Stories

Delivering a world class show for 22 years, The Pink Floyd Experience has become a household name in New Zealand and Australia, a breathtaking aural and visual experience that has to be seen to be believed. With over 20 albums of legendary music to choose from, every show draws inspiration from a different Floyd era to create a unique experience every time. In 2021, the experience will feature the two albums from their most popular shows, Animals and The Wall. Both albums will be performed in all their glory with psychedelic instrumentals, soaring guitar solos and mind-blowing visuals that will take this performance beyond anything you’ve ever seen before. Christchurch Arena, Saturday 22 May premier.ticketek.co.nz

Cityscape talks festivals and new music with Lorna Coll, vocalist for Christchurch band Volts. You released your first single ‘Wild & Out’ late last year, and now we’re seeing Volts all over the place. How’s the ride been? It's been exciting! Marc [Royal] and I have been quietly working away on this band for a few years now. We recently made some additions to Volts, expanding our lineup and really focusing on writing and releasing our single. Things have really taken off from there. You’ve been hitting the festival scene pretty hard this summer – what’s been a highlight? We have played some great shows but Nostalgia Festival was definitely a highlight. The crowd were really responsive and we had people hooked from the first song, it was so much fun. What’s your process for working together on songwriting? So Marc will come up with guitar riffs that we will base a...

Riverside Market’s new mural is also the largest and most complex ever delivered in Christchurch. Paying homage to what was lost in the earthquakes, the lifelike optical illusion artwork displays interpretations of pre-quake buildings, local businesses and the story of women’s suffrage. The wall is brought to life with references to central city heritage, remembering defining moments and telling a story of Kate Sheppard and the broader women's suffrage movement, which started in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Completed as a public-private partnership, the mural was co-funded by Riverside Market and ChristchurchNZ. The concept and design for the artwork was created by Josh Thompson of Madeknown with the project produced by George Shaw of Oi YOU! and painted over a 6 week period by Christchurch’s foremost graffiti art collective DTR Crew - Dcypher, Ikarus, Jacob Yikes & Wongi Wilson. The location of the wall allows the artwork to link to the hustle and bustle...

Recently dropped at style hub Infinite Definite, Meadowlark’s new range Amour is all about the love. Taking us right back to playing with our grandmother’s jewellery, the beautifully delicate range is vintage-inspired with a hint of French charm, like the sweet heart-shaped Camille earrings with a pearl drop, or the ‘Maman’ engraved necklace. For the style- and eco-conscious among us, you’ll want to sit up and take notice, because some Good News has recently arrived in store – literally. A London sneaker brand that walks the sustainability talk, Good News sneakers are made using recycled rubber, organic cotton and vintage fabrics. Rad kicks that also promote a healthy planet? We’re in. Infinite Definite is one of the only stores in the country to carry this brand, so better head on down before your top pair starts flapping. infinitedefinite.com

Burning the candle at both ends does more damage than just the bags under your eyes. Deirdre Panapa from DP Herbals explains why a good night’s sleep is one of the best supplements at your disposal. Ernest Hemingway is thought to have said “I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?” When I was a nurse it was expected that we did shift work. For many years I slept when the sun was bright and worked very hard through the night only to do a morning shift the next day. I was lucky, I thought; I could sleep anywhere, anytime. But looking back on the photos, it is clear that the person attempting to smile back looked as if she needed a good long nap. Sleep is one of the few things that is crucial to life, and yet it is left to...

Did you know we’ve got a piece of the Berlin Wall in Christchurch? Two pieces, actually. You’ll find them in Rauora Park near Cashel Street, decorated with this colourful street art. The art on the wall pieces is curated by Fiksate Studio & Gallery, and it has recently been updated with work from Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch (Meep) and Jessie Rawcliffe. Meep’s piece represents love and freedom and is a full-on hit of colour. Jessie’s work is a kaitiaki (guardian) facing upwards in a peaceful pose. Christchurch is one of many cities around the world with pieces of this historic wall, which served as a symbol of the Cold War and forced segregation, but also became such a powerful symbol of hope and freedom once it started coming down. Graffiti always played a role on the Berlin Wall. Fiksate is continuing this tradition in collaboration with christchurch City Council, acknowledging and celebrating the...

Our recommendations for making the most of this beautiful 'tween season. 1. Enjoy the last warm days Head to Riverside Market and get your laughing gear around a cold Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or a summery sour beer at Canterbury Brewers Collective. 2. Take an original photo! We’ve all seen a million autumn shots of brilliant trees in Hagley Park and Memorial Avenue. Come up with a new angle on the falling-leaf theme – and send it to Cityscape (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – we might just publish it). 3. Get your moles checked It’s been a long hot summer and ain’t nobody got time for a surprise melanoma. Hit up the good folks at KM Surgical for your check-up. 4. Get a good old-fashioned wood fire started Or even better, take advantage of the one at Arbour Woodfired Pizza for some delicious season-appropriate smoky pizza. 5. Go for an autumn forage! If...

If you have a favourite pair of shoes that are long past their best, don’t despair! The Fixer is a shoe and handbag repair specialist just opened in The Colombo, so you can give your old faithfuls a new lease on life and do the environment a favour while you’re at it. Renowned for his craftsmanship, The Fixer will ensure you never have to toss a beloved piece in the bin again. He’ll also suss you out if you need a key copied (or even if you’ve lost your key entirely), and can engrave metal and fix your watch, too. In fact, if you’ve got anything small and broken, take it in to The Fixer and see if he can help. FB/thefixercolombo

Cityscape chats to New Zealand’s top Dermapen therapist Bernice Olderwagen about her award-winning treatment, the importance of homecare, and why she loves the beauty industry. Bernice, a skin therapist at Nicola Quinn Beauty & Day Spa, has just been awarded the NZ Dermapen High Performance Practitioner 2021. With over 10 years’ experience, Bernice knows how to craft a bespoke treatment plan that delivers results – and skin confidence. Congratulations on your award! Talk us through the winning treatment plan. My client had several skin concerns that she wanted to combat. She was wearing makeup every day and unhappy with her skin texture, acne scarring, and pigmentation. A course of Dermapen microneedling treatments, peels, and a bespoke homecare routine was the clear choice to help my client achieve skin confidence. I saw her every three to four weeks, alternating between a pigmentation treatment and a deeper treatment targeting collagen induction. Why is a homecare...

Attention Sollos fans! The artisan homeware store is moving into The Colombo, bringing a swathe of local, ethical jewellery, beauty products, art and décor to the boutique shopping destination. Sollos, long a favourite shopping spot and artisan studio at The Welder, specialises in ethically sourced products from Aotearoa and beyond. You’ll find Sollos and all its beautiful goods at The Colombo from March 17 onward. sollos.co.nz

Aotearoa metalheads Alien Weaponry are teaming up with NZSO for a show that will blow your freaking mind. With the band’s heavy metal music collaboratively composed to incorporate a full orchestra, this is guaranteed to be more full-on sound than your grandma can handle (though you might be able to talk her into buying tickets for you to ‘go to the orchestra’). The Stronger Together gig on May 29 will be a unique music experience for audiences, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Alien Weaponry. The concerts are Alien Weaponry’s first with an orchestra and the first collaboration with a metal band in the NZSO’s 75-year history. Embraced by audiences and critics around the world, the three-piece band from Waipu have gone from strength to strength since their debut album Tū in 2018. The band have sold out headline shows in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and North America; opened for metal...

Snowboxx New Zealand is a collaboration of classic Kiwi New Year fest Rhythm & Alps and the epic annual Snowboxx event held in Avoriaz, France. R&A organiser Alex Turnbull carves the details with Cityscape. Shapeshifter, Concord Dawn, Lee Mvtthews... the first round of artists announced already includes some pretty big names and wicked up-and-comers. Who are you most excited about? It’s a broad and varied programme, it's hard to pull out special acts as the performances are in different venues and locations but I am excited about KÉDU CARLÖ they are a female house and tech duo which I recently saw at a festival here in New Zealand. Can you give us any hints as to who else you’re looking at booking? We would like to add some comedy, and some different genres of entertainment but we will just have to be patient to see if we can pull that off....

When Cityscape interviewed The Black Seeds' Daniel Weetman, he told us to check out Auckland reggae/ska artiste Paul The Kid. We liked what we heard, so we caught up with him about his new album and what it's like being back in New Zealand. We listened to your single ‘Palm Trees and Ciggies’ and it’s got a great summer vibe – can you tell us a bit about the song? It. Is. A. Banger! I wrote the music to it while still in London, I think in the summer of 2018 when I was into ‘four to the floor’ music. I showed all the homies the beat and they vibed it so while in lockdown here in Wellington I focused on it a lot. It’s about travel, ironically; touring cities with my laptop and a backpack, a beer and a ciggie (I have quit now) and living through the kindness of...

The show must go on, and The Court Theatre has moved quickly to ensure that the shows do, in fact, go on. The Court Theatre had plans in place ready to roll out if necessary, and that has meant the hardworking team were able to action those plans very quickly in order to allow Winding Up to go ahead. The show, starring Mark Hadlow and Darien Takle, just opened on Saturday February 13. The theatre has invested in safety protection screens between the aisles, and contingencies in seating to allow a one metre distance between patrons. The auditorium will also be divided into two zones that cater to 100 people each, with seperate entrances, exits, bar and toilets for each zone. Court Theatre staff are contacting ticketholders for the next few performances of Winding Up to discuss seats and new entry conditions. Due to the distancing and gathering restrictions at Level...

Love is in the air this weekend, and we've got plenty of ideas for you and your S.O. 1. Take in a romantic movie in the open air with The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora's special outdoor cinema screening of Notting Hill (4.30pm) and The Notebook (7pm). Bring rugs for the grass, chairs for the paving stones, and if you're early enough, you might even snag one of the provided bean bags. Where: The Arts Centre North Quad When: Sunday February 14 from 4.30pm artscentre.org.nz 2. Check out any of our city's sweet farmers' markets, grab yourself and your sweetheart a fresh pastry, hot coffee, and browse the stalls for anything else that takes your fancy. Stock up on fresh produce to cook a romantic meal at home, and you'll really be in the good books. Where: Mt Pleasant Farmers' Market, Christchurch Famers' Market and Green Lane market on Saturday;...

Uber-cool street art gallery, studio and creative hub Fiksate has found a new home in Sydenham. First opened in 2015 after a wave of street art swept Christchurch post-quakes, Fiksate has recently moved from its original Gloucester Street home to a funky renovated warehouse in Sydenham. The new space will be opening Friday, February 12 from 10am, and all the excellent services will be back up and running, including Fiksate's custom framing service and monthly risograph print release. Fiksate is New Zealand's only gallery specialising in contemporary urban and street art, and has a range of original artworks from leading New Zealand urban artists alongside a handpicked selection of international talent. The gallery hosts regular exhibitions and opportunities to flex your own creative muscles, such as sticker-making and badge-making workshops. The new space also gives owners and husband-and-wife team Jenna and Nathan a chance to get the ball rolling on a...

Cityscape chews the fat with Hannah Miller – the charcuterie genius behind A Lady Butcher – who will be giving a cooking demonstration at the Great Kiwi Beer Festival in Christchurch on January 30. Can you tell us a bit about what you’re going to be demonstrating at Great Kiwi Beer Festival? Sure thing! I'll be demonstrating how to cure our New Zealand Wagyu Bresaola and also how to make a quick and easy summer dish with the finished product. Where are your meats sourced from? We source ethically and sustainably raised meat from all over New Zealand, from as far north as Houhora and as far south as Invercargill. Why is traceability so essential? Knowing your farmer is important, as it's integral to knowing how the meat your eating was raised. What did it eat? How was it treated? These things not only affect the quality of the meat but also the...

With a hot summer under way and the Great Kiwi Beer Festival fast approaching, we’ve got hops on our mind. What is it that makes beer so special? Its special because I believe there is a beer for everyone - with so many styles there is something to suit everyones taste! Haven’t found it? keep looking! That, and its and all-seasons drink. How did you get into brewing? I have been involved in Poms for the best part of 20 years and really seriously for 12. We got a brewery and it was a case of why not? I leave all the actual brewing up to our wonderful head brewer Damian, as I’m sadly still a complete novice but I do hope to get more involved again once my babies are bigger. How would you describe the Christchurch craft brewing scene? It used to be very English in its style but...