Feel the festive heat

SUMMERTIME SOUNDS: Stan Walker is one of several New Zealand acts who will bring his soulful sound to the Good Vibes Summer Festival in Gisborne next month. File picture

The summery sound of Pacific reggae with a smattering of R&B, funk, soul and poly fonk is coming to Gisborne next month in the shape of the Good Vibes Summer Festival.

In January, acts such as Stan Walker, L.A.B, House of Shem, Ardijah, Tomorrow People, 1814, Three Houses Down & General Fiyah, Lion Rezz, Swiss and Tree, Paua, and Hawaiian international island reggae star Kolohe Kai will perform at the beachfront, outdoor theatre.

Tickets can be purchased from www.goodvibesfestival.co.nz. VIP and general admission tickets are available. VIP tickets include a t-shirt for those who buy them in the first 24 hours.

Heralded as one of the finest soul/R&B voices to come out of New Zealand, Walker has garnered gold and platinum singles across five studio albums and has opened for acts such as Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Ciara, Jay Sean, Travie McCoy, Ja Rule, Akon and Jessica Mauboy. Walker's latest single, Give, is on New Zealand's radio top 10.

L.A.B was founded by Stu and Brad Kora, two of the brothers from the already massive Kiwi band, Kora. The band combines reggae, blues, rock and funk. They have recently released the single, Personified, and have a new album on the way.

Fusing tradition and a contemporary style of reggae, House of Shem embodies the sounds of Maori, Polynesian, and Roots into its music. The band's 2008 hit, Thinking About You, has reached almost five million streams on Spotify.

Having formed in Auckland in 1979, Ardijah are well known for their style of poly fonk, a form that blends Polynesian sounds, such as the Polynesian log drums and ukuleles, with funk and R&B. Their 2004 album, Journey, won the award for best album at the Pacific Awards and the band still attracts more than 90,000 in monthly listeners on Spotify

Tomorrow People are a seven-piece reggae band from Wellington, who have moved their way up in the New Zealand music scene. Their albums One, Bass & Bassinets, and BBQ Reggae have all peaked at number one on the NZ Music Chart.

Eight-piece Whangaroa act 1814 have opened up for international acts like Nas and Damien Marley. The band has also played alongside Ardijah, Katchafire, Cornerstone Roots, Unity Pacific, Che Fu, and Moana and the Tribe. The name 1814 refers to the year missionary Samuel Marsden held the first sermon in the Bay of Islands. Folllowing the band's 2008 album, Jah Rydem, the groups second album, Relax, was released in 2012 and brought in a new feel for summer reggae sounds in songs like saxophonist Chris Pierce's, Sunshine.

Twelve-year-old General Fiyah released his first song, Love and Affection, in 2016. His father and uncles make up the band Three Houses Down. General Fiyah has already had more than two million streams on his hit single, Here To Stay, which was also a top 50 radio hit in New Zealand.

A member of ground-breaking musical movement, Runtingz, Rezz combines the edgy grooves of reggae, with the melodies of R&B. Lion Rezz is known for his inspiring lyrics.

Hailing from Auckland, Swiss first appeared on the New Zealand scene in 2012. Reggae pop artist Swiss has pulled in more than 2.5 million streams on his 2017 single, She Don't Want Me Love, and another 2.5 million streams on his 2013 single, If Tomorrow Never Comes.

R&B and reggae artist Tree has already grown an impressive following through her collaborations with her husband Swiss. Her 2019 single, Me and You, features the couple's impressive vocals working in harmony. Tree has had more than 100,000 streams on Spotify.

Paua blends the sweet elements of reggae, soul and funk. With their high energy and feel-good live shows, Paua now has two full-length albums, an EP, and several singles. The seven-piece band has played at the One Love festival several times and has topped the iTunes reggae charts in both Australia and New Zealand.

Hailing from Hawaii, Kolohe Kai took the Pacific reggae scene by storm with hits such as Ehu Girl, and Cool Down. His 2018 hit single Heartstrings attracted more than 5 million streams. Kolohe Kai is an act that loves New Zealand and returns regularly.