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November 2020
Uber Arts: David Eggleton and the Bard of Christchurch
An Uber Arts delivery to your door of two tastefully entertaining writers, David Eggleton plus support act, RNZ’s former Bard of Christchurch. Why not a lounge concert in snug, shearing shed, salon or soiree?
David Eggleton is currently Aotearoa New Zealand Poet Laureate. Well-known as a performer, David Eggleton’s Pasifika heritage and passion for performance results in spoken words which have a strong oral and rhythmic quality. Expect some cabaret-style zing, zest and humour, with immediate and accessible poems tackling subjects from the personal to the political.
This poetry is colourful, witty, resonant and relevant, and all about life in Aotearoa New Zealand today and yesterday. David Eggleton’s work exemplifies the vibrancy of contemporary poetry in Aotearoa. 2016 he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry.
Venue: Small hall, house concert, BBQ, lounge, snug, library, café, hotel
Set up: 1 hour
Personnel: 2
Duration: 4 x 15 minute sets with ambient mood music
Price: $400+GST
Appeal: Fans of the spoken word, lovers of New Zealand literature and Kiwi culture, and indeed anyone wanting a good night’s entertainment.
February 2021
Gypsy Jazz Duo Fiona Pears & Connor Hartley-Hall
Violinist Fiona Pears and guitarist Connor Hartley-Hall share a love of Gypsy jazz. This music was originally made famous by legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and French virtuoso violinist Stéphane Grappelli, when they formed the ‘Quintette du Hot Club de France’ back in the 1930s.
The music Fiona and Connor will be performing in their tour will be a mix of fiery Gypsy jazz, heart-warming ballads and some well-known classics. These shows will be exciting and dynamic; a musical experience not to be missed.
Venue: Any suitable theatre, music venue, house concert, hall, church or woolshed
Set up: 2 hours
Personnel: 2
Duration: 2 x 45 minute sets
Price: $900+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: A broad audience of Fiona Pears fans throughout the country, students of music
Website: http://www.fionapears.com
March 2021
My Secret Life: Ian Sinclair
Hello. My name is Ian Sinclair. You may know me as a roving reporter with the dream TV job: a chance to explore the world and meet everyone from the Queen to the Taliban.
Yet few would have guessed I had a lifelong secret addiction to Spanish flamenco guitar. After nearly two thousand television stories I made a giant leap of faith… to quit and become a flamenco guitarist. In My Secret Life I demonstrate how my love of this exciting guitar music got me into journalism and how journalism inspired me to write flamenco.
Rhythm is the essence of flamenco and my music features rumbas, highly complex Bulerias and flamenco Tangos. I will be playing items inspired by stories filed from Christchurch to Afghanistan. I will also fess up to my most embarrassing moments, with General Franco’s secret police, The Queen and the All Blacks.
Venue: Any suitable music venue , theatre , café, art gallery
Set up: 1 hour
Personnel: 2
Duration: 1.5 hours with interval plus Q & A
Price: $600+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: General audience
Website: http://www.is-facingthemusic.co.nz
April 2021
Carnivorous Plant Society
Carnivorous Plant Society is back! Allow New Zealand’s favourite psychedelic jazz band to take you on a journey from the streets of Mexico City to the mountains of Asia and on to Outer Space.
This talented quartet, four of New Zealand’s most accomplished musicians performing original compositions, will ignite the imaginations of children and adults alike.
The stories in the music are echoed visually by projections of hand-drawn animations by band-leader Finn Scholes, who just happens to be one of NZ’s best trumpet players (and who also plays tuba, vibraphone, piano, and organ).
“Wonderful!” – John Campbell, Radio NZ
“Some serious instrument-playing going on!” – Kathryn Ryan, Radio NZ
“The musical genius at play is hard to ignore.” – NZ Herald
“Wonderful bunch of extremely talented musicians… they wowed the audience last night.” 4th Wall Theatre New Plymouth
Venue: Any suitable theatre, music hall, art gallery or venue of choice
Set up: 3 hours for pack into venue
Personnel: 4
Duration: 2 x 40 minute sets
Price: $900+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Contemporary NZ music audiences, young and old, visual art audiences, secondary school students
Website:www.carnivorousplantsociety.com
May 2021
Brave Caitlin Smith’s Imaginary Band
Song-poet and story-singer Caitlin Smith is touring Aotearoa with Arts on Tour NZ in the merry Music Month of May 2021. NZ Music Week.
Performing a smorgasbord of sonic soul food fusing the tastiest of covers (including tunes from Smith’s spiritual parents Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen), with her most nutritional originals.
Drawing from a deep well of songs from The Caitlin Smith Group’s Aurere (2004) and 2020’s You Have Reached Your Destination and yet to be recorded material.
Described as having “a voice that imagination created”, this experienced jazz/folk/gospel originator (voice/keys) is not to be missed.
Venue: Any suitable theatre, music hall, art gallery or venue of choice
Set up: 3 hours for pack into venue
Personnel: 3
Duration: 2 x 40 minute sets
Price: $900+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Contemporary NZ music audiences, young and old, secondary school students
Website: www.caitlinsmith.com
June From June 9th
Dr Ian Chapman & the Cosmic Jive Trio present David Bowie & the Art of Being Different
In this sparkling interactive performance and accompanying talk Dr Ian Chapman unravels the extraordinary marriage of sound and visual effect that lies at the heart of the work of David Bowie, one of the most complex, enduring, and empowering performers in the history of popular music.
Dr Chapman, musician, academic, and author of Experiencing David Bowie: A Listener’s Guide (2015), and David Bowie FAQ (2020), both published by Rowman & Littlefield, US, and his Cosmic Jive Trio bring to the stage superb acoustic arrangements of David Bowie’s finest songs, arranged especially for the show. The honest simplicity of the stripped back and largely acoustic instrumentation allows Bowie’s masterful song-writing to take centre stage.
David Bowie & the Art of Being Different is a wonderfully entertaining celebration of eccentric creativity, a testament to how the arts can improve mental health and provide empowerment, a blueprint for how to deal with bullying, and a triumphant affirmation of the power of difference.
Venue: Any suitable music venue, hall, art gallery, church or woolshed
Set up: 2 hours for sound check in venue
Personnel: 3
Duration: 2 x 40 minute sets plus Q & A (optional)
Price: $900+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Music lovers, Bowie fans, secondary school students
Website: https://www.ianchapman.co.nz
July
Aperture – The life and work of Ans Westra
In 1957, Ans Westra emigrated from the Netherlands to New Zealand and began to take photos of her new homeland. Fascinated by Maori culture in particular, she created an intimate and uniquely historical documentation of Maori life which led to a successful career capturing the essence of the people of Aotearoa.
DramaLAB’s visually stunning and intimate portrait focuses on Westra’s childhood in The Netherlands, her immigration journey to New Zealand and the start of her photography career in the 1960’s. Her first publications, including the controversial ‘Washday at the pa’, offered insight into the Maori way of life in rural Aotearoa at a time of urbanisation.
Actor and director Martine Baanvinger, who wrote and starred in the award-winning play Solitude, returns in this creative and innovative one-woman play about Ans Westra, a NZ Arts Foundation Icon photographer.
Venue: Theatres, art galleries and community halls
Set up: 3 hours
Personnel: 2
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Price: $1050+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Theatre and art audiences, students of art and photography
Website: http://www.dramalab.co.nz
August
Gitbox Rebellion
Gitbox Rebellion is an innovative and exciting 6 piece Guitar ensemble, who perform intricate and clever original compositions as well as a few much loved guitar hero covers, such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Guitar Boogie… Gitbox has to be heard live to fully appreciate the acoustic guitar and the differences each player brings to the instrument. Sample as follows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRmF7BKbTs
Venue: Any suitable theatre, music hall, art gallery, performance venue
Set up: 2 hours
Personnel: 6
Performance: 2 x 45 minute sets
Price: $900+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Music and theatre audiences
Website: www.gitboxrebellion.nz
September
I’ll Tell You This for Nothing – My Mother the War Hero
Phyllis Garvin an Irish QA nurse on the WWII battlefields who lived most of her life in NZ, was honoured with France’s highest decoration, the Légion d’Honneur for extreme bravery.
I’ll Tell You This for Nothing – My Mother the War Hero recounts this tale of war, courage, romance and danger, in a solo performance written and acted by her daughter Kate.
“Don’t miss a marvellous show about the wages of love and war from a veteran performer who oozes class.” Five Stars. Adelaide Sunday Mail
Kate was the originator and producer of the highly successful Hens’ Teeth Women’s Comedy Company that entertained NZ audiences for over 13 years.
Venue: Any suitable theatre, community hall
Set up: 2 hr for pack in
Personnel: 2
Duration: 1 hour performance followed by Q and A (optional)
Price: $1000+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: Theatre audiences,
Website: http://www.katejasonsmith.com
October
Austen Found: The Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen – with Penny Ashton, Lori Dungey and Jason Smith
Addicted to Darcy? Bonkers for Big Balls? Lost all Sense and Sensibility? Well put down your cross stitching and get ready to enjoy an entirely improvised musical in the style of Jane Austen. You saw their videos during the COVID lockdown, now see them in person.
Arts on Tour favourite Penny Ashton (Olive Copperbottom, Promise and Promiscuity, Hot Pink Bits) is back, with her most excellently accomplished friends! World Famous hobbit Lori Dungey (LOTR, Xena) and twinkle fingers Jason Smith (Emmy award winning musical maestro and Lucy Lawless collaborator) will use your suggestions and spin instant literary magic as they swoon, romp and pianoforte.
“Jane Austen would turn in her grave with delight” Rip it Up
“full of fun and frivolity” – NZ Herald
Venue: A Stage preferred but very flexible
Set up: 1 hour in established venue, 3 hours when full set up of own equipment
Personnel: 3
Duration: 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes
Price: $1200+GST (or 70% of gross after reasonable costs whichever is greater)
Appeal: 25-70 females on balance and couples
Website: http://www.conartists.co.nz/going-public/austenfound/