 |
Music Plus with |
It’s the end of May; another NZ Music Month is coming to an end.
To be honest, I’ve grown increasingly sceptical about the whole venture. It’s simplistic to say something like “every month should be New Zealand Music Month” but sometimes the current model feels like perhaps just an excuse to plug the most mainstream bands rather than expose the massive amount of largely-ignored more independent music, which I believe was the original point.
But, by the same token, anything that gets bands out and gigging is a good thing. There’s actually a show tonight, May 29, at The Jam Factory which is a little last minute to mention I know, but better late than never.
New duo’s gig
This is from a new duo on the scene, though they will be backed by a full band at the show. They are Aisha & Bebe, best friends from Ōtūmoetai College, who placed second overall at the Smokefreerockquest Solo-Duo National Final last year. Think acoustic guitar and two voices in harmony.
Since then they’ve played support for Georgia Lines and Frankie Venter and released the song Blank Space.
It’s interesting that the recorded song, which was on last week’s playlist and will be on again this week, differs from their live approach, losing the acoustic guitar and subtly pivoting from folk to pop electronica through the change of instrumentation. This is something I see a lot right now, indie folk being retooled for pop radio.
Aisha & Bebe. Photo / Music NZ
At the show they will be backed by Matt Bodman and members of Eddie and the Dreamers and No Code, an enviable band by any standards, with support act Marnie Came. A new song, Violet, drops the next day.
What’s particularly heartening is to see yet another generation of Tauranga musicians emerging.
There are already second-generation musicians from Tauranga such as Oscar Lavën and Dylan Israel in their thirties so it’s good to watch a new crop growing.
Aisha & Bebe. Photo / Supplied
One thing Tauranga is quite good at is supporting young musicians, with events such as the quarterly Rising Vibes gigs at Totara Street – the next one is June 21 – and the Band And Deliver series at The Jam Factory.
Thank you Jools!
But I don’t think I can finish this week without a big doff of the cowboy hat to The Topps Twins, Jools and Linda. I don’t really have anything to say except, like Jools herself, ‘Thank you’.
The Topp Twins have been part of my life for about as long as I can think, and I’m old enough to remember Untouchable Girls and the anti-nuclear protests back in the 1980s. They’ve always been there, whether on television or stage,. The last time they were here, being brilliant and funny, was five years ago at Katikati’s avocado festival. There was always something absolutely irreplaceably special about them; something uniquely part of New Zealand.
Like the whole country I’m heart-broken. I’ve never been able to listen to Calf Club Day without a tear in my eye. Now it just wrecks me. But their music is so wonderful and we still have it. Thank you for everything Jools.
Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: