Sunday 26 November
3:00PM – 10:00PM
San Fran, Cuba Street
Entry: Koha (suggested donation $20)
Over 20 of the capital's top musicians are coming together on Sunday 26 November to raise funds to support DCM's amazing work with people who are homeless in our city. This will be the 4th benefit concert for DCM, and this year the format has been expanded into a day long festival, taking place at San Fran, Cuba Street, Wellington. The event gathers together some of the region's best musicians.
The Line Up
Laura Collins and The Back Porch Blues Band
Laura Collins and The Back Porch Blues Band are dynamic, masterful and all about entertainment. Collins, known for being an engaging front woman, likes to move between ballsy blues and soulful ballads, making them her own.
Laura's band are all long-time players in the Wellington and national music scene: Wayne Mason, well-known singer-songwriter, also one hell of a fine boogie piano player ‘firing it up’ on their behalf; John O’Connor, a masterful, pedal-free guitarist who’s played with everyone along the way, from BB King to Kiri Te Kanawa; in the engine room George Barris on warm upright bass (in his early days part of Highway) is joined by Pete Cogswell on the ‘back porch’ drums.
Kim and Dusty
Acoustic duo, Kim and Dusty, have been bringing their whisky harmonies to Wellingtonians since November 2013 when Dusty moved to Brooklyn, the heart of the Wellington country music scene.
The duo play a blend of Country, Blues, Bluegrass and Folk. Audiences are captivated by their tight harmonies and easygoing nature onstage. Kim and Dusty always deliver something for everyone with dirty blues, lonesome ballads and high paced bluegrass standards. Regular performers at several venues around Wellington they also make time to tour to other towns around the lower North Island.
THE RAG POETS
These guys have been around for a while – going back to the 60s and 70s in bands like The Fourmuyla, Rockinghorse and The Warratahs. They have come together to find a new musical home in The Rag Poets – where they play a mixture of country, folk and pop.
THE RUMBLE
The Rumble are a brand new, old school rock'n'roll outfit featuring some of Wellington's finest musicians playing some of the finest tunes from 50s and 60s artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan & Elvis. Capturing the sounds of vintage rock'n'roll, the Rumble offer up classics with raw energy and authentic tones.
Featuring Miles Calder - vocals / guitar / harmonica; Steve Moodie - bass; Nick George - drums; Chris Armour - electric guitar.
Rob Joass and the Small Mercies
Rob Joass and the Small Mercies play country/rock with a healthy dose of folk and blues thrown into the mix. Inspired by the likes of Steve Earle, Ryan Adams, Paul Kelly, and Jason Isbell, this band features some of Wellington’s best known musicians, including Alan Norman on keys, Chris Armour on lead guitar, Murray Costello on bass, and Rob’s long time collaborator and partner in crime Hamish Graham on drums and backing vocals. They will be playing songs old, new, borrowed and blue.
Darren Watson
Darren Watson is New Zealand's finest practitioner of the blues - a singer and guitarist who can give you goosebumps with the passion and intensity of his playing. He's also an original songwriter of rare skill and imagination.
"No one plays the blues like Darren Watson. Over the better part of three decades he has developed a style that, while touching on all of the greats who inspired him, is personal, powerful and identifiably his own." - Nick Bollinger, Radio NZ
The Final Set All Star Band
A special set to finish the show, where performers from through the day come back to sing a song or two with the house band of Small Mercies.
They will also be joined by special guests The Tempests – Lynley Christoffersen and Jade Eru.
And...Barnaby Weir!
Wellington born songwriter Barnaby Weir is best known for his work as a key songwriter and vocalist with veteran touring band The Black Seeds and live album stage show collaboration Fly My Pretties. Both groups have six albums in their discographies spanning the last 20 years.
All of us at DCM are very excited to see this wonderful line-up of musicians supporting us again with their amazing talent.
Doors will open at 2pm with Shady’s Americana Programme on Radio Active being broadcast live from San Fran. Laura Collins and band then take the stage at 3pm. Entry is by koha with a suggested minimum donation of $20. This a family friendly event with under 18's welcome if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Special thanks to Ziggy and the crew at San Fran for their support, Many Hands Lighting, Phantom Billstickers and our major sponsor Kadima Furniture.
See the event on Eventfinda. We look forward to seeing you there!