Stories

Jackie Clarke will join fellow Lady Killers Tina Cross and Suzanne Lynch in a tribute to the powerhouse divas of modern music, including Dolly Parton, Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston and Tina Turner. So whose big shoes is she stepping into? This show will be something of a reunion. Not so much a reunion, more of a ‘back by popular demand’ situation. We were asked to curate a DIVA concert at Baycourt Theatre in Tauranga in May, and one show turned into two sold-out shows and we realised people are ready for an all-out celebration of the women who rock our world. So now we’re taking the show on the road. We haven’t done many public shows in recent times due to solo projects so yeah, I guess the lure of celebrating divas is bringing us together for a decent chunk of quality time. Songs by Dolly Parton, Beyoncé...

From TV shows ‘Little Britain’ and ‘Come Fly With Me’ to children’s books ‘The Boy In The Dress’ and ‘The World’s Worst Pets’, beloved UK comedian and author David Walliams has legions of fans in every age group. He’s now big with the grannies, he’s told. We got to talk to David ahead of two shows in Christchurch in October. There’s a night show for the grown-ups and for his book fans, a matinee performance in which David shares his inspirations and acts out some extracts. What can the Christchurch audience expect from your show? Well, they can expect a hugely entertaining evening. We have been working on the show for quite a long time now trying to make it as funny as it can be. There are some surprise ‘Little Britain’ characters. There are lots of very funny stories that I have never ever told before. There is sharing a...

Spirit nerds – this one’s for you. A chance to sample a rum so rare there are only 23 bottles in all of Aotearoa and 1500 in the world. This is the rum that launched the Mai Tai, and at Mr Brightside from now till it runs out, you can have a classic Mai Tai made with the OG rum. Appleton Estate, a pioneer of Jamaica’s rum craft, has recreated its J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year-Old, which was last produced in 1981 and is famed for its starring role in the original Mai Tai. Before the umbrellas and sugary syrups took over, the Mai Tai was quite a simple drink. Victor J. Bergeron – better known as Trader Vic – takes credit for its creation, in 1944. His intent was to showcase the flavours of the J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year-Old. He did this with just a touch of lime, orgeat,...

Reggae giants UB40 bring a bagga riddim back to Ōtautahi in October. We talk to ‘OG’ Jimmy Brown and new kid Matt Doyle about the band’s new album, falling in love with New Zealand, and the essence of reggae. What can the audience expect on this visit? Jimmy Obviously we’re going to be doing the hits - ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘So Here I Am’ and so on – and some of our old stuff as well, maybe ‘One in 10’ and ‘Tyler’ from the first album but also some new stuff, just like there is on the new album, UB45, a combination of old and new. Matt We’ll definitely be throwing a couple of the new tunes in there. We wouldn’t want to oversaturate it with new material because we want people to come and hear the tunes they have been listening to all their lives. But as a band you’ve...

How many bands do you know do live drum and bass? Not many. If any. Except for Shapeshifter, the Christchurch band that launched its own genre in 1999 with a string of gigs that those lucky enough to see still rave about. Now, 25 years later, the boys are taking a moment to celebrate everything that has happened since – Glastonbury, platinum records, a worldwide army of fans – with a nationwide tour in June and a reissue of their whole catalogue on vinyl. In Christchurch, the band will return to the Town Hall, venue for one of their legendary gigs, a performance in 2006 with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra that was released the following year as Shapeshifter Live. After 25 years of gigs, there must be some favourites. We asked Sam, Nick and P Digsss to look back over the years and come up with their picks. Sam Trevethick: The...

From singing pop to stomping her boots alongside Kaylee Bell, Steffany Beck’s musical journey finally clicked when she found her real voice had a country twang. Now she’s bringing the country to town. So, Steffany, you’re heading out on your own national tour – how cool is that? It is so unbelievably cool. I've got the best band and I'm going on tour with my bestie, Miranda Easten, who is so incredible. I can't wait to hit the road and play around the North and South Island. How was it looking out on that crowd at the Wine and Food Festival? There’s nothing quite like it, looking out into the faces of those watching you, singing along with you and who want to escape in the music with you. It’s such a cool connection and I absolutely love performing live to create that moment of connection. And it was so amazing...

We chat with Mark Williams about his nearly two decades as frontman of the legendary Kiwi band Dragon. You’ve been part of Dragon for 18 years now – you must be enjoying it? Yep definitely part of my DNA now. You have a hectic touring schedule – how do you cope? We have a nanny. He looks after us. Keeps us clothed and fed. The hotels must be better these days though, eh? It beats the old camping grounds... I kid you not, some high profile bands still do it! I’ve been to some of your Christchurch gigs and been part of some great sing-alongs – that must feel special? It's amazing how everyone knows instinctively what to do. So who’s better – a Kiwi or Aussie audience?  There's a little bit of kiwi in the aussie and vice-versa How has it been stepping into such big shoes as Dragon’s singer?...

Two New Zealand buildings feature in a new book by taste-making publishers Gestalten. Called Prefab and Modular, the lavishly illustrated large-format book explores the possibilities of prefabricated and modular construction and looks at how these technologies have been used. The Studio House, designed by Nelson’s William Samuels Architects, is a compact (42sqm), relocatable single-bedroom home similar in nature to a studio apartment. Interconnected modules that can each fit on a trailer can be removed from their foundations and relocated one by one. If required, more modules can be added later for extra bedrooms, workspaces or other areas. Function comes first for the Te Pae North Piha Surf Life-saving Tower but the result is a building of raw beauty that melds into its rugged environment. The brief to Auckland’s Crosson Architects was for a robust, low-maintenance building that would withstand the severe North Piha coastal environment while accommodating four lifeguards and giving...

Buying and renovating a house of architectural or historic merit can be pretty scary as you balance the different spaces we live in these days with the need to preserve the features that make the house significant in the first place. One of the residential properties in the Open Christchurch programme is an excellent example of getting both right. The Lucking House was designed by renowned Christchurch architect George Lucking in 1951 as a family home and home office. It was built as a modest three-bedroom rectangle but George Lucking designed in future additions, some of which were done in 1967, including a new main bedroom and a garage and entry. In 2020, new owners enlisted Tobin Smith of Common Architecture to update and enlarge the house for modern living. For Tobin, the challenge was to give his clients the modern, open-plan spaces they wanted for their growing family while at...

Open Christchurch, the city’s annual festival of architectural excellence, has 50 buildings on this year’s programme. An exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery complements the festival’s focus. Calling all design geeks, you have two opportunities coming up to reflect on the built environment – the urban, suburban and rural architecture, both grand and mundane, that forms the physical backdrop to our daily lives. The first is Open Christchurch, the city’s annual festival of architectural excellence in which buildings city-wide open their doors to the public. This year’s programme lists 50 buildings you can visit over the weekend of 3 – 5 May. All tours are free but some require a booking due to limited numbers. Highlights for many will be opportunities to tour the site of the new Court Theatre building, on the corner of Colombo and Gloucester streets, and to get behind the security fence at Christ Church Cathedral. A theme...

He’s got a lot on his plate, what with the whole 10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years thing, but Troy Kingi leapt at the chance to be part of the Bill Withers Social Club project and pay tribute to a songwriting hero. What drew you to this salute to Bill Withers? I've been a big fan of his for a while now. I think after my third album, when I was starting to get into a bit of a creative block, I started getting deep into Bill Withers and then realised his story. He started in his 30s and the amount of bangers that he churned out, it just got me off my ass and got me working again. Just an inspiring guy and I love that he started later in his life. How did this show come about? Iraia Whakamoe, the man who’s behind the show, basically just...

We all love a good yarn about the little guy triumphing against the odds. If the little guy wears stilettos, even better. Surely that’s why the world loves Kinky Boots, Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper’s musical about a struggling shoe company and a drag artist in need of sturdy show shoes. In Showbiz Christchurch’s production of the musical, the stilettos are worn by Euan Fistrovic Doidge, aka Lola, to divine effect. showbiz.org.nz

If you were one of the many to be wowed by Kaylee Bell’s boot-stomping gig as part of last summer’s South Island Wine and Food Festival, you may remember somebody else on that stage – Christchurch country singer Steffany Beck. That spot and a host of others last year, including a gig with Jason Kerrison of Opshop, have propelled her career to the point where she is releasing an EP, Pillars, recorded at The Sitting Room in Lyttelton, and going on a national tour, with a gig in Christchurch in July. facebook.com/steffanybeckmusic

A mid-length jacket is a  must for the modern male. Comfortable and versatile, it really comes into its own with the shifting seasons. Dress it up for work or down for after. This example from Working Style, the Danny Herringbone Overcoat, captures the vibe with its clean lines and tailored silhouette. Add it to your wardrobe and feel the heat. workingstyle.co.nz

Just because you have downsized from suburbia to a central-city pad, that’s no reason to give up on the gardening. The good folk at the Canterbury Horticultural Society are running monthly sessions for novices through to seasoned green thumbs on setting up a balcony garden. Their advice – start with planting low-growing and climbing bean varieties, which you can then underplant with lettuce, pak choy and spinach. Next, introduce small, continuously yielding leafy crops that thrive during autumn and winter, and some aromatic herbs. chsgardens.co.nz

True story – we bought one of these for Olive the dog but it was taken over by Koromiko the cat so we had to get another one. And with a new puppy in the house, we now have three. There’s no going back once your precious pet gets to kip in one of these! Perfect for throwing on the floor wherever you and your fur baby land today – anywhere will feel like home if they can curl up in their Brooklyn pet bed. thebrooklyn.co.nz

When the Royal New Zealand Ballet reprises Swan Lake on the Christchurch stage, it will be paying homage to one of the city’s own, Russell Kerr. A pioneer of ballet in Aotearoa, Russell Kerr first produced Swan Lake in the 1960s, while artistic director at the still fledgling New Zealand Ballet Company. He brought it back to the stage in the 1990s, this time with dazzling costume designs by Kristian Fredrikson. The same costumes have been dusted off for this production, re-staged by former RNZB Ballet Mistress Turid Revfeim. It’s an early reminder for new RNZB Artistic Director Ty King-Wall of just how deep the love and respect for Kerr goes. “This production holds so many precious memories for generations of New Zealanders. With Russell’s passing in 2022, our season is imbued with even more emotion, as we recognise his incredible talent and honour one of the true luminaries of ballet...

Movies to catch, books to read, television to bingewatch, music to dance to and podcasts to fill your spare time. Movies Back to Black The story of Icarus, who flew too high and paid with his life, was played out in full public view with the short life of Amy Winehouse, reinforcing another trope – that great art requires suffering. Sanctioned by the Winehouse estate, this biopic traverses Amy’s early years and adulthood. Scenes were filmed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, outside Winehouse's first flat in Camden Town, and at Primrose Hill. Challengers The so-hot-right-now Zendaya stars alongside Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor in this love triangle played out on centre court as two men do battle for the heart of one woman. To prep for her role, Zendaya spent three months training with a pro tennis player. The Mountain Rachel House, a regular in Taika Waititi’s films, makes her directorial...