Something Elsewhere
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THE WAIATA MAORI MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS (2019): Kia kaha and kon-gratulations
13 Aug 2019 | 3 min read | 1
Now in its 12th year, the Waiata Maori Music Awards celebrate excellence in Maori music, honouring the keepers, teachers, promoters, creators and performers of Maori music. And now, during Te Marama Puoru Waiata Maori - Maori Music Month - comes the announcement of the finalists for the 2019 Waiata Maori Music Awards, with four nominations each to Kora brothers-founded group L.A.B. and... > Read more
RIP IT UP, RECOVERED (2019): Music and culture on the printed page
16 May 2019 | 3 min read
You don't have to be nostalgic or a grumpy senior to lament the decline in music journalism since the advent on the internet. Where once there were lengthy interviews, overviews and reviews there is now click-bait, links to something the posting person didn't write (and often didn't read) and Instagram as a substitute for insight. But to be grumpy and nostalgic on a personal note, there was... > Read more
DISCOVER LIVE, INTRODUCED (2019): An invitation across the nation in NZ Music Month
1 May 2019 | 3 min read
In the interests of New Zealand Music Month, the musicians and the venues, we share this from Discover Live about some of the many things going on. . . . Aotearoa has an abundance of world-class talent that you can see on stages across the length and breadth of the country. In clubs and pubs, community centres and RSAs, theatres and school halls, and so many other venues,... > Read more
MUSIC TO LOOK AT (2019): Two exhibitions celebrating NZ Music Month
30 Apr 2019 | 1 min read
Two exhibitions of photos, posters and more to celebrate NZ Music Month of May open this week at two sites in Auckland. From the Pit curated by Dave Simpson and Reuben Raj (aka SomeBizarreMonkey) from Under the Radar and Radio 13 respecitively is installed in Flying Out on Pitt Street, just off K Rd. The exhibition features the work of a number of respected photographers and many of... > Read more
THE TAHI ALBUM, INDUCTED (2019): Number one, the first, and first of many
17 Apr 2019 | 2 min read
At the 10thannual Taite Music Prize awards held on April 16, I was invited to induct the Tahi album by Moana and the Moahunters into the category of the Independent Music New Zealand Classic Record category. This is what I said, ad libs excluded. – Graham Reid Kia ora e te whanau. It is my privilege to be here at the invitation of Moana Maniapoto to induct the album... > Read more
SOUTHBOUND'S RECORD STORE DAY 2019: See you round, like a record . . .
4 Apr 2019 | 11 min read | 2
There was an article doing the internet rounds recently in which some sage from the US announced that the CD was “dead”. One of the things you learn if you've been around a bit is you are unwise to write anything off as dead. I'd guess I've seen “rock is dead” being announced with certainty at least half a dozen times, but –... > Read more
PACIFIC MUSIC AWARDS 2019: Celebrating 15 years of Pasifika sounds
4 Apr 2019 | 4 min read
One of the most enjoyable, celebratory and colourful events on the Aotearoa New Zealand music calendar is the annual Pacific Music Awards . . . and this year is a special one because it is the 15th year of these awards. ome of the names of finalists announced will be familiar to mainstream audiences -- notably Kings and SWIDT who have five nominations each -- but others will be up'n'comers... > Read more
THE 2019 TARANAKI WOMAD TIMETABLE: The world in your backyard
31 Jan 2019 | 1 min read
As anyone who comes to this site knows, Elsewhere has had a many decades long engagement and interest in music from other parts of the planet beyond home, London, New York, LA and so on. Right from the start when we launched we had the World Music in Elsewhere pages of reviews and interviews, and in more recent times announcements about the Woad in Taranaki as well as an overview after the... > Read more
LANEWAY 2019, AN UNREQUIRED CONSIDERATION: I can't get no . . .
29 Jan 2019 | 8 min read | 2
Many decades ago when the Rolling Stones came to Auckland and I was editing the entertainment pages of the New Zealand Herald I had what I thought was an inspired and amusing idea. Rather than me review the show, why not send some writer who was decades beyond their demographic to see what he -- and I had someone specific in mind – made of the whole circus? The person I was... > Read more
THE 2019 LANEWAY FESTIVAL TIMETABLE
25 Jan 2019 | 1 min read
As we have said previously when we posted video clips from this year's Laneways acts, it's always a good idea to get to such festivals for the opening acts because those artists can often deliver something quite exceptional . . . and you will be right down the front for it (as with last year's Laneway when Wax Chattels were extraordinary). So here then is the running order for this year's... > Read more
THE 2019 AUCKLAND LANEWAY FESTIVAL: A video primer
21 Jan 2019 | 2 min read
The annual Auckland Laneway Festival – once again in the pleasant surroundings of central Albert Park – is on this Monday January 28th (Auckland Anniversary Day). As with all such festivals – think the Big Day Out, Womad, Auckland City Limits, Sunsplash etc – it is often the little-known acts who can provide the most excitement. (Last year Moses Sumney wiped the... > Read more
THE APRA SILVER SCROLL FINALISTS 2018: The shortlist of long talents
2 Oct 2018 | 4 min read
Since 1965 the APRA Silver Scroll has been awarded to writer(s) of the year's best song, as voted on by fellow songwriters. So the award can go to a great song, regardless of how few or how many copies it sold, how few or how many others out there heard it. The Silver Scroll is considered a most prestigious honour by songwriters because it comes from their artistic peers, not by popular... > Read more
FIVE ODD ALBUMS NO ONE SHOULD OWN: But I do . . .
1 Oct 2018 | 4 min read
Elsewhere has been down this blind alley a few times with couple of columns on 10 Odd Unplayed Albums, a series of 10 Shameful Record Covers, 10 Good Albums in Bad Covers, Five French Albums I'm Surprised I Own, 10 Unusual 10 Inch Records . . . and so on. This time though just rubbish I seem to have on my shelves. And I do wonder why. . Various Artists:... > Read more
REMASTERS, REISSUES AND CREDIT CARD-KILLING SETS COMING UP (2018): Living in a box (set)
30 Sep 2018 | 5 min read
By any measure 1968 was yet another remarkable year in rock history, it built on the astonishing debut albums of '67 and established artists like the Beatles and the Stones unleashed some of their most seminal work. So needless to say the next few weeks sees the remaster/reissue and expanded anniversary treatment of some of that stuff. But then also factor in – not attached to any... > Read more
FINALISTS FOR THE 2018 VODAFONE NEW ZEALAND MUSIC AWARDS: . . . and I hope we passed the audition
29 Sep 2018 | 5 min read
With a new and colourful Tui award designed by Dick Frizzell for the mantlepiece, a number of artists will be getting pretty excited by being nominated in theis year's music awards. Those in with a good chance will be Six60, Alien Weaponry, Drax Project and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, all of whom have four nominations.Marlon Williams has three nominations; Robinson, Julia Deans, Tami... > Read more
GRAHAM JOHN CLAVERHOUSE REID (b. Edinburgh 1951 - ): In search of my name in Scotland
23 Sep 2018 | 8 min read
When I was in primary school, at least once every year, I’d be teased about my name. Not the unexceptional one on this article, but my full name which some sneaky kid would discover by going through the teacher’s roll. For a couple of days after, there would be finger-pointing kids in the playground, and me running red-faced behind the bike-shed at Mt Eden Primary.... > Read more
MARGARET NOBLE LAMB REID nee STEVENS (b. Edinburgh 1922 – d. Gold Coast, Australia 2004): A price far above rubies
23 Sep 2018 | 8 min read
This first appeared at Public Address in 2004 My mother died this week. And I don’t know what to think about that. She was 82, and only as far away as the Gold Coast . . . but I saw her just three times in the past decade. The last time was perhaps three years ago and she was confined to a bed, skeletally thin and made no sense at all. She made a noise like a ring-tone at... > Read more
THE LINE-UP FOR THE 2019 LANEWAY FESTIVAL: Here it comes again, that feeling . . .
18 Sep 2018 | <1 min read
And here it comes again . . . the annual Laneway Festival. Next year in Auckland it will once again be held in Albert Park (you can read Elsewhere's review of the 2018 Festival here, the 2017 here, the 2016 here and the 2015 here . . . yep, we are fans of this day-long and concise festival). The festival next year is the 10th and one of the returnees is the terrific Florence... > Read more
PAINTINGS BY PAUL (2018) The art of McCartney
17 Sep 2018 | 6 min read
When Sir Paul McCartney was going through his acrimonious divorce from Lady Heather Mills (who was apparently no lady at all) in 2006, a document was leaked to the media – perhaps by Mills, McCartney had no wish for the information to be out there. It contained details of the former Beatle’s actual worth. Everyone knew he was filthy... > Read more
Universal Here, Everlasting Now by The Fireman (from Electric Arguments)
WAIATA MĀORI MUSIC AWARDS (2018): Kia kaha and the winners are . . .
15 Sep 2018 | 2 min read
The 11th annual Waiata Maori Music Awards held in Hastings last night were dominated by the legendary singer/composer and role model Rob Ruha. Ruha won four trophies from seven nominations. The “haka soul” artist (pictured) picked up the awards for his latest album Survivance included Best Māori Male Solo Artist/ Manu Tīoriori Tāne Autaia, Best Māori Traditional... > Read more