The full lineup for Spring City Music Festival has been announced, to be held on the lush grounds of the Auckland Domain on Saturday, November 26 2022. Joining GROOVE ARMADA at the exciting one day festival will be performances from American rapper, singer and house producer CHANNEL TRES, DJ Set from UK electro-synthpop act HOT CHIP, Kiwi indie legend LADYHAWKE, music industry icon and party DJ ZANE LOWE, alongside George FM host, disco and house DJ SIN and Auckland rock/pop band COAST ARCADE.
The festival is down to final release tickets, with the popular Spring City VIP area already sold out. Full festival map and schedule to be released shortly.
CHANNEL TRES
In just a few short years, Compton's Channel Tres has achieved something few artists even set out to do: He created a lane for himself. House music may be experiencing a mainstream resurgence, with Drake and Beyonce performing their takes on the genre, but Channel Tres is a proven leader in the space—he’s ahead of the curve.
For Channel, music is about reconnecting with his own history, whether it’s in his lyrics, or through the influences and musical history he uncovers in his productions. “My dad is from Chicago," explains Channel of how he first arrived at dance music. "House music was created there, and over time the music got lost in translation. So, when I studied it and I saw that it was African-American people and Latinos and the LGBTQ community I got really inspired by it.” As a producer, Channel has a preternatural ability to absorb his musical influences and create something new.
HOT CHIP (DJ SET)
Hot Chip return in 2022 with Freakout/Release – the continuation of what, at this point, seems like an impossible run for the British electronic pop legends. Their eighth album features new singles 'Down' and 'Eleanor', and captures that giddy feeling of self-expression, a letting out of the tension conjured up by the world at large. “These songs take anxiety and trepidation and try to refocus those feelings towards positive release,” Doyle says. With their witty, affecting songwriting and the immediately recognizable vocals of Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard, Hot Chip combine indie and dance in innovative ways. On early albums such as 2006's Mercury Prize-nominated The Warning, the band evoked the cleverness of Talking Heads and the poignancy of the Pet Shop Boys. With time, Hot Chip's music broadened and deepened, spawning the tender musings on commitment on 2010's One Life Stand as well as the poly-genre mashups of 2015's Why Make Sense? With only a few hit singles to their name (chief among them the Grammy-nominated "Ready for the Floor" from 2008's Made in the Dark), Hot Chip nevertheless earned a following that allowed them to headline festivals, as reflected by the rave-tinged anthems of 2019's A Bath Full of Ecstasy.
LADYHAWKE
As Ladyhawke, Phillippa "Pip" Brown crafts larger-than-life songs that made her one of the leading lights of the 1980s synth pop revival of the late 2000s and well into the 21st century. However, she's just as inspired by and as by or , and Brown's musical literacy gave her award-winning 2008 debut Ladyhawke a wide appeal as well as critical acclaim. Where many of her contemporaries focus on slick surfaces, Ladyhawke draws upon real-life emotions and situations that added depth to her songs, whether on the grunge and glam-rock augmented angst of 2012's Anxiety or the therapeutic grooves of 2021's Time Flies.
ZANE LOWE
A successful international DJ in his own right, Zane Lowe has played sets at festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury, Creamfields, Bestival and Rhythm and Vines. He has toured with artists including Skrillex, The Prodigy, Kasabian and The Weeknd and opened shows for both Muse and Foo Fighters at their concerts at Wembley Stadium. In 2015, Zane Lowe was head-hunted by Apple to be the Creative Director for their new world-wide music staton, Apple Music 1.
SIN
The co-host of George FM Drive and high-energy DJ has channelled her creativity and self-expression into a career based on music and dance; a natural extrovert and "big muso," she feels most at home when she is performing; sharing her passion with others and being heard, seen and felt.
COAST ARCADE
Coast Arcade is an emerging Indie Pop Rock band from Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand. They describe their sound as Indie Pop Rock with subtle punk and surf twists. This combination of genres crafts their energetic and fun summer sound. Formed in high school in early 2021, Coast Arcade are regulars in the NZ music scene and the band plays to a strong following at many of Auckland's most iconic live music venues. Bella Bavin (Rafflyn) fronts the band, on lead guitar and vocals, Thom Boynton, drums/backing vocals, and brothers Chris and Nate Tims on Rhythm Guitar and Bass, respectively. The future's looking good for Coast Arcade; with many local shows under their belt and a solid fan base getting behind them, they have built up an energetic performance with lots of vibrant melodies, tasty riffs, and so much more.
GROOVE ARMADA
For over two decades GROOVE ARMADA has been established as one of the planet's best loved and biggest selling dance acts. Since debuting in 1997, they’ve proved that it’s possible to bravely explore a multitude of sounds while achieving critical and commercial success. It’s a trait that is apparent within a selection of their best loved songs. From the dancehall dub of ‘Superstylin’ to the crossover pop of ‘Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)’ and from the dancefloor-igniting ‘I See You Baby’ to the woozy sunset vibes of ‘At The River’, Groove Armada have consistently and uncompromisingly followed their own vision.
What the duo - Tom Findlay and Andy Cato - have achieved must’ve seemed unthinkable when they first met at university back in the nineties: three UK Top 10 albums; three Grammy nominations; a BRIT nomination; and a succession of hit singles that are still being discovered by new fans to this day. Despite having formed a quarter-of-a-century before streaming exploded, they still command the attention of almost two million monthly listeners at Spotify. They’ve also collaborated with or remixed countless high profile artists, notably Madonna, Paul Simon, Fatboy Slim, Calvin Harris, Neneh Cherry and Bryan Ferry.
Fans of Groove Armada can expect to experience the live show including the full band.
ABOUT SPRING CITY
Spring City music festival is new one day music festival held on November 26 2022, at the iconic Auckland Domain. The first Spring City Music Festival was held in 2019 and featured Two Door Cinema Club, Flight Facilities, Crooked Colours. The festival features a massive main stage production, Spring City VIP zone, some of Auckland’s top food vendors spread across the lush Auckland domain grounds. Sponsors include Westpac Apple Pay, Genoapay, Pals, Steinlager, Zeffer, Red Bull, GH Mumm and George FM.
TICKETING INFORMATION
The festival is down to final release tickets, with Spring City VIP tickets sold out.
LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2023 MOVES TO WESTERN SPRINGS + THE JUNGLE GIANTS ADDED!
After an unprecedented 90-minute sell out, Laneway Festival will move from Albert Park to Western Springs for Auckland Anniversary Day on Monday 30 January.
A new pre-sale starts Wednesday 26 October at 9am and will be available for Laneway subscribers and anyone who missed out and was registered for the original pre-sale. General public tickets go on sale Thursday 27 October at 9am.
“We were blown away with the demand, and after being away for so long it was clear we needed to find a way to allow more of our audience to be able to experience Laneway,” says Julian Carswell, Executive Producer of Laneway Auckland. “We couldn’t let people miss out on the chance to see some of the world’s most exciting artists, many coming to Auckland for the first time.”
After a nearly three-year hiatus Laneway Auckland has entirely sold out, the first time this has ever happened this early in the history of the festival.
“The decision to move is bittersweet. Albert Park has been our much-loved home since 2017” says Danny Rogers, Laneway Festival co-founder. “Our team is working hard to ensure we bring the magic of Laneway to the new venue, which will have improved production but still feel uniquely Laneway.”
Auckland Stadiums Director James Parkinson agrees. “Western Springs is a great festival venue that lends itself perfectly to the creativity that the Laneway team will bring. It is so exciting to see the growth in appetite for festivals like these."
“Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is delighted to support the relocation of Laneway – just one of the many reasons for Aucklanders to stay in Tāmaki Makaurau in January. It reinforces our vision for Aucklanders to be able to enjoy a diverse and vibrant line up across our region, right here at home.”
If you missed out on tickets, Laneway Festival subscribers will be the first to access the new ticket allocation being released in the pre-sale. All Albert Park tickets will also be valid for the new venue at Western Springs.
In addition to a new venue, Laneway Festival has added The Jungle Giants to the NZ line-up.
Joining the previously announced all-star cast, The Jungle Giants are another reason why Laneway Festival’s 2023 comeback is going to be truly unforgettable.
Driven by optimism, creative freedom and their desire to “go funny, go weird and not be scared”, each new album by The Jungle Giants paves the way for their continued metamorphosis. Expecting the unexpected has become the status quo.
Tickets to Laneway Festival at Albert Park sold out in just 90 minutes – so if you’re planning on heading along to Western Springs, don’t delay. They won’t last long!
LIVE NATION & SECRET SOUNDS PRESENT LEWIS CAPALDI
AUCKLAND, NZ (October 19, 2022): Live Nation & Secret Sounds have today announced that Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi will return to New Zealand for the first time since 2020, performing in Auckland on July 18 and Wellington on July 19.
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10am, Friday October 28, through livenation.co.nz.
American Express Card Members can secure tickets during the presale beginning 10am, Tuesday October 25.
My Live Nation members can secure tickets during the presale beginning at 9am, Thursday October 27.
The news comes as Capaldi announces that his new album Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent will be released in May 2023 on EMI Records. Capaldi’s highly anticipated New Zealand shows will be his first performances in Aotearoa since his last tour in early 2020. His 2023 tour will see him arrive with a host of new songs to perform from the new album, alongside crowd favourites.
Capaldi made his eagerly awaited return in September with new single Forget Me, marking his third consecutive UK No. 1 hit and giving fans a taste of new music to come. The new record will follow his 2019 full-length debut, Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent — which peaked at #3 on the Official New Zealand Top 40 Albums and featured the hit singles Someone You Loved and Before You Go.
An auspicious start to the next phase of his career, Forget Me amassed over two million streams within 24 hours of its premiere and is now approaching 100 million streams globally, in addition to making Capaldi only the third artist this year to land a single at the No. 1 spot on the UK charts in its first week. Forget Me was shortly followed by a true spectacle of a music video that saw Lewis re-enact Wham’s 1983 hit ‘Club Tropicana’ shot-for-shot.
Capaldi’s debut album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent sold over 10 million copies worldwide, propelling him from bedroom musician to superstar. The record’s platinum-selling single Someone You Loved earned a GRAMMY nomination for Song of the Year, won the Song of the Year prize at the Brit Awards, and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and US Top 40 charts.
Known for his down to earth attitude and sense of humour, Lewis Capaldi can be expected to charm fans across his live shows in July. With his last tour selling out in record time, fans are encouraged to jump on tickets quickly when they go on sale from 10am local Friday October 28.
LEWIS CAPALDI
NEW ZEALAND 2023
SPARK ARENA, AUCKLAND
TUESDAY JULY 18
TSB ARENA, WELLINGTON
WEDNESDAY JULY 19
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 28, 10am
Live Nation presale: Thursday, October 27, 9am – Friday October 28, 9am
For complete tour and ticket information, visit: lewiscapaldi.com & livenation.co.nz
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY UNDERWAY ON FEATURE FILM ‘ONE WINTER’ WITH JULIAN DENNISON, MINNIE DRIVER AND RHYS DARBY
Principal photography is underway on the new feature film ‘One Winter’ starring Julian Dennison of Ngāi Takoto (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Godzilla v Kong), Minnie Driver (Circle of Friends, Good Will Hunting), Rhys Darby (Yes Man, Flight of the Conchords), James Rolleston of Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou, Whakatōhea (Boy, Pork Pie) and Erana James of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Waikato Tainui (The Changeover, The Wilds).
Written by Hamish Bennett (Te Arawa, Patuharakeke, Ngāi Tahu) and Sonia Whiteman, and directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett, this coming of age story is set in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1981 when the arrival of the South African rugby team sets off nationwide protests against apartheid and racism. Dennison plays Josh Waaka, a 17-year-old who after being a passive bystander all of his life, is suddenly forced to stand up for himself, his family and his future.
“One Winter is a story of hope, courage and standing up for what one believes is right,” says directors Middleditch and Bennett. “It has been incredible to have such a stellar cast join us for this project and we have been blown away with what they have brought to the story.”
One Winter is currently shooting across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Ōtepoti Dunedin by a wealth of incredible local creatives and crew. Ensuring production takes place in the stories home of Ōtepoti Dunedin is integral to the project with consultation with mana whenua from the runaka / tribal councils of Puketeraki and Ōtākou continuing to be a key part of the filmmaking process for Producers and Directors.
The film is produced by Emma Slade, Sandra Kailahi and Angela Cudd (Ngāti Porou, Te-Whānau-Ā-Apanui, Ngāti Wai). Troy Lum is executive producer. Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa) has supported the film with iwi engagement as well as offering cultural guidance, however the key creative content that emerges from the partnership with the runaka of Ōtepoti is very much from those on the ground in that takiwā / district.
One Winter was made with investment from Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission, the New Zealand Government’s Screen Production Grant, with financing from Kiwibank. Blue Fox Entertainment are the international sales agents with Kismet distributing the film across Australia and New Zealand.
FATBOY SLIM RETURNS TO NEW ZEALAND FOR MASSIVE 6 DATE TOUR
Dance enthusiasts across the country can rejoice as today it is announced that award-winning and critically acclaimed UK DJ, producer and musician FATBOY SLIM will return to New Zealand in 2023. Embarking on his largest New Zealand tour to date, the iconic DJ will play outdoor summer shows in Christchurch, Napier, Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown and Taupō.
Over 20,000 fans who experienced his 2019 New Zealand tour have been counting down the days for the return. With a career spanning over four decades, Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook, is considered one of the original godfathers of dance music and was a key pioneer of the big beat genre of the nineties, with certified hits “Right Here, Right Now”, “The Rockafeller Skank” and “Praise You”.
Fatboy Slim’s success lies in his ability to blend funky breakbeats with the most catchy melodies and riffs, and he has reached a wider audience than many DJs by combining elements of rock and dance music. Cook holds the Guiness World Record for the most top 40 hits under different names, and as a solo act, he has won ten MTV Video Music Awards and two Brit Awards.
Kiwis will need to EAT, SLEEP, RAVE, REPEAT in order to prepare themselves for the mind and genre-bending multi-visual effects and stage presence that comes with a Fatboy Slim show. He might have played to over 250,000 people on Brighton Beach, and headlined festival and arena shows around the world, but nothing of this magnitude and depth that goes into the heart and soul of New Zealand. Prior to his 2019 tour of NZ, Fatboy Slim last performed in New Zealand at a sold-out headline show at Vector Arena in 2012, and fans would still fondly remember his set closing out the Boiler Room at Big Day Out in 1999. His return to Aotearoa will no doubt spark the re-appearance of ravers young and old across dance floors around the country.
Fatboy Slim’s performance in Auckland will give birth to a new festival for the city - Gardens Music Festival - Victoria Park. He will also be making a couple of special one-off intimate shows that will be announced shortly, including a special DJ set at the top of the Sky Tower. Local support acts to be announced.
PARTY WITH FATBOY SLIM IN THE SKY TOWER
Everyone who registers for the presale go in the draw to win a major prize including flights to Auckland, accommodation for two at Sky City Hotel and two tickets to see Fatboy Slim perform up the Sky Tower on Wednesday, February 1 2023. Terms and Conditions apply.
Register for presale @ endeavour.live/fatboyslim
Thanks to Sky City and Air NZ grabaseat.
For further tour details visit www.endeavour.live/fatboyslim
FATBOY SLIM NZ TOUR DATES
FRI, JAN 27 - QE2 PARK - CHRISTCHURCH
SAT, JAN 28 - TREMAIN FIELD - NAPIER
SUN, JAN 29 - VICTORIA PARK* - AUCKLAND
FRI, FEB 3 - ANDERSON PARK - WELLINGTON
SAT, FEB 4 - GIBBSTON VALLEY - QUEENSTOWN
SUN, FEB 5 - TAUPO AMPHITHEATRE - TAUPO
All shows are R18. *Gardens Music Festival - Victoria Park feat Fatboy Slim & Friends
KAREN O’LEARY JOINS ABLE & SHORTLAND STREET TO CELEBRATE WORLD SIGHT DAY
On Thursday 13 October, actor and comedian Karen O’Leary will be providing the audio description for Shortland Street to celebrate World Sight Day. Able, a not-for-profit organisation working towards a more inclusive Aotearoa, has partnered with TVNZ and South Pacific Pictures for World Sight Day to raise awareness about the free audio description services available to everyone.
On raising awareness for World Sight Day, Karen O’Leary says: “I jumped at the chance to be able to have a greater understanding of how audio description happens and experience it first-hand under the guidance of the amazing Able Audio Describer team. It’s an exciting way to celebrate World Sight Day with the blind and low vision community, as well as raise awareness among the wider community that this service is available.”
Audio description (AD) provides access to New Zealanders who are blind or who have low vision. An alternate audio track, AD provides a description of what’s happening on screen for the 180,000+ New Zealanders who are blind or have low vision.
Able CEO Dan Buckingham says, “Whether we watch TV for entertainment, information, or escape, it can connect us to the people and world around us. Audio description provides invaluable access to the stories and culture of Aotearoa for those who are blind, have low vision, or show use sound rather than sight to access TV for other reasons. So that everyone can share the laughter and enjoy the show.”
Able CEO Dan Buckingham says, “Audio description provides such a fantastic added layer to storytelling and information sharing. It enriches the programming our local producers pour their heart and soul into, making it accessible for those in our community who are blind, deafblind or low vision. Yet, far too few people know about it. It feels very much on point that we're partnering with TVNZ and South Pacific Pictures for this unique event as we seek to increase awareness about the service that’s free and available on TV. Shortland Street reflects who we are as Kiwis back to us on screen, and we're proud to have been making this iconic show accessible by providing audio description and captions for more than a decade.”
“I’m absolutely passionate about TV. The way it tells stories about people and culture - it takes people on a journey. I want to help everyone to have access to the stories TV tells, it means so much to be able to support this community and help strengthen accessibility in media,” Karen continues.
“We are deeply supportive of the work Able does in making content more inclusive and accessible for Kiwis,” says Nevak Rogers, Deputy Content Director – Local and Commissioning at TVNZ. “A partnership between Shortland Street, Able and TVNZ for World Sight Day is a strong and natural collaboration, and one we are proud to be part of.”
New Zealand’s media accessibility organisation Able creates audio description for New Zealand TV and media. Able has been providing audio description for Aotearoa since 2011, and has grown the service exponentially over time, with a 148% increase over the past two years. Currently, approximately 30% of possible content is audio described on TVNZ’s channels, including all Shortland Street episodes, with 7% of New Zealanders watching TV with audio description.
Comedian Sam Smith says about the impact of AD: “In 2017, I got diagnosed with MS. I lost all the feeling in my hands, and so couldn’t do dentistry anymore. I could still do comedy, so I started to do that more and more. A couple of years later, I had an MS attack and lost vision in my left eye, and part of my right eye. Audio description is amazing. Media accessibility means that we can all have access to the same information at the same time. You don’t think about it until someone points it out to you.”
Able has a skilled team of audio describers who work to enhance audio visual media through audio description. The team scripts, voices, and records descriptions to reflect what's happening on screen for each unique piece of content. AD is typically placed during natural pauses in the audio, integrating with the score and dialogue of the media.
Dan Buckingham continues, “Our aspiration at Able is to support accessibility on a broader range of channels and digital platforms, to provide viewers with freedom and choice when accessing the news, entertainment, and culture of the nation. This is something we are constantly working towards and striving for.”
Instructions on how to access audio description are here: https://able.co.nz/audio-description/how-to-access/
DANNEVIRKE LOCAL MOLLY PAWSON CROWNED WINNER OF 'TAKE THE MIC'
After three weeks of showcasing talented teenagers from around Aotearoa, Take The Mic has crowned its winner! Molly Pawson from Dannevirke took out the top spot on the new WhitebaitMedia talent show, going up against 11 other emerging Kiwi singers and songwriters and premiering their music videos to audiences across the country.
Every weekday for the last three weeks, Take The Mic has highlighted rising musical stars from New Zealand aged between 15-18 years old, as they work with industry professionals to create their very own music video. The docu-series has brought some fantastic talent to our screens, with the teens handpicked by music video director Connor Pritchard and musician Mikey Dam. After audiences met all 12 contestants, voting opened for the public to choose their top three, with over 19,000 votes cast from around the country. Making it to the finale was Rhythm Titimaea, Carl Quaitchanon (CJ), and Molly Pawson, with Connor and Mikey ultimately decided that Molly’s passion and creativity when creating her music video should see her take out the competition.
Handpicked from over 200 entrants, Molly Pawson impressed the judges with her original song ‘Home’, before working with the professionals on an ethereal music video shot in the forest which featured breath-taking interpretive dance. For winning the competition, Molly will receive a song writing, coaching and brand development package with Sole Academy, a recording session with Five AM Studios, a music video directed by Connor Pritchard, and a Rockshop voucher, all to further develop her love of music and song writing.
Music video director Connor Pritchard commented on Molly’s win: “Mikey and I had the hard task of choosing the winner of Take The Mic, between three extremely talented and very different musicians. We chose Molly Pawson because of her amazing concept, and the planning and story boarding which resulted in an epic final music video which kept us engaged. Huge congratulations to Molly and the other contestants!”
Take The Mic was created by WhitebaitMedia with funding from NZ On Air. The full season is now available to stream on TVNZ+.
LIVE NATION & SECRET SOUNDS PRESENT THE 1975
AUCKLAND, NZ (October 6, 2022): Live Nation & Secret Sounds have today announced that acclaimed English rockers The 1975 will return to New Zealand for the first time since 2020 for shows in Auckland on April 19 and Wellington on April 21.
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 11am, Friday October 14, through livenation.co.nz.
My Live Nation & Secret Sounds members can secure tickets during the exclusive presale beginning at 9am, Thursday October 13.
Formed in Manchester in 2002, The 1975 have established themselves as one of the defining bands of their generation with their distinctive aesthetic, ardent fanbase and unique sonic approach.
They will arrive in Aotearoa with a host of new tracks to perform from their forthcoming album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language, which is due for release on October 14. The band have recently released three singles from the album including I’m In Love With You, Happiness and Part Of The Band, their acclaimed comeback single which Pitchfork praised as “the kind of grand, playful pop song that only this band could pull off”. Being Funny In A Foreign Language will be the The 1975’s fifth studio album and is perhaps their most intimate yet. While the band’s past few records were brimming with massive production—programming and synths— Being Funny In A Foreign Language is rooted in performance.
The 1975’s previous record, 2020’s Notes On A Conditional Form became their fourth consecutive #1 album in the UK, reaching #4 in New Zealand. 2020 also saw them named NME’s ‘Band of the Decade’, following being crowned as ‘Best Group’ at the BRIT Awards in both 2017 & 2019. Their third studio album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, also won ‘Mastercard British Album of the Year’ at the 2019 ceremony.
The 1975 made their long-awaited live comeback in August as they headlined Japan’s biggest rock festival Summer Sonic 2022 in Tokyo and Osaka before returning to the UK for two triumphant headline slots at the iconic Reading & Leeds Festival. The 2023 New Zealand dates are part the band’s ‘At Their Very Best’ tour which includes huge shows in North America, UK, Ireland, and Japan. Several international dates are already sold out, including New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden, so New Zealand fans are encouraged to jump on tickets quickly when they go one sale from 9am local Friday October 14.
THE 1975
SPARK ARENA, AUCKLAND
WEDNESDAY APRIL 19
TSB ARENA, WELLINGTON
FRIDAY APRIL 21
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 14, 11am
Artist / Live Nation / Secret Sounds presale: Thursday, October 13, 9am – Friday October 14, 10am
For complete tour and ticket information, visit: the1975.co.nz & livenation.co.nz
TRAILER RELEASED FOR UPCOMING KIWI DOCUMENTARY ‘WHEN THE COWS COME HOME’
The trailer for New Zealand documentary When The Cows Come Home has today been unveiled ahead of the film’s nationwide general release in November. From Vendetta Films, When The Cows Come Home follows the daily routine of Andrew Johnstone, a Waikato herdsman who lives on his parents farm looking after a large group of beef cattle.
After a series of failures in love and life, social misfit Andrew returns to the family farm near Cambridge where he discovers a unexpected and bewitching affinity with cows. As the film continues, we learn about a man who has suffered many tragedies but has ultimately found his way to healing and contentment. As a man who has worn many hats, Andrew has been a fencer, rock star, songwriter, poet, painter, gardener, sales manager, radio broadcaster, magazine editor and journalist, but has ultimately found solace in the company of cows, particularly his adopted cows Tilly and Maggie.
Directed by Costa Botes, this delightful and thought-provoking documentary paints a stunning picture of the Waikato, with beautiful scenery aiding the story of Andrew’s life. Costa is an award-winning director whose credits include Angie, Act of Kindness, The Last Dogs of Winter, and the short film Stalin’s Sickle, which won the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival jury prize in 1988. When The Cows Come Home premiered at the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in July 2022.
Director, producer, and editor Costa Botes comments on releasing the film around Aotearoa: “When The Cows Come Home tells a deeper story than a first glance might suggest. NZIFF audiences were surprised and delighted by its twists and turns, and gave the film a big thumbs up. Now, with the film coming out soon on general release, I’m excited film goers around the country will get a chance to see it.”
On his life story being chronicled for the world to see, Andrew Johnstone says: “When Costa Botes turned up on the farm with his crew, cameras, and sound gear, I had no idea what to expect. The result was a beautiful film filled with transformative qualities. It surprised me personally, and even more to see how it affected audiences. I can’t wait for the rest of the country to see it.”
When The Cows Come Home is directed, produced, and edited by Costa Botes. The film was scored by Tom McLeod. It was completed with the assistance of a Feature Film Finishing Grant from the New Zealand Film Commission.
THE 2023 LANEWAY FESTIVAL LINE-UP IS HERE!
Laneway Festival is BACK in January with a blockbuster line-up! An all-star cast will take the stage at Albert Park, featuring the world’s pre-eminent sibling indie-rock band, the internet’s favourite superstar story-teller, the fastest-rising electronic act in the world and many, many more.
As previously announced, Laneway Festival hits Auckland, returning to its beloved home in the iconic Albert Park on Monday 30 January, with the best festival line-up in the country for the summer of 2023 – it’s the place to be on Auckland’s Anniversary Day.
"It’s an absolute dream to return with this line-up in 2023 after nearly three years,” says Julian Carswell, Executive Producer, Laneway Auckland. "Some of the world’s most exciting artists today will grace the Laneway stages next summer, with many making their debut visit to Aotearoa."
Register now for access to the Laneway pre-sale and your chance to win the ultimate Laneway x Afterpay VIP experience. Follow us on @lanewayfestnz for all the latest.
Pre-sale starts Tuesday 27 September, 11am NZ local time
General public on sale starts Thursday 29 September, 9am NZ local time
FULL NEW ZEALAND LINE-UP:
HAIM - JOJI
PHOEBE BRIDGERS
FINNEAS - FONTAINES D.C. - FRED AGAIN..
GIRL IN RED - SLOWTHAI - TURNSTILE
100 GECS - CHAOS IN THE CBD - FAZERDAZE - KNUCKS
MALLRAT - ROSS FROM FRIENDS - THE BETHS - YARD ACT
THE BACKSEAT LOVERS - BBYFACEKILLA - BROTHERHOODJZ
DARTZ - EDEN BURNS - ERNY BELLE
HANS. & FRIENDS - HARVEY SUTHERLAND - JUJULIPPS
LOGIC1000 - SYCCO - THERE’S A TUESDAY
TRAILER RELEASED FOR MISTER ORGAN THE NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM JOURNALIST AND FILMMAKER DAVID FARRIER
IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE FROM THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND HERE TO VIEW THE TRAILER
CLICK HERE FOR THE POSTER
The trailer for David Farrier’s new investigative documentary, Mister Organ, has today been unveiled ahead of its world premiere on September 24 at the prestigious Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.
Following the world premiere, the film will also screen at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles at the start of October, before being released nationwide in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 10 November.
Mister Organ initially appears to be an innocuous story about car clamping, but soon unravels, going down a dark and sinister rabbit hole in an incredible true story of psychological warfare.
David says, “I've met some unpleasant people while making documentaries: David D'Amato from Tickled, and Pablo Escobar from Dark Tourist. But somehow this man from New Zealand, Mister Organ, takes the cake more than those two combined. This documentary is a strange investigation, and a warning. There are Mister Organ's everywhere: I just found a particularly unusual one.”
Mister Organ sees journalist and filmmaker David Farrier (Tickled, Dark Tourist), unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a mysterious individual clamping cars and creating havoc in his neighbourhood.
The clamper is revealed to be Michael Organ, and as Farrier delves deeper into his background he falls into a thrilling and tension filled three year long investigation — unearthing a trail of multiple court cases, inflated claims of royal bloodlines and ruined lives, in this incredible true story.
Directed and produced by David Farrier of the newsletter Webworm and co-host of the Flightless Bird podcast, the film is Executive Produced by Ant Timpson (Come To Daddy), and produced by Emma Slade (Nude Tuesday, The Justice of Bunny King) and Alex Reed (There’s No “I” in Threesome, The Girl on the Bridge).
The film is made with investment from the New Zealand Film Commission and MUBI. The film is distributed in New Zealand/Australia by Madman and international sales are being handled by Submarine and UTA.
Mister Organ will be released in New Zealand cinemas from Thursday 10th November 2022.
LANEWAY RETURNS FOR 2023 - SAVE THE DATES!
After a nearly three year hiatus, Laneway is back! The beloved six-city Trans-Tasman festival will return to its beloved home in Auckland’s iconic Albert Park on Monday 30 January for the first time since 2020.
The home of Laneway since 2017, Albert Park has become an integral part of the festival’s appeal. The open green spaces, weaving concrete paths, towering exotic trees, and decadent features all conjure the feeling of summer, housing the best music festival Auckland has to offer. Combined with beverages in the sun, time out under the trees in the shade and the best music line-up Aotearoa has to offer, the much loved park will come alive again in 2023 on Auckland’s Anniversary Day.
“We are so happy to be returning to our spiritual home, Albert Park, it’s the perfect outdoor setting for live music and Laneway,” says Julian Carswell, Executive Producer, Laneway Auckland.
Over the ditch for the Australian Laneway shows, the Melbourne leg of the festival is moving from its home in Footscray (due to redevelopment) to a new home at The Park, Flemington; South Australians will be treated to a new site at Bonython Park; the Sydney event will be held in at the Sydney Showground for the first time. In a significant move, Perth’s Laneway Festival will take place in the city’s CBD in the recently revamped Wellington Square, while the Brisbane event returns, like Auckland, to its long-term home (why mess with the best?).
“The Laneway Festival team are absolutely pumped to host music fans and our favourite ever line-up back in Albert Park this January,” says Danny Rogers, Laneway Festival co-founder.
The line-up will be announced in just two days, at 9:50am NZST on Wednesday 21 September.
Register now for access to the Laneway pre-sale and your chance to win the ultimate Laneway x Afterpay VIP experience. Follow us @lanewayfestnz for all the latest.
LINE-UP ANNOUNCE – WED 21 SEPTEMBER
LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2023
AUCKLAND / TĀMAKI MAKAURAU (18+)
Monday 30 January
Albert Park
BRISBANE / Turrbal (16+)
Saturday 4 February
Brisbane Showgrounds
SYDNEY / Burramattagal and Wangal (16+)
Sunday 5 February
Sydney Showground
ADELAIDE / Kaurna (16+)
Friday 10 February
Bonython Park
MELBOURNE / Wurundjeri (16+)
Saturday 11 February
The Park, Flemington
PERTH / Whadjuk (16+)
Sunday 12 February
Wellington Square
PAX ASSADI HITTING THE ROAD FOR HIS NATIONWIDE ‘HANDSOME BOY’ TOUR
Multi-talented stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and presenter Pax Assadi is hitting the road for his very first nationwide tour of Handsome Boy, hot off the heels of his critically acclaimed sitcom Raised by Refugees. Starting in Palmerston North on October 7th, Pax will delight crowds as he travels to Hamilton, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, and Whangarei to deliver an evening of hilarity.
Celebrated by peers and critics alike, Pax is one of Aotearoa’s strongest and most important comedic voices. His career started in 2011 and has led to continued success as a stand-up comedian, writer, media personality and actor who has established himself as a much-loved mainstay on NZ television screens. Pax has appeared on Have You Been Paying Attention, 7 Days, The Great Kiwi Bake Off, and 60 Seconds, and in 2020 he hosted the NZ International Comedy Gala to rave reviews.
He’s flexed his acting skills on Mean Mums, Tongue Tied, Jandal Burn and The Breaker Upperers, before going on to release Raised by Refugees, a semi-autobiographical stand-up show which he wrote, produced, and starred in. The show released in 2022 to critical acclaim and has since been renewed for a second season.
Pax has racked up an impressive array of awards over the years. At the NZ International Comedy Festival, Pax was nominated for the coveted Billy T and Fred Dagg Awards. He has also been nominated for Best MC, Best Comedy Performance on Television, and Best Male Comedian three times, and has won the award for Gag Of The Year. Pax is currently working on his debut novel.
“By the end of his show you don't feel like you've been at a stand-up gig at all, but instead have just had a few laughs with an old friend around the dining room table.” – Stuff
“A masterful storyteller we all listen enraptured as he places us in his position” – Libel.co.nz
“Assadi set the standard for the night and undoubtedly left the audience keen to track down his next full gig.” – NZ Herald
PAX ASSADI
Handsome Boy
THE REGENT ON BROADWAY, PALMERSTON NORTH FRIDAY, OCT 7
CLARENCE ST. THEATRE, HAMILTON THURSDAY, OCT 13
THEATRE ROYAL, NEW PLYMOUTH FRIDAY, OCT 14
HAWKES BAY ARTS & EVENTS CENTRE, NAPIER THURSDAY, OCT 20
THEATRE ROYAL, NELSON FRIDAY, OCT 21
ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL, CHRISTCHURCH THURSDAY, OCT 27
OPERA HOUSE, WELLINGTON FRIDAY, OCT 28
Q THEATRE, AUCKLAND THURSDAY, NOV 3
Q THEATRE, AUCKLAND FRIDAY, NOV 4
Q THEATRE, AUCKLAND SATURDAY, NOV 5
FORUM NORTH, WHANGAREI SATURDAY, NOV 19
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
For complete tour and ticket information, visit:
https://www.paxassadi.com/touring
INSTAGRAM - @paxassadi
TWITTER - @paxassadi
FACEBOOK - @PaxAssadiComic
WHITEBAITMEDIA ANNOUNCES NEW MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION FOR TEENAGE SINGER-SONGWRITERS
Get ready for a new generation of talented Kiwi musicians! WhitebaitMedia have announced Take The Mic, a brand-new music video competition for emerging New Zealand singers and songwriters between 15-18 years old. Airing on TVNZ2 from Monday, 19th September, this docu-series will highlight some of Aotearoa’s fresh new talent and provide them with insight from music professionals, putting them on a platform to become stars.
Hand-picked from over 200 entries, 12 Kiwi kids were chosen by music video director Connor Pritchard and musician Mikey Dam to be supported by industry experts as they make their own music videos. Performing a mix of original music and covers, the show provides a spotlight for an age group who are starting to think about pursuing music as a career.
Each Monday, audiences will watch as judges Connor Pritchard and Mikey Dam select four contestants ready to begin their musical journey. With episodes every weekday at 4:05pm, the rest of the week’s episodes will give audiences a chance to meet the lucky entrants, visit them in their hometowns and ultimately, see their final music video. We’ll travel around the country to meet the diverse pool of teenagers, who hail from Hamilton, Tolaga Bay, Dannevirke, Wellington, Nelson, Methven, Christchurch, and Auckland. After three weeks of meeting the contestants, Kiwis will get their say in a public vote on Friday October 7th. The top three will then go head-to-head to come out on top and take out the Take The Mic 2022 crown.
Connor Pritchard has worked with some of Aotearoa’s most respected musicians, creating bespoke music videos for artists including Six60, SWIDT, Melodownz, JessB and many more. His work has earned him various accolades in New Zealand and abroad. Mikey Dam is a Kiwi singer-songwriter who has carved his own brand of therapeutic pop-tinged R&B that is always underlined with real life experience and honesty. His track ‘Time’ solidified his place in the industry, going on to co-write the widely loved song ’Not My Neighbour’ with Niko Walters, now certified platinum in NZ.
Producer Emma Martini comments on the show: “Working with these incredibly talented and passionate teenagers to bring their vision to life has been really rewarding for our team. These young adults are not celebrated enough on screen. We thank TVNZ and NZ On Air for their support in giving rangitahi this platform to share their skills with Aotearoa.
Take The Mic was created by WhitebaitMedia with funding from NZ On Air. Episodes will air weekdays at 4:05pm on TVNZ2 and are also available to stream on TVNZ+.
ABLE PARTNERS WITH TVNZ TO CELEBRATE GLOBAL LITERACY DAY
RESEARCH SHOWS CAPTIONS INCREASE CHILD LITERACY SUCCESS
Able, a not-for-profit organisation working towards a more inclusive Aotearoa, has partnered with TVNZ for Global Literacy Day to raise awareness about the free services available to all tamariki. TVNZ has confirmed that on Thursday 8 September, Global Literacy Day, all programming for children across the network will host open captioning (captions are turned on for everyone watching), bringing attention to how watching with same-language subtitles can improve reading skills amongst children, especially important given the news this week about the low pass rates in trial of NCEA literacy and numeracy tests alarming principals.
Able’s vision is for an Aotearoa in which everyone can access the media. By partnering with TVNZ to broadcast all children’s programming with open captions on the day of Thursday 8 September, TVNZ and Able aim to highlight the accessible features that are available for free for Aotearoa’s tamariki and show that what’s good for accessibility is good for everyone.
New Zealand’s media accessibility organisation Able creates captions for New Zealand TV and media. Primarily, these provide access for the 880,000+ New Zealanders who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing, but local and international research shows that having captions turned on also dramatically benefits children’s' literacy.
Key research findings in the report Now I Don't Know My ABC published in March 2022 by Dr Nina Hood, says two out of five New Zealand children are either only just meeting or failing to meet literacy standards entirely by the age of 15. Recently the New Zealand Government announced a new Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy indicating a need for change in literacy for children.
Research shows captions directly lead to an improvement in children’s literacy, language and reading skills. Children read along with same-language-subtitles automatically and the presence of subtitles helps children recognise words and grasp story elements.
Able CEO Dan Buckingham says: “Current research has shown that captions on TV programming can have incredible benefits for children’s literacy. Partnering with TVNZ for Global Literacy Day demonstrates that what’s good for accessibility is good for everyone.”
TVNZ’s Director of Content, Cate Slater, says “We’re pleased to help celebrate Global Literacy Day in partnership with Able, by broadcasting our tamariki programming line-up with open captions for the day. We hope our viewers will take something away from the day too.”
“In a world where 85% of social videos are viewed without sound, captions are more prevalent in everyday life. One of the great benefits of captions is that they can double the chances of a child becoming good at reading. At Able, we make more than 2 million words accessible through captions every week, which not only provides essential access for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community; but also have numerous other benefits for society, including boosting literacy for our tamariki and rangatahi” continues Dan Buckingham.
Full instructions to turn captions on are here: https://able.co.nz/captions/how-to-access/