I love the way Palmy eases into the business end of summer. We're back at work, heading back to school but, in our hearts, still on holiday. I'm wearing jandals and the vibrancy of my toenail polish is a reliable barometer of how holiday-ish I'm feeling. Coral, for the record.
Rachel Bowen's If I'd Known: Selections for February in Palmerston North
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Herb's Mobile Record Store, seen here in Wellington, is coming to Palmerston North on February 11. Photo / Supplied
Snails: Artist Run Spaces is capping numbers in the building at 50 and has a full programme of seated gigs. The Taonui St venue is hosting Herb's Mobile Record Store on Friday, February 11, 10am–3pm. The Catman exhibition opens on February 12 at 6pm. Catman is a subversive exhibition of painted cats ... bad, mad, sad ... purebred psychopaths, and passive-aggressive scowlers each accompanied by music that speaks about our times. The artist is Featherston's Campbell Kneale.
If there were an Olympic medal for rescheduling events, the team at Globe Theatre would probably win it. True to form, they're still putting touring shows on stage, on Friday, February 18, hosting folk act Butter Wouldn't Melt as part of their album release tour. The album 1931 features songs about New Zealand history and their performance is a unique blend of Americana and traditional folk influences.
On Saturday, February 19, the Comedy Hub kicks off its series of Big Monthly Stand-up Shows, with February's headliner the multi-award-winning 7 Days regular Nick Rado. On Monday, February 21, the Globe will finally, proudly, be the first venue in New Zealand to host the Better Cities Film Festival as part of the Creative Cities Conversations series, showcasing the most acclaimed films from the 2020 Better Cities Film Festival held at the World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi.
By March, there might be less jandal wearing, and more going out (hopefully in groups of more than 100). But in true Palmy style let's make the most of what we're still able to do, even in smaller, socially distanced groups. I hope to see you there.
• Rachel Bowen is an arts enthusiast, sometime actor and, as a Palmerston North city councillor, chairwoman of the council's arts, culture and heritage committee. The views expressed here are her own.