Amplifier

14.06.10 

One of the most significant celebrations in the Maori calendar is Matariki - the indigenous New Year for Aotearoa and the Pacific.

The renaissance of this ancient Maori celebration and its traditions is a chance for all New Zealanders to remind ourselves of the very special place we occupy in the world.

Matariki can be seen rising just before dawn in the last few days of May or the beginning of June every year. Matariki celebrations usually begin on the day of the first new moon following its rising.

As well as marking the start of a New Year, Matariki also signals other new beginnings.

Traditionally, Matariki was the time to plant trees, prepare the land for planting crops and renew associations with whānau. The New Year is also a good time to reflect on your place in the world, to re-awaken old kills or try out new one, and to set new goals.

Find out more about Matariki over at the  Kōrero Māori website, where I have gathered today's information from). Our friends over at NZ On Screen are also celebrating today with some special content  that you can check out here.

If your other New Year (Dec 31st) resolutions haven't worked out for you today is a great chance to start afresh... with that said I'm off for a jog... well perhaps not, I think I'd rather see in Matariki chilling out with this: 

Release Of The Week:
Fat Freddy's Drop - Live at Roundhouse London

"As any long-term fan knows, 'live and direct' is the very best way to feel the mercurial magic of Fat Freddy's Drop. Onstage performance is the life-blood of their music, which evolves in a spontaneous, eclectic and collective experience." Jon Lusk, Guardian, UK

Fat Freddy's Drop is proud to announce the release of Live at Roundhouse documenting an epic night of music at London's legendary Roundhouse in December 2008.

Captured at the second of two luminous nights at the converted rail roundhouse in Camden, the album is a six-track ride featuring The Camel, The Raft, Flashback, Pull The Catch, The Nod and Shiverman. The packed out show was the finale of a six-week European tour that laid the foundation for the band's studio recording of Dr Boondigga & The Big BW released the following year.

The Roundhouse, infamous in the 60s for hosting the UK underground from Led Zeppelin to The Doors and Jimi Hendrix, is light years away from Freddy's only other live album release Live at The Matterhorn but it carries the tradition of the band relaxing into the music, improvising and shifting through the riffs and rhythms to the crescendo that is Shiverman.

Guardian writer Jon Lusk who has contributed liner notes for Fat Freddy's Drop Live at Roundhouse described Fat Freddy's Drop as "lost in music in the best way possible." 

Gigs:

Here are our pick for live music for this week as found on the Makuna gig guide.

For a full breakdown on whats on offer around the countries pubs and clubs take a look at Makuna

Rock on!
Ed