Hawke’s Bay concert series part of NZ Music Month celebrations

Jamie MacPhail is behind a collaboration between Small Hall Sessions and NZ Music Month which will see 16 concerts in out-of-the-way halls across the Bay, Photo / Warren Buckland

May is New Zealand Music Month and Hawke’s Bay is getting in the mood with its own celebration of local musical talent.

Hawke’s Bay Music Month is a collaboration between Small Hall Sessions and NZ Music Month and will see 16 concerts in out-of-the-way halls across the Bay.

Jamie Macphail, who runs Small Halls and is behind this latest initiative, believes the concert series will help bring some healing to Hawke’s Bay. It’ll also provide much-needed paid work for Hawke’s Bay musicians.

“As a community, we are in a state of shock and recovery, it’s the right time to help provide income and an audience to Hawke’s Bay artists,” Macphail said.

“It’s also a chance for respite and community building … music unifies and heals.

“Small Hall Sessions are a catalyst for gathering, and these HB Music Month gigs will be too.

“When a community comes together it grows stronger. People find comfort in the company of others, and they can lean on one another and connect with each other on a really meaningful level,” he said.

“Live music is a panacea, a fortifier and a sanctuary.”

Each of the 16 HB Music Month concerts will be 90 minutes and will feature three local musicians or groups, from a wide range of genres, playing original music. Each concert will include an emerging artist, an established artist and an artist with a national profile.

The selection of artists and the programming of the concerts will be led by Sarah Terry, head of the School of Music at EIT, Richie Jackman, owner of Napier Music Machine, and Kevin Murphy, events manager for NCC and founder of The Backline Trust. All three have a wide knowledge of the local industry.

All tickets to the gigs are $25 thanks to support from Hawke’s Bay’s councils and the NZ Music Commission.

Background

Since 2000, the NZ Music Commission has run NZ Music Month, initially as a way to encourage radio to play more local tunes. Over the subsequent 23 years, it has become a very real celebration of the music and musicians of Aotearoa.

Since its inception in 2020, Small Hall Sessions has become a cheerleader of NZ musicians touring out-of-the-way places, bringing music to the people, wherever they are.

Venues are small halls across Hawke’s Bay:

Maraekakaho

Clive

Elsthorpe

Takapau

Ashley Clinton

Matapiro

King George Bayview

Te Pohue

Meeanee Memorial Hall

Twyford

Onga Onga

Porangahua

Sherenden

Haumoana Hall

Waipukurau War Memorial Hall

Puketapu Community Hall