free recording studio at Tūhura/The HIVE at Johnsonville Library. For up to two hours at a time, you can have free use of the studio and all its gear to do whatever you want — record, jam, noodle, rehearse, whatever you need. Because the space is heavily used, bookings are essential — email johnsonville.library@wcc.govt.nz to book your spot. Here’re the specs on the studio software and hardware available to you:

Software: Logic Pro X, Garage Band, Da Vinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 Gen3
Microphones: Rode NT-1a, Shure SM57, Shure SM58, AKG P170
Audio Monitors: Mackie CR4BT 4″ Multimedia Monitors
Control Surface: Korg nanoKONTROL Studio
MIDI Keyboard: Icon Pro Audio iKeyboard 8Nano
Electric Drums: Alesis Nitro Mesh 8-Piece kit
Electric Guitar: Squier Bullet Mustang
Guitar amp: Marshall CODE50
Bass Guitar: ESP LTD B10

Gig guide

While our librarians have a well-documented propensity for being musical performers themselves, we also accept that there might be some cool stuff happening outside the library too. Thankfully, the excellent people behind NZMM21 have put together this fabulous calendar of live gigs for your edification and enjoyment. Make sure to visit their website for the full picture.

There will be more to come on New Zealand Music Month-related goodness in and around our libraries, but until then, remember: Support Local. Stream Local. Follow Local. Buy Local. Local is where all the best stuff is, anyway.

Tara Black x Dylan Horrocks: An Event You Don’t Want to Miss

By Stephen

On Thursday, 25 March, 2021

In art and stuff, comics and graphic novels, stuff to do, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

So, you’re an artist. Or a writer. Or both. Or neither — maybe you just like looking at stuff and reading stuff and want to know more about how it works! Maybe you’re into comics, or manga, or general illustration, or live drawing, or all of the above. Maybe, just maybe, you’re wanting to find out how you can take your passion for drawing or writing and turn it into your life’s work, your livelihood, your source of creative (and financial) nourishment. Or maybe you just want to sit in on a conversation with two very cool and talented people and be swept away by their wit and craft.

Regardless of which category you fit into above, we have the event for you: Talk and Draw with Tara Black and Dylan Horrocks, Saturday 17 April, 1.00pm at Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Community Hub. Part workshop, part overview, part conversation — join us for what promises to be a fabulous, informative, and entertaining event, with two of the biggest names in New Zealand comics.

Photo: Ebony Lamb 2020

If you don’t know Tara Black, you should — she is one of the most distinctive and unique graphic artists working in Aotearoa. Alongside her excellent webcomics (I’m particularly partial to The Blue Fury, in which the ghosts of Janet Frame and Katherine Mansfield get their kicks out of haunting a first-year English teacher) and her extremely weird and cool new book This is not a pipe (VUP, 2020), Tara is known for doing live illustrations of events around Wellington City. I reckon that’s a pretty awesome way to make a living.

The Eisner Award-winning Dylan Horrocks, of course, is one of the most talented and versatile cartoonists working in the scene today. His works range from the meta-comic tour-de-force that is Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen (VUP, 2014) to the iconic Hicksville (Black Eye Comics, 1998), which I choose to believe draws some inspiration from my own home town of Hastings, which may have been briefly known as Hicksville in the early 1870s, with a healthy dose of work on the Batman and Batgirl comics in the early-mid 2000s.

Come along and join us for this Most Ambitious Crossover Event In Comic Book History (okay not really, but it will still be really cool!), and of course check out Tara and Dylan’s books below!

This is not a pipe / Black, Tara
“I’ve decided to document my life in pictures. It’s hard to draw the pole, because of the pole. Beth has a pole through her arms. This is not a metaphor. A metaphor would be a lot less inconvenient. On the other side of the room, Kenneth is creating a new religion. He thinks narrative is the operating principle of the universe. He also thinks he’s the hero of Beth’s story. Beth is worried he’s going to leave her. The creatures living in the pole may have stolen her cat. Tara Black’s comic is surreal, dark, sad, perversely joyful, and if you bet someone they couldn’t find another book remotely like it, you would win. It’s a little bit about being married to Kenneth. It’s a little bit about losing your cat. It’s definitely not about the pole.” (Catalogue)

Hicksville : a comic book / Horrocks, Dylan
“World-famous cartoonist Dick Burger has earned millions and become the most powerful man in the comics industry. However, behind his rapid rise to success, there lies a dark and terrible secret, as biographer Leonard Batts discovers when he visits Burger’s hometown in remote New Zealand. One of the best graphic novels of the past decade.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Incomplete works / Horrocks, Dylan
“Daydreams, fantasy, true love, and procrastination feature strongly in this selection of Dylan Horrocks’s shorter comics running from 1986 to 2012. It is both the chronicle of an age and a portrait of one man’s heroic struggle to get some work done.” (Catalogue)

Sam Zabel and the magic pen / Horrocks, Dylan
“Cartoonist Sam Zabel hasn’t drawn a comic in years. Stuck in a nightmare of creative block and despair, Sam spends his days writing superhero stories for a large American comics publisher and staring at a blank piece of paper, unable to draw a single line. Then one day he finds a mysterious old comic book set on Mars and is suddenly thrown headlong into a wild, fantastic journey through centuries of comics, stories, and imaginary worlds. Accompanied by a young webcomic creator named Alice and an enigmatic schoolgirl with rocket boots and a bag full of comics, Sam goes in search of the Magic Pen, encountering sex-crazed aliens, medieval monks, pirates, pixies and–of course–cartoonists. Funny, erotic, and thoughtful, Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen explores the pleasures, dangers, and moral consequences of fantasy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

What’s On for Wellington Pride?

By Stephen

On Monday, 8 March, 2021

In isn't that cool?, lgbtqia+, stuff to do, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Join us for the Wellington Pride Festival 2021!

This month, from 13-27 March, is the Wellington Pride Festival | Tū Whakahīhī e te Whanganui-ā-Tara. As New Zealand’s longest-running Pride festival, Wellington Pride is the annual celebration of rainbow pride in our city, featuring LGBTQIA+ performers, historians, writers, artists, musicians, and — of course — librarians doing their thing for the community. Wellington City Libraries always joins in on the fun, and this year we have a selection of awesome events that you might be interested in coming along to. Check out the deets below!

Queer Stories: Discovering LGBTQIA+ History at the Library
Friday 19 March, 5.00 – 7.30pm
Newtown Library

Join some very cool librarians as they trace how LGBTQIA+ stories are told through the library’s collections in print, online, and on film. The event will conclude with a free screening of a queer film from our collection, and we anticipate rainbow cupcakes will be consumed voraciously!

The Queer History of Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Thursday 18 March, 5.30 – 7.00pm
Te Awe Library

Join us for an evening of sharing Wellington’s queer and takatāpui oral history. We’ll being hearing kōrero from historians Will Hansen and Roger Swanson, both involved in the Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand (LAGANZ), as well as Kay’la Rian representing Tīwhanawhana celebrating the organizations 20th anniversary. More speakers to be announced!

Queer Experience and Expression
Thursday 25 March, 5.30 – 7.00pm
Te Awe Library

Hear from a variety of local queer and takatāpui artists about their experiences through their unique form of artistic expression. Celebrate the LGBTQI+ perspective that comes through in all varieties of expression. We’ll be hearing from illustrator Sam Orchard, Wellington-based artist and musician Olga Lapin, and Dr Elizabeth Kerekere — artist, LGBTQ+ activist, scholar and NZ politician with the Green Party.

Rainbow Storytimes with Hugo Grrrl and Friends
Sunday 14 March, 2 – 3pm at Johnsonville Library
Monday 15 March, 11am – 12pm at Karori Library
Saturday 20 March, 2 – 3pm at Kilbirnie Library
Sunday 21 March, 2 – 3pm at Te Awe Library

Okay, okay, I know if you’re reading this you’re probably not a kid, and you’re probably thinking these events are for kids. And they are! But they’re also for you. Come along for a most enchanting hour of stories, songs and games with some of Wellington’s most excellent drag performers, including Hugo Grrrl, Harlie Lux, Amy Thurst, and many more. So wholesome, so fabulous, so great — even if you’re not a kid, you’ll dig it! And if you’re an aspiring drag artist yourself, you should come along to see how it’s done!

Out in the City
Sunday 27 March, 11am – 5pm
Michael Fowler Centre, 2nd floor

Yes, your favourite library again has a stall at your favourite LGBTQIA+ community event of the year — Out in the City (it used to be called Out in the Park if the name sounds a little unfamiliar). We’ll be there all day handing out our signature queer literary icon badges (as well as the usual rainbow library ones!), and talking about LGBTQIA+ books, movies, online resources and more. Come and say hi!

Tūhono: It Lives!

By Stephen

On Monday, 18 January, 2021

In aotearoa new zealand, eLibrary, library news, poetry, real life, real problems, stuff to read, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Poets, readers, fellow champions of the written and spoken word — hark, and listen well. The day has finally come — Tūhono, our poetry journal for young Wellingtonians, has officially been released into the world as of the 11th of January 2021. And what a world it has arrived into — civil and political unrest overseas, the spectre of a global pandemic still haunting our every step; and yet, sunshine over the hitherto stormy seas of our fair town. Tūhono, I think, captures all of that and more. Read it now on OverDrive and Libby.

We are having physical copies printed as well, so soon you’ll be able to find Tūhono 2020 on the shelf at your local public or school library. We will also be giving two copies to the National Library of New Zealand, where they will be preserved for the rest of time (the legal term is ‘in perpetuity‘) as part of the cultural heritage of this country. It’s big deal, yo.

A two-page spread from Tūhono, featuring work by Jasmine (16) and Lily (11).

As we say in the business, this is The Good Stuff.

There are some very important and cool people whom I would like to thank for their input — Stephanie Poulopoulos (my partner-in-crime, and the amazing librarian who buys all of the kids’ and teens’ books for our collection), Ligia Horta (who designed the book — what an amazing talent she is!), Monty Masseurs (who helped get everything set up online), Bridget Jennings (who wrote the catalogue record for the book, making sure you can actually find it online), and Celeste Mackintosh (who helped organise the online submissions throughout the month of November 2020). They are all very awesome librarians and we should all pay homage to their greatness and humility.

Friends, in this life, no one is 'just' a librarian.

Go forth and read! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and maybe — just maybe — you’ll feel connected with everyone else who put something of themselves into this incredible book.

Tūhono: Submissions are Closed!

By Stephen

On Thursday, 10 December, 2020

In isn't that cool?, poetry, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Well, folks, this is it — submissions for Tūhono, our inaugural poetry journal for children and teens, are officially over. We received nearly 200 valid entries, all of which are going to be included in the final publication.

At the moment, the editorial team is hard at work adding all of the poems into our design templates, and we’re super excited with how it’s looking! We thought we might share with you some of our favourite moments reading through the poems. One of the first entries that really stood out to us was this poem by Thyme, age 16. It’s called ‘Included Components: notes to my past self in the form of a contents list.’

CONTENTS:

ASSORTED COMPONENTS: BLOOD, CONNECTORS, BONES, ETC       Factory Settings: Standard. Possibility of inherited deficiency.
(blood tests aren’t as bad as you’d expect them to be, and you won’t regret getting them)

BRAIN, 1 COMPONENT           Factory Settings: Open to programming. Runs best when fully charged.
(you’ll want to be proud of this, and that’s fine, but remember it’s okay not to be the best. it’s okay to get lower marks. let yourself fail sometimes)

CHEST, RIBS, TORSO   Factory Settings: Standard Breathing. Growth in chest area expected and normal.
(you won’t like how it changes. look after your ribs when you work this out)

ARMS, 1 PAIR Factory Settings: Standard Flexibility. Bones will remain malleable for approximately 12 years.
(you’ll break them three times, but don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt as much as you think. don’t worry about your first cast’s awful color – you’ll have plenty more opportunities)

LEGS, 1 PAIR Factory Settings: Average Length, Standard Flexibility.
(you might not like these either, but understand there’s nothing wrong with them. standard sizing is frustrating but you will find yourself a pair of pants that fit properly)

EYES, 1 PAIR   Factory Settings: Slight Nearsightedness, Standard Cone Cells. Optic nerves also included.
(you’ll get them tested, and think that they’re okay, but don’t be afraid to test them again later. school is easier when you can read the board)

HANDS, 1 PAIR            Factory Settings: Standard Flexibility, Multiple Fingers, Opposable Thumbs. Useful for grasping.
(they won’t always feel like they belong to you – they do. they’ll learn to create nice things, and sometimes not so nice things as well, but I promise you the scratches will fade eventually

I can reveal that we’ve chosen this poem to open the collection — but it’s just one of literally hundreds of exceptional pieces of work from Wellingtonians aged 5-18 that are making their way onto the page, all of which explore in different ways what it means to be connected, whether that’s to yourself, to others, or to something that you can’t quite see or feel, but know is there. More updates are in the pipeline as we approach publication, so keep your eyes peeled!

Tūhono: Ideas to Kick-Start Your Poetical Musings

By Stephen

On Monday, 16 November, 2020

In poetry, stuff to do, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

We’re now half-way through the month of November, which means we’re also half-way through the submission period for Tūhono, our new poetry journal for kids and teens! We’ve received so many radical entries already, but we’d love to have more. If you’re experiencing some writer’s block, or just aren’t sure where to start with your next poetical masterpiece, we thought we’d give you some starters here.

Your challenge is to take one of the following single lines of poetry and include it in your work, either at the beginning or the end. All of these lines come from real poems, but it’s totally fine to use them as inspiration or as a poetic springboard. If any of them speak to you, we really encourage you to read the full poem — most of them can be found in our collection:

Till human voices wake us, and we drown. (T.S. Eliot, ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock)
He came home. Said nothing. (Wisława Szymborska, ‘Going Home’)
Petals on a wet, black bough (Ezra Pound, ‘In a Station of the Metro’)
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought (William Wordworth, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’)
Here is no water but only rock (T.S. Eliot, ‘The Waste Land’)
Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold (W.B. Yeats, ‘The Second Coming’)
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud (e.e. cummings, ‘[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]’)
This city, in plague time / knew our brief eternity (William Gibson, ‘Beloved: Voices for Three Heads’)
I eat men like air (Sylvia Plath, ‘Lady Lazarus’)
I am not the heterosexual neat freak my mother raised me to be. (Chen Chen, ‘Self-Portrait as So Much Potential’)
This city will always pursue you. (C.P. Cavafy, ‘The City’)
laughter for no cause, simply because the world is beautiful (Louise Glück, ‘Vita Nova’)
Maybe it’s time to stop swimming. (Porcupine Tree, ‘Stop Swimming’)
until the smallening world became absurd (e.e. cummings, ‘a clown’s smirk in the skull of a baboon’)
As light welled / that could devour water (Louise Glück, ‘The Egg’)

If you choose to put the line at the beginning, see how you can take the image and with each successive line, either expand on it, or confound it in some way. If you choose to put your quotation at the end, try to imagine what combination of images might lead up to that climactic point.

We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Don’t forget to submit your poems for Tūhono before the 30th of November to have them included in the inaugural publication!

Tūhono — We Want Your Poems!

By Stephen

On Tuesday, 27 October, 2020

In competition!, poetry, stuff to do, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

We are excited to announce that Wellington City Libraries is launching its very own poetry journal for kids and teens — Tūhono! All throughout the month of November, we will be accepting submissions of poetry from young writers aged 5 – 18 in Wellington City. Unlike some other poetry journals, having your work accepted in Tūhono is not a competition — as long as you follow the rules of submission, every piece of work that gets submitted will be published. Tūhono itself — the collection of poetry from young people all over Wellington — will be published as an eBook on OverDrive, so that everyone with a library card can borrow it and bask in your talent and glory!

Let your poetic thoughts take wing!

Here is all the information you need to submit a poem for inclusion in Tūhono 2020:

When?

Submissions will be open from 1 – 30 November 2020.
The journal will be published and available to borrow from the library in December 2020.

Where?

Submissions for Tūhono have now closed.

Who?

Everyone between the ages of 5 and 18 who lives in the Wellington region may participate.

What?

Theme: We want you to write a poem on the theme of “Tūhono — Connection.” Exactly what this means to you is up to you — you could write about your family; friends; your connection with history or your place in the world; disconnection during lockdown — anything at all. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Length: Your poem should not be longer than one A4 page typed, with size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing. Only one poem per person will be accepted.
Language: Your poem may be written in English or te reo Māori.

Why?

We want to give all young people in Wellington the opportunity to have their work published in an accessible platform. We think everyone deserves a platform and the chance to see something they created be part of the library’s collection, alongside all the great authors and poets represented on our shelves. We hope that Tūhono grows into a uniquely Wellington collection of writing, capturing the thoughts and emotions of kids and teens from all over the city and region across time. We are so excited to see what you come up with!

Throughout the month of November, we will be posting regular updates providing inspiration for your writing — so keep your eyes peeled! If you would like more information about Tūhono, you are more than welcome to contact the editors here. Happy writing, everyone!

Waitohi Youth Nights Return!

By Stephen

On Monday, 27 July, 2020

In library news, real life, real problems, stuff to do, troubled teens trying to put their past behind them, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Now that we’re all done with that business of emerging, blinking, into the sunlight following the national lockdown, a lot of our regular events and programmes are getting back underway. Happily, this includes our regular Youth Nights at Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Community Hub!

‘What is Youth Night?’ I hear you plaintively ask. ‘Why would I spend my Saturday night in a library of all places?’ Well, friends. Perhaps a more apt question is ‘what isn’t Youth Night?’ We play games, we make music, we watch movies, we debate the ins and outs of LGBTQ+ representation in contemporary media (this one is optional), we try to beat each other’s high scores in Beat Saber, we laugh, we cry, we rank the characters of the classic 1990s cartoon Gargoyles in order of hotness (Goliath and Demona come in at joint first place, obviously, with everyone else trailing a distant second), and most importantly, we eat pizza.

Our Youth Nights are totally free (pizza included!), but you do need to be 13+ in order to come, so please bring your student ID. Once you’re in, our spaces are all yours. Youth Nights are on the first Saturday of every month, from 5.00-8.00pm. The first one since lockdown is this Saturday, the 1st of August. See you there!

A Very Special Message for our Teen Writers

By Stephen

On Friday, 15 May, 2020

In isn't that cool?, library news, real life, real problems, stuff to read, stuff to write, troubled teens trying to put their past behind them, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently sent a very kind message of encouragement for our WCL Teen Writers, following their huge success participating in the Camp NaNoWriMo April 2020 Challenge, in which they collectively wrote well over 100,000 words in their bid to write a whole novel over a month of isolation. Here’s what the Prime Minister had to say:

I want to pass on a quick message to everyone involved in the WCL Teen Writers group — and I want to start by saying thanks.

Right now, we’re living through really challenging and uncertain times, and for many people, it’s been tough. I know young people are facing their own unique challenges, from adjusting to distance learning, giving up special occasions like school balls, and not being able to meet up with your friends, but so many of you have put in an amazing effort and played your part to help keep this virus under control. Thanks for this — it’s so important.

I was interested to hear about your online writing group, the work you’re doing, and the support you provide each other. This is a really good example of the positives that have come out of the COVID-19 response. You’ve all come together online to support each other, share your work and ideas, and embark on some pretty impressive projects. I hope you’re enjoying the group and will continue to keep in touch when life returns to something a bit more normal.

All the best with your writing — I’m sure I’ll be seeing your work in bookstores soon! For now, though, stay safe and look out for each other.

— Rt. Hon. Jacinda Ardern

As you can imagine, the Prime Minister’s message generated considerable interest on our WCL Teen Writers Discord server, from the joyous but mostly coherent:

…to the joyous but not so coherent:

…to the reflective and compassionate:

…and right back around to the disbelieving:

Thank you, Prime Minister, for your words of encouragement, motivation, and solidarity. Rest assured, we’re still writing and keeping connected (and of course the banter is still top-quality), and hopefully will be for a while yet! Here’s what one of our talented writers had to say about the group:

If you’re a keen writer, or even just really like reading, we’d love for you to join our vibrant community on Discord! Just email us or message us on Facebook with your name and school year level, and we can send you a link to join!

NZMM video-fest!

By admin

On Tuesday, 20 May, 2014

In aotearoa new zealand, music and other nice noises, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

We’re past the halfway mark through NZ Music Month now, so better make the most of it! Don’t forget we have Harriet and the Matches performing at Newtown library this Friday the 23rd of May, we’ll see you there at 7pm!

In the mean time, have a dance party in your living room to these fab songs and videos from NZ artists!

Here’s Lorde performing Tennis Court at the Billboard Music Awards the other day

Settle Down by Kimbra

Apple Pie Bed by Lawrence Arabia

It’s Choade My Dear by Connan Mockasin

Dominion Road by The Mutton Birds (an oldie but a goodie)

40 Years by The Phoenix Foundation (this one’s directed by Taika Waititi who directed the movie Boy)

And finally Just A Boy by Pikachunes

This post was brought to you by Gina at Newtown library’s genius (Gina-us?) suggestions! With much enthusastic nodding and encouragement from myself.

NZ music highlights

By admin

On Tuesday, 13 May, 2014

In aotearoa new zealand, music and other nice noises, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Hopefully you’re celebrating NZ Music Month with us by listening to more local artists! I thought I would highlight a few recent-ish NZ releases we have in our collection, with some help from very music-savvy fellow librarian Kim. Let us know what you agree or disagree with, and please leave us some of your favourite NZ artists in the comments!

The Love Club EP by Lorde

Dating earlier than her hit album Pure Heroine, The Love Club EP (first released for free on SoundCloud) contains the ubiquitous ‘Royals’ along with four other songs not on her full length album. ‘Bravado’, ‘Biting Down’, ‘Million Dollar Bills’ and ‘The Love Club’ are all excellent songs, and have a slightly different sound to Pure Heroine – perhaps a little cheekier? In any case, any Lorde fan needs to listen to this EP.

Brightly Painted One by Tiny Ruins

I saw Tiny Ruins a.k.a Hollie Fullbrook when she opened for Calexico last year and they were both excellent! Morphing from gentle and folky to classical-sounding with strings and looping back around again, Tiny Ruins keeps it interesting. She has been compared to Beth Gibbons from Portishead AND Nick Drake, so if that’s not a recommendation, I don’t know what is.

Goin’ Steady by Newtown Rocksteady (adult collection, costs $1)

13-piece Newtown Rocksteady’s extended EP documents their musical progression over the last four years, representing and reinventing the 60s Jamaican vibe known as rocksteady. Rocksteady mixes together reggae, dub, ska and dancehall music, all perfect for a good boogie which they provided in droves at the Newtown and Womad festivals earlier this year. If you get the chance to see them live, do! They provide amazing entertainment and you’ll be blown away by their collective talent, not to mention their 5-piece horn section.

Louis Baker by Louis Baker (adult collection, costs $1)

Wellington local Louis Baker is sometimes mellow and completely soulful. His sound has been compared to Jeff Buckley – these are some amazing comparisons being made to our local talents! He’s very talented and grew up in Coromandel Street, Newtown. His self titled EP made it to number 8 in the NZ charts, check it out for yourself!

And then we have some faves that don’t have CDs out in the library yet:

Brockaflower Saurus-Rex (and the Blueberry Biscuits)

This 9-piece band’s first album is full on but spacious, allowing everyone their own instrument space – an impressive feat with so many people and instruments demanding attention. But they make it work, and very harmoniously, too. As for genre, they’re a bit funk, a bit psychedelic and a bit “neo-soul” (who even names music genres these days?) and they’ll keep you grooving with each song full of energy. They have an album out titled “Build It” but we sadly don’t have it in the library. You can listen to it in full here on SoundCloud though!

Estère

Speaking of genre names, Estère’s probably takes the cake – “electric blue witch hop”. She is a singer/songwriter/beatmaker/producer from Wellington and this whole album was made and recorded in her bedroom. She uses loops of live instruments, has an MPC named Lola and has been likened to Erykah Badu with her sometimes raspy and always stunning vocals. Although we don’t have her album here in the library yet, you can listen to it on SoundCloud for free, and even download it for free from Estère’s Bandcamp page!

Comics Fest 2014

By admin

On Thursday, 24 April, 2014

In anime & manga, comics and graphic novels, isn't that cool?, library news, stuff to do, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

It’s no secret that I love graphic novels, which is why I’m so excited about ComicFest, an event that the library is running from the 2nd-3rd of May. We’ve got some great events lined up: a panel on Friday night with some of the best cartoonists in New Zealand, plus more events on the Saturday. You can find out more on the event page, but here are just some of the events running:

A panel on Friday Night featuring Ant Sang, who wrote and drew the awesome comic Shaolin Burning and worked on Bro’ Town. There’s also Robyn Kenealy who’s a brilliant webcomic artist and creator of Steve Rogers’ American Captain, which chronicles Steve Rogers’ attempts to work out his place in the twenty-first century. Grant Buist, another one of our awesome panelists, has been working in comics for almost twenty years. He’s currently working on a graphic novel and draws Jitterati for Fishhead Magazine. His website is well worth a look, since he’s done a heap of great reviews of our graphic novel collection. This is definitely the panel you want to attend if you want to know what it’s like working in comics today.

There are also some wicked workshops: Ant Sang is running “Comics 101” from 4:30-6:30 for those aspiring artists among you, and then there’s another workshop run on the Saturday by Gavin Mouldey, a Wellington-based animator and illustrator. He’s done all the gorgeous promotional art for all our advertising, and owns the dittybox shop and gallery in Island Bay.

There’s a costume competition all day Saturday with a special category for teens and great prizes for you to win, generously provided by Unity Books and and White Cloud Worlds. A fair few of the library staff will be in costume too, so try and work out who we’re being!

Finally, last but certainly not least, we are giving away FREE, yes, FREE comics from when we open. We have limited stock, so get in early! This is because the library is participating in Free Comic Book Day, a day where all over the world stores and librariess give away a selection of comics and graphic novels. We decided to use this as an opportunity to promote a great (and steadily growing) part of our collection and bring together some of the best comic artists working in New Zealand today. You can find the main Facebook event here, and interviews with our featured panelists and artists on our main blog.

The Wind Rises this weekend

By admin

On Friday, 11 April, 2014

In anime & manga, movies (they're like books that move!), wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Weekend newsflash: The latest film from Studio Ghibli (and the last film directed by Hayao Miyazaki before his retirement!) is showing this Sunday at the Embassy cinema! It’s called The Wind Rises and it tells the story of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II. Check out the trailer below and book your tickets over at the Embassy website.

Fashion in the Capital

By admin

On Friday, 13 September, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Do you know what today is (besides Friday)? It’s the middle of the Fashion in the Capital extravaganza that’s currently hitting our city. Starting Wednesday and running for five days, Fashion in the Capital features a whole host of fashion designers, boutiques and jewellery designers hitting the runway. There are lots of events happening over the weekend and tickets start at just $10 (some events are even freeeeeeeee), so you should definitely go!! There are a couple of events I’m looking forward to checking out; view the official calender here and get your weekend plans sorted now.

cuda-sisters-053
Photo courtesy of James Yang / fashiongallery.co.nz

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, August 10-11

By admin

On Thursday, 8 August, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

There’s no shortage of shindigs to get you out of the house and into the streets of Wellington this weekend. Here’s a quick run-down of what we’ve circled with our highlighter.

The New Zealand International Film Festival continues and included is the world premiere of Fantail. Rachel and Rebecca made some picks in last week’s Trailer Tuesday. Also in film this weekend is the fundraising screening of documentary Maidentrip about kiwi-born Laura Dekker’s solo adventure around the world aboard yacht Guppy. Proceeds to Wellington Ocean Sports.

One of Wellington’s best and formerly hidden treasure troves of Zines and art, Matchbox Studios has a grand opening at its new street front location.

The next round of New Zealand’s Got Talent auditions stop into the St James.

Museum of Wellington City & Sea continue with their L!VE Music sessions on Sunday.

Wellington’s gonna get a pop-up chocolate factory on Queens Wharf this weekend – YUM! If you need more convincing their website has a puppy picture.

Newtown’s National Hockey Stadium will host matches between Capital & Southern.

The always thought-provoking World Press Photos exhibition is in town and hanging out on Willis Street.

If you haven’t had a chance to yet Young & Hungry is in its last weekend at Bats. It’s well worth the outing.

In new music for the playlist this week Indie band Typhoon, from Portland Oregon, have released a sneak peak of their new album White Lighter. They’re a bit of a well kept secret and it’s not really a sneak-peak it’s a peak in entirety. If you’re a fan of indie bands like the Fleet Foxes, Beirut, Boy & Bear, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Band of Horses etc we reckon you’ll dig these guys.

Have a good one!

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, July 27-28

By admin

On Thursday, 25 July, 2013

In music and other nice noises, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Another weekend in Wellington is lurking just ahead of us. Here’s some heads-ups for ways to spend it.

Rūamoko has been a busy lad this week. If you’re keen on a sweet geology-heavy hangtime then you can checkout his antics here.

Soldout Splendour In The Grass has lured a whole bunch of epic bands down under this weekend but, and it’s a really big but, they’re all the way over in Australia’s New South Wales. If you want to get a sneak peak at some of the big acts (and there are plenty of them) you can do that right here at the “Best-Of-The-Fest” stream.

There’s no shortage of musical fairy dust in our own town this weekend though with acts like the Veils, Shapeshifter, The Phoenix Foundation playing 18+ shows (links to our CD collection included).

The Naked And Famous have dropped a new single from their upcoming second album In Rolling Waves.

The Naked And Famous – Hearts Like Ours by The Naked And Famous

The Wellington season of Young And Hungry, a festival showcasing young playwriting talent, kicks off at BATS Friday night with three sweet plays. More info here.

The (actual) New Zealand (full and proper, in its entirety) International Film Festival 2013 is finally upon us. Their website and full schedule is here. Looking forward, very much, to seeing The National’s (who’re playing over at Splendour In The Grass) film Mistaken For Strangers about life on the rock ‘n’ roll road.

Enjoy your first week back at school!

There’s a good chance you’re not going to get to get to experience them while they’re here if you’re under 18, so here’s a short film with the Veils playing some of their tunes for you.

Enjoy your first week back at school!

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, July 20-21

By admin

On Thursday, 18 July, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

How’re your holidays going? Great, we hope! Here’s this weeks run down of Wellington’s weekend fun times to help keep them lively.

Firstly though, did you know we’re having a sweet games fest at Wellington Central Library over the next few Wednesdays? We’ll supply the warmth and games, all you need to do is turn up!

Ever wondered what goes on behind the doors of the St James at the Royal New Zealand Ballet company? They’re having an open day this Saturday for all you keenly interested ballerdudes and ballerettes.

There’s a best-of-three trans-Tasman Futsal, a smaller indoor version of soccer, tournament at ASB Stadium.

Want to spend the weekend watching baby pandas? Well you can! Thanks to Atlanta Zoo’s Lun Lun you can watch TWO baby pandas (twins). Woah!

There’s a swell looking, all ages, fundraising performance at Paramount Theatre of Echolalia. Here’s a brief description; “Inspired by the humour and directness of autistic children while working on a holiday program, McArthur’s delightful character Echo doesn’t register social niceties. A young woman on the spectrum preparing for a much needed job interview, Echo unwittingly puts our unspoken social rules under the spotlight…and finds a lot of them wanting.”

If none of that floats your boat, why not spend the weekend making a robot that can do flips like this one?

Tada!

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, June 13-14

By admin

On Thursday, 11 July, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

It’s… holiday time!

Here’s a slice of what’s on in Welly-hood this weekend to kick your holidays off with some excitement and/or amazement.

The Company NZ are presenting Block Party up on the hill at Wellington High School – it’s a showcase extravaganza from this super talented dance school. Not to be confused with Bloc Party. Here’s a sweet video of the tutors busting some moves.

Oceania’s two most Hipster* cities Wellington and Melbourne clash in derby time on the water front. Bust out the Purple and orange.

Au Contraire, the New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy convention, is in town. It comes with cool stuff like a floating market.

Something a bit different and enriching for the ears? Gale Force Gospel are putting on a concert of African American Song.

In theatre The Legend Of Hector visits BATS. “Drawing from sources as diverse as the Arthurian Legends, an old friend’s travel blog, and toilet-wall graffiti, The Legend of Hector goes right to the heart of the moments we feel most epic, and the moments we desperately wish for greater adventures.” – That sounds awesome!

Looking for something to watch? Here’s a list compiled by Rachel & Rebecca to quell your winter blues.

In playlist news Jay-Z released new album Magna Carta… Holy Grail this week – you can judge that one for yourself. His wife Beyonce announced a tour to our shores. Australian folksters Boy & Bear are gearing up to release new album Harlequin Dream in August and here’s a track off it to chill to – ‘Southern Sun’.

*Not an actual fact.

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, 6-7 July

By admin

On Thursday, 4 July, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Here is a run down of what’s going down about the town this weekend.

In sport our Super Rugby home team the Hurricanes play the Highlanders at the cake tin on Saturday Night.

Any regular reader might be aware of a soft spot for roller skates on this side of the screen so there is great joy in letting y’all know there is a Roller Disco out in Kilbirnie on Friday night.

Science might or might not be a fun subject at school but there is no denying its awesomeness. The Magnicent Science Variety Show in Newtown this Friday night could very well teach you some handy new ‘on-the-bus chats’ to impress your mates with. Science! Way cool.

While scientific things are in the foreground let’s talk about space. All ages Fringe Festival(‘s) favourite A Play About Space has a swift season at Bats this weekend. Science(-fiction) at it’s entertaining finest.

The New Zealand Film Archive and Square Eyes partnership of Around The World Saturday Matinee keeps on rolling with Kirikou And The Sorceress.

Feel like reading? If you haven’t already then have a gander at the 2013 NZ Post Childrens Book Awards winners and finalists, there are a heap of great reads to keep you cosy. Of course being your local library we’re here to help you find a copy of whatever it is you might fancy. Holler.

Soulstress Ladi6 is in town for the growed-ups this weekend. But that’s no reason to miss out. For this weekends playlist here’s Ladi6 ‘Shine On’ – the second track off of her latest album.

Chur!
Have a good one.

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, 22-23 June

By admin

On Thursday, 20 June, 2013

In wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

This weekend marks the halfway point in the solar year. We’re halfway around the sun and a few days out from being halfway to Christmas. Friday night is the longest one of the year and it means from this point on the days are going to start getting longer again. Sending a wi-five at you right now, congratulations you’ve made it. It’s the winter solstice which means, among other things, that our half of the world is as far away from the sun it’s going to get this year. In the day bringer’s absence though the moon has crept on in and will be at perigee or the closest it’s going to get this year-you may have caught wind of a super moon coming, that’s it (BYO cape and Lycra). Another thing you’d have noticed is that your chances of getting a glimpse of the night sky are pretty slim at the moment so in the stars absence here are some space pictures from Today I Learned Something New. Astronomy!

Here’s what’s happening about the town this weekend:

In film Wellington based Inspiring Stories will be screening a selection of short films made by young kiwis. They are a selection of inspiring documentary-style films of varying length and topics from global to local. Saturday at Crossways Community Centre in Mount Vic. Down on Taranaki Street Square Eyes and The Film Archive will be co-hosting an Around The World Matinee screening of films just young folk.

Got some physical energy to burn? Generation Zero will be running “The Race” from Newtown to the CBD – simply it’s your chance to race against a whole bunch of other folks with any method of transport you want! New Zealand pro-wrestling is stopping by to host Brooklyn Brawl.

In events the Wellington Toy and Die Cast Fair is on as is the Wellington leg of the Careers Expo.

LUX Wellington are throwing together a Time Warp flashmob. It’s just a jump to the left. Want to see some dance not be some dance? Head to the City Gallery and have a gander at Footnote Dance’s “taster series”.

It’s still Matariki and the good folks at Tapu Te Ranga Marae have a shindig on to celebrate the season.

Need some new music? Jagwar Ma . Off their new album Howlin here’s Man I Need.

Wellington City Libraries

Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui

Teen Blog

Reading, Wellington, and whatever else – teenblog@wcl.govt.nz

Category: wellington (you can’t beat it etc. etc.) Page 2 of 4

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Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, August 10-11

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, July 27-28

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, July 20-21

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, June 13-14

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, 6-7 July

Winging Your Way Through The Weekend, 22-23 June

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