People……. If you can remember/scroll back to an article on this site from last year, about the New Zealand musician/producer/all round nice guy: Mr. Oakley “O.G.” Grenell, then you might have already heard of ‘I-Nation’. If you haven’t heard of it yet, I would like to inform you about this legendary annual music festival held in Whitecliffs, North Canterbury. This years line up includes Very Good favourites like Tiki, The Little Bushman, Ladi 6 and members of shapeshifter.

I-Nation was described as “the outdoor party of the year” by one NZ magazine, which is a pretty big statement these days, with the amount of outdoor parties going on in NZ. So it basically goes down (and off) out in the bush with a mean-as sound system and family-friendly environment. As the official website states: “This year the legendary valley of Whitecliffs just 45mins west of Christchurch will once again host some of Aotearoa’s finest talent in Drum n Bass, Dubstep, Jungle, Funk, Soul & Breaks.”

There is less than three weeks to go and tickets are selling fast for the gig, which is expected by the organisers to sell out. If your not in the area to catch it, make sure you at least check out the website! It has some cool stuff, full information on all the artists, maps and a full run-down off the whole situation really.

Ticket Info:

$85 Tickets plus BF available from Cosmic Corner Stores NZ-wide or $100 Limited Gate Sales available upon entry.  Tickets can also be purchased online from www.cosmiccorner.co.nz/tickets – Children under 15 free with ID if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

When/where it’s at:

…Yossarian

The unfortunate news has come that the legendary Roots Crew have pulled out of ‘Good Vibrations Festival’ due to committments in America in February, 2009. As one of the headlining acts for the popular festival (which is already sold out in Sydney), hip hop fans as well as most who have had the pleasure of experiencing their unique blend on contemproary jazz and hip hop will definitely be dissapointed with thisdevelopement, especially given that this was said to be the final tour we can expect to see them doing on our shores for at least the next 14 months. (see recent article on Roots ending touring)

On the positive side of things, Jam Music has somewhat made it up to fans by securing Q-Tip, front man for A Tribe Called Quest, a.k.a the brother abstract, to replace them on the bill. From his days in A Tribe, myriad of collaborations, and two solo albums, Q-Tip is a suitable replacement for The Roots being one of the forefathers of modern hip hop. For me personally having seen The Roots three times before, and never having had the fortune to catch Q-Tip, I feel the organisers have made the best out of a bad situation that all concert promoters have to face at some stage in their careers. Bumping Tip’s new album ‘The Renaissance’ a lot recently, I know that we are in for a great show from an equally heralded artist who

we otherwise wouldn’t have been likely to see on our shores soon. I’m guessing at the end of the day all of the people who signed up for their last opportunity to see The Roots live show won’t be as forgiving as I am though, as I can confirm the rumours that The Roots have one of the most powerful, dynamic, and theatrical shows I have ever seen…  straight up.

If you’ve got your ticket, and your a ‘lil sad… pucker up kid, find someone willing to give you a hug, and just think… with Q-Tip and The Pharcyde reuniting… Good Vibrations is almost becoming a little Rock The Bells tour for Australasia… and there’s some dude called Wale who has a few nice beats, but seems a little gangster for my liking.

Q-Tip – Getting Up

…bs

It’s getting to be that time of the year again in New Zealand. When you can leave the house without a jacket, see through your windscreen without scraping ice off it; so you can go to work and dream of being outside in the sparkling midday sun. Oh yes, the southern hemisphere summer is rapidly approaching, with all the joy it brings.

So now we can start looking forward to warmer weather, barbecues and trips to the beach where you can actually swim.  The other great aspect of all this, is you can start to plan what music festivals you want to see. Previous posts on this site have already mentioned upcoming NZ music events like Southern Amp (9th Nov) and A.R.E.A 9 (6th-8th Feb) that are selling out fast. So to help you map out the rest of your summer itinerary, I thought I would tell you about another event on the way.

Tickets are now on sale for The Homegrown Music Festival, that is taking place on the Wellington waterfront on March 14th 2009. Headline acts are yet to be announced for all stages, but I can give you the news about the line up announced so far. There will be five stages featuring around 35 top kiwi bands and DJs, there will also be lots of other great stuff as the organisers plan to transform the waterfront area into a playground. Things to look out for will include Wellington’s best graffiti artists, a Breakdancing competition, an International food market, Sculptures and Art installations, Street performers and loads of other interactive activities.

Going back to the music for a moment, the line up already announced boasts the talents of many kiwi greats, such as: Supergroove, Kora, The Black Seeds, Tiki Taane, Katchafire, Tahuna Breaks, Sunshine Sound System and a whole lot more. Many of these names have been mentioned before, as they are favourites of Very Good, but in case you haven’t heard of Tahuna breaks I’ve got one of their vids here for you to see:

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Tahuna Breaks – Real Life

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So get yourselves together and start a plan, because summer is only here for a quarter of the year (if we’re lucky) so make the most of it and check out what these groups have to offer. But if you’re like me and haven’t even planned your New Years Eve yet, then it’s just another idea for you to ponder. The promo site also advises that if you are interested in getting creative & producing art installations, sculptures and the like for Homegrown, please email info@homegrown.co.nz for more details.

To find out more about stuff mentioned here, go to:

The Official Homegrown Site

“Sitting inside my head,
Laughing at what I said
Come on baby
Let’s have another toast
You might think I’m dense,
Laughing at my expense
Let’s fill the cup
Let’s wash away the ghost”
(Sitting Inside My Head – Supergroove)

Wish you were here …Yossarian

Earlier this year, hip hop history was made when pioneering West Coast crew, The Pharcyde, were to reunite for the Rock The Bells hip hop tour across the States; fans were to be treated to live performances from the four original members, who hadn’t performed together for 10 years. Now, as far as I was concerned, this was a pretty big deal. I mean, for me there are certain artists and groups that you dream of seeing in your lifetime, A Tribe Called Quest or the original Wu-Tang lineup would be a couple just off the top of my head, and The Pharcyde are another. Imagine my delight then, when the Good Vibrations promoters announced this past weekend that The Pharcyde would be joining the festival’s tour across Australia next February!

Yes, that’s right, next year you will be able to catch Fatlip, Imani, Bootie Brown and Tre (SlimKid3) Hardson on stage together, belting out hip hop classics such as “Runnin”, “Drop” and “Passin Me By”. Provided you are in Australia, that is. And if you’re not, GET HERE! Best known for their album “Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde”, the group are immortalised as hip hop legends and clearly had a major effect on a new generation of artists who were uncomfortable with the gangsta rap angle that was popular at the time. Once described by Rolling Stone as a “pack of class clowns set loose in the studio”, their wacky story-telling rhymes and comedic lyrics brought an alternative hip hop flavour to the table, and has obviously influenced the likes of Jurassic 5, De La Soul and Del The Funky Homosapien.

Check out the dope video for “Drop” above

Joining The Pharcyde on the Good Vibrations tour is another legendary hip hop crew in The Roots. No strangers to Australia, the world’s best hip hop band always impress with their tight live shows and huge back-catalogue of classic tracks. Expect to hear some new material as well, with their latest album, “Rising Down”, having been released earlier this year. Also touring is up-and-comer Wale, who you may have in fact heard on “Rising Down”, or his Seinfeld-inspired mixtape, “The Mixtape About Nothing”; definitely an artist to watch. Many more acts are sure to be announced, and with Good Vibrations consistently having the highest quality headlining acts (last year; Kanye, Cypress Hill and Pharoahe Monch, the previous year; Snoop Dogg, The Beastie Boys and Jurassic 5) you’d be wise to get your tickets and travel plans sorted now.

Good Vibrations Festival 2009 tour dates:
Sat Feb 14 – Sydney, Centennial Park
Sun Feb 15 – Melbourne, The Nursery – Flemington Racecourse
Sat Feb 21 – Gold Coast, Parklands Showgrounds
Sun Feb 22 – Perth, Heirisson Island

To check out more info look at these sites:

The Pharcyde Fansite

The Pharcyde at MySpace

Fat Lip & Slim kid 3

…cracked

The focus of today’s informational extravaganza is ‘Southern Amp’, an annual New Zealand musical event held in the Main City of the South Island, Christchurch (aka Churchtown). For several years now it has attracted a healthy mixture of both local and international talents. This year’s line-up is no exception with generous portions of polished stones and rough diamonds.  Some of Very Good’s favourites will be in force to entertain the masses, including: Trillion, The L.E.D’s, O.G, The Little Bushmen along with many other acts also appearing.

There are some internationally known groups turning up for good measure, like the The Charlatans and The Dandy Warhols who are included in the line-up of over 40 bands and DJ’s on 4 live music stages.  The stages are: “The Main Stage”, “Ministry of Sound Stage”, “NZ Music Stage” and “The Christchurch Music Stage”, with all this space there is room for acts across the musical divides from Rock to Dance, and Drum n Bass to Indie. In my opinion it’s great that a gig like this can incorporate both established well-known acts, along with up-and-coming local groups, that many may not know yet.

The promo material states that: “Southern Amp is an R15 restricted event and has a strictly limited attendance  of approximately 9000 due to capacity” at the venue. “All stages will be completely  undercover” either inside or under a large tent to protect from the weather if needed. But if the weather co-operates they can “let the sun in and the great vibes out!” Organisers also recommend getting tickets organised as soon as you can, so you don’t miss out on the goodness.

If you live in the South Island of New Zealand or in the surrounding areas, you’d probably agree that we don’t have an over-abundance of musical festivals, but the ones we do have are definitely worth attending. We do have some that have come and gone over the years, but my basic point is that what there is we have to support and treasure. So if you are nearby might be worth getting into gear and rocking with the massive!

Vital Details you may want to know:

Venue: Westpac Arena Festival Park, Chch, NZ.
Date: Sunday 9th of November 2008
Time: 12:00pm to 11:30pm

For more info check out:

Official Southern Amp Site

…Yossarian

Amsterdams’ newest addiction Pete Philly and Perquisite have enjoyed yet another amazing month. Yesterday Pete and Perq recieved the prestigious ‘Amsterdamprijs’ award out of the hands of Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen at the ‘Muziekgebouw aan t IJ’.

The award, which is the most important art award of the city, goes out every year to those artists who contributed in a special way to the arts and to putting Amsterdam on the map. On the award the guys have said “we’re very honoured and want to thank the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst and the city of Amsterdam for this big recognition. …and of course a big up to everyone that was there yesterday at the award show!”

This award rewards the chosen artists significantly financially as well as the prestige it offers. The award is just the newest of a string of honours the duo have received in the past year, and only acts to solidify Pete Philly and Perquisites’ position as ambassadors of the Netherlands to the world. What a great way to return from recent European festivals Sziget and Lowlands which are pictured below for those of us who were unable to take the day off work… Is there anything these guys can’t do?

Pete Philly and Perquisite at Lowlands Festival

Pete Philly and Perquisite at Sziget Festival

You can check out more of Pete Philly and Perquisite at:

www.myspace.com/petephillyandperquisite

www.petephillyandperquisite.com

… bs

Know where your going to be in February 2009? No? me neither, but I can tell you about a party, well more like a music festival (to be exact) that will be going down at that time. A three day mash up of kiwi music from diverse parts of the musical spectrum. Sound like something you could get into? Well just to get your enthusiasm pumping I’ll add that it includes bands “world famous in New Zealand” like: Katchafire, Rhombus, KORA, Salmonella Dub, Cornerstone Roots , The Black Seeds and many many more! The official website describes ‘A.R.E.A 9′ as “a proud new Kiwi Music event set to rock the heart of the Mackenzie Country, in our beautiful South Canterbury.” As someone who has traveled around this area many times before I can guarantee picturesque views, laid back locals, and if your lucky , some of the best weather in the country! The 6th of February is a national holiday in New Zealand, a sometimes controversial one that commemorates the signing the country’s founding document, but I think this musical extravaganza will allow everyone from all creeds and cultures to get down and boogie!

‘A.R.E.A 9′ will be a good alternative for those that usually go to the Rippon music festival that occurs every second year (so not in 2009) in nearby Wanaka, or if you just want to sample a wide range of kiwi flavours. Best of all it’s all for a good cause as the event states it will “contribute to the preservation of New Zealand’s rarest bird, the Black Stilt, as well as promote New Zealand music and the New Zealand summer lifestyle.”

So here are the vital stats to help you plan:
When: Friday, 6 February 2009 – Sunday, 8 February 2009
Starts: 12:00pm
Ends: 12:00pm
Where: Ohau, McKenzie
Cost: $160
The event is R15 so sorry kids you must be this tall to enter

You can check out more on AREA 9 at:

www.myspace.com/missioncontrolled

…Yossarian

CHECKITOUT!!!!!!!! Rock the Bells 2008 has kicked off in style in the USA and Canada with new additions to the already incredible line up including MF Doom, Sage Francis, Blue Scholars and B-Real. Considering the artists roster already consisted of A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, Methodman & Redman, De LA Soul, Rakim, Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Murs, Jedi Mind Tricks as well as a whole consortium of both new and old skool’s finest. With artists like these being added to the bill, it’s really no surprise that they have been able to draw the amazing crowds pictured above, with ticket sales still going as the mammoth tour continues.

Rock The Bells Toronto (Amateur cam – for the fans who can’t be there a.k.a. me)

So It might be time to bring Rock the Bells to Australia and New Zealand.

You can start the campaign for Rock The Bells coming to Australasia by posting whingeing comments at:

www.myspace.com/rockthebells

www.guerillaunion.com/rockthebells

and maybe cross your fingers really hard

… bs

A Tribe Called Quest re-unite to play Rock The Bells 2008

Guerilla Union have come correct once again with another stellar line-up for the annual Rock The Bells hip hop tour of the States. Backing up from the strong 2007 bill, which included the likes of Rage Against The Machine and the whole Wu-Tang Clan; Rock The Bells will indeed do that. Headlining this year’s event are A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, Ghostface and Raekwon, Meth and Red, Immortal Technique, Murs, De La Soul, and the re-union of the original members of The Pharcyde.

The Pharcyde origional members play Rock The Bells 2008

Fan’s can expect to hear a huge amount of new material from the artists, with new albums on the way from Nas, with the self-titled NAS, due in July; Mos Def with The Ecstatic, supposedly due April; Ghostface and Raekwon reunite for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, due this American summer; Immortal Technique’s The Third World is due in June; and Meth and Red are back with The Blackout 2, also being released this American summer.

Mos Def – one of many amazing headline acts at Rock The Bells 2008

The festival will hit 9 US cities through July and August, and with tickets priced from US $32.50-$74.50 it’s a bargain that you’d have to be foolish to refuse given the opportunity Lets hope we something of this magnitude on the scene down this end of the world sometime soon.

For more info and the complete 2008 line-up head to www.guerillaunion.com/rockthebells or check out what Rock The Bells 2008 means to the artists at the press conference…