Shapeshifter tops off a killer line up including Katchafire, 1814, Kidz in Space, Bulletproof featuring Jessie G and Rugged Tekniques, Unknown Peace along with the world winning Prestige Dance Crew.

Shapeshifter has built a massive national and international fan base with their ground breaking live shows and unique blend of heavy soul/drum and bass. Their reputation as pioneers of modern electronic music with a unique kiwi sound has earnt them acclaim as one of NZ’s biggest bands. Auckland fans will be excited to see them back for one of their last shows of the summer.

Lipton Ice Tea Sounds in the Sun has had a plethora of NZ talent grace its stage with the likes of Kora, Hollie Smith, Katchafire, Ladi 6, The Black Seeds, Mt Eden Dubstep, Tahuna Breaks, P-Money, Ivy Lies, J Williams, Dane Rumble and that’s just to name a few, 2012 will be no exception.

‘Sounds in the Sun is one of the great highlights of 2012′s Orientation Week, and with new and returning students traditionally in high spirits at this time of year, I encourage everyone to come along and enjoy the day. This event has proved itself an annual crowd-pleaser, with a vibrant mix of great performers, food and refreshments, market stalls for people to wander through, and of course the fantastic atmosphere” says Unitec CEO Rick Ede

It will be a day of not only great kiwi music but patrons can expect interactive zones, food vendors, licensed areas, market stalls and free Lipton Ice Tea.

Capacity will be limited to 10,000 this year so get your ticket before it sells out. General Admission tickets only $20 from dashtickets.co.nz.

The festival is also proud to be partnering with the Ministry of Social Development, to promote a positive anti-violence message alongside the “It’s Not O.K. Campaign”.

Thanks to our 2012 sponsors Lipton Ice Tea, The Edge, Juice TV, Speight’s Summit, Mai FM, George FM, Snap Star Live, VnC Cocktails, Rip It Up Magazine, Dash Tickets and York Street recording studios.

For more information visit dashtickets.co.nz or soundsinthesun.co.nz

It soon became apparent that what started out as simply a creative outlet for it’s members was too good to keep hidden away and it just felt wrong to not give everyone the chance to shake their shaky bits to tracks oozing with infectious fleshy hooks.

Although relatively new to the music scene,  TBC’s members most certainly aren’t.

Jason Kerrison has spent many years at the top of the NZ Music Scene with his band OPSHOP, enjoying not only commercial success, but also picking up numerous NZ Music Awards and the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award along the way.

Jamie Greenslade, better known as solo hip-hop artist Maitreya, is another Silver Scroll winner, taking away the APRA Maioha Silver Scroll Award in 2010.

Tim Skedden has enjoyed a long musical career, being a founding member of both The Feelers and also OPSHOP and while Tim has previously thrilled fans with his guitar playing, he is now stepping more into the limelight and unleashing his too long kept hidden song-writing and vocal talents.

Newcomer Selwyn Leaf completes the TBC line up. A natural entertainer, he brings a big top boom to each and every occasion and adds a soulful tone to the groups high energy performances.

TBC delivers a recorded and live experience that is as uplifting as it is refreshing and has now evolved into a fully fledged live act that has left crowds up and down the country eagerly awaiting the next time the Circus rolls back into town.

Maybe it’s the songs, maybe it’s the on stage chemistry, maybe it’s the guy wearing face paint, maybe it’s all of the above, maybe we’ll never really know…

Click here to view the embedded video.

The six top bands played off in Manukau City on Saturday night after being selected from regional finals around the country. The winner comes away with a $10,000 NZ On Air grant to record a song and music video for release. Acts that have come through previous Smokefree Pacifica Beats include Nesian Mystik, Adeaze, and chart climbing R’n’B singer Ria.

RubberBand are from Manurewa High School and formed 18 months ago.

All members have been playing and performing for many years, with most of them clocking large hours in the Polynesian church band scene. Influences include Sons of Zion, Ryan Leslie and Three Houses Down.

Teacher Tim Randle says the band is proud to be able to celebrate the music of New Zealand and the win is a dream come true.

One of the judges Tama Waipara says RubberBand won because they had a clear sound and a unique quality that stood out.

eXidus from  Waiopehu College in Levin took second place.

Smokefree Pacifica Beats is run by the Youth Performance Trust to encourage young people to create and perform original, contemporary music that reflects the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Spokesperson Elena Lome says the quality of this year’s entries was very high and the bands’ standard of musicianship continues to grow every year.

The competition is a partnership with the anti-tobacco campaign Smoking Not Our Future. Manager Susie Robertson says Smokefree is involved with the event to encourage young people to be smokefree.

“Its not just about getting smokefree messages in front of large amounts of young people and their families – its about youth having fun with being smokefree,” Susie Robertson says.

If you want to film or photograph the top six bands that competed in Smokefree Pacifica Beats they are performing today (Sunday 25 September) at 11am at Queen’s Wharf.

New Zealand Department of Conservation

Announcing the winner of our New Zealand Music Month competition: Remix the sounds of New Zealand

‘Bird call’ is the winner in our remix the sounds of New Zealand competition. Shayne Burrows, of New Plymouth, made the track from bird song on the DOC website, remixed with his own music.

The competition was perfect for Shayne who has always been interested in music and birds – he even uses kokako as his avatar on Twitter and as a logo for his work.

Announcing the winner of our New Zealand Music Month competition: Remix the sounds of New Zealand

‘Bird call’ is the winner in our remix the sounds of New Zealand competition. Shayne Burrows, of New Plymouth, made the track from bird song on the DOC website, remixed with his own music.

The competition was perfect for Shayne who has always been interested in music and birds – he even uses kokako as his avatar on Twitter and as a logo for his work.

Shayne receives a copy of the brilliant Unnatural History of Kakapo DVD and Alison Ballance’s award winning book Kakapo: Rescued from the brink of extinction.

Listen to the top five!

• Bird call, Shayne Burrows (MP3, 2,733K)
• In the woods, Matt Oliver (MP3, 4,034K)
• King Kakapo & the Waipoua Posse, Joey Hobbs (MP3, 5,654K)
• Moimoia (dream/memory), Liam Ryan (MP3, 6,118K)
• Sirocco’s theme, Liam White (MP3, 5,460K)

Listen to some of the other entries:

• Anam Cara, Liam Ryan (MP3, 5,193K)
• Bird division, Mike Balky (MP3, 8,278K)
• Birdstep, Ben Sharp (MP3, 6,670K)
• Dawn of the bellbirds, Liam White (MP3, 5,678K)
• Dirtscratcher, David Wynn (MP3, 3179K)
• First flight, Jeremy Veal (MP3, 11,451K)
• Karanga kakapo (Call of the kakapo), Gavin Keen (MP3, 2,389K)
• Party on the lake, John Heighes (MP3, 4,159K)
• Don’t cry, Dan Smith (MP3, 5,460K)

About the competition

The competition to remix New Zealand bird song ran throughout New Zealand Music Month. Entries came from New Zealanders as far away as Melbourne, Amsterdam and London.

Our judges picked the top five entries which were posted on the Conservation blog and here on the DOC website. The public voted to choose the winner.

Thanks to the  following environmentally responsible businesses for supporting Happyzine:

The Organic Green Grocer.

Nelson’s busy organic shop – healthy food, happy people, great service, caring for the environment.  Corner Tasman & Grove Streets, Nelson.  Ph 03 548 3650.

www.organicgreengrocer.co.nz

An offshoot of Littletunes is the work Sam does with people of mixed ability . These videos show the fun and enjoyment of the process, in this case a weekend workshop. Many people are doing much in our society to make it better and increase the opportunities, especially in releasing creativity. Good on you mate.

Littletunes – music for the people by the people.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Those songs will ring in your head, they are catchy and atmospheric and the sentiments of “got to be lazy” and “we’re ready for a good time” say it all. Send Sam an email if you’d like to consider the talents of Littletunes to help your group, Sam works with children, youth, mixed ability people and teams within communities and organisations to release creativity, improve self esteem, and connect and strenghten teams.

marty mars – mars2earth.blogspot.com

University students create campaign to make young people listen

Students at AUT University in Auckland collaborate with technicians and the National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) to introduce a giant model Ear and iPod to high school students in a bid to make a loud noise about safer listening practices.

Recent research has shown that one in five teenagers has experienced early signs of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud music. But NFD and AUT believe hearing loss can be prevented through education and awareness.

Chief Executive of NFD Louise Carroll said many young people are putting their hearing at risk because they listen to music too loud and for too long on personal music players.

“Music players can reach volumes in excess of 100dB – the equivalent of a jet engine during take-off.

“While people wouldn’t choose to stand near a jet for very long, many spend hours listening to music at the same dangerous level, without realising the potential for premature hearing loss,”
Carroll said.

Jason Kennedy, the designer of the ear and iPod, said cutting edge technology was used to create a precise and life-like sculpture.

“AUT is thoroughly interested in interdepartmental collaboration, and a project like this between communications and digital design – with rapid prototyping assistance from the university’s Creative Industries Research Institute – is a prime example of how cross-disciplinary research
helps to achieve what could not be done within a single discipline alone. It provides students with a much better foundation for how to engage with current industry concerns once they graduate.”

The campaign, which runs from the 20 – 24 September, aims to ensure people aged 13 to 18 years know how important it is to protect their hearing while enjoying music and sound. Along with New Zealand musicians and Earrol, the giant ear, the ‘Listen Hear, Love the Music’ team
will visit high schools around Auckland to educate young people about how to enjoy music safely.

The NFD team will engage students in interactive competitions to raise their interest in safer listening at gigs, clubs and festivals around New Zealand, and demonstrate what life could be like without music. The NFD team will also be armed with tips for protecting hearing.

Youthline Press Release

From audio to visual – NZ musicians help Kiwi youth

Hollie Smith, Julia Deans and Riki Gooch have more than just Kiwi music in common.

Along with 13 other local musicians, they’re switching mediums to create a different kind of art – and it’s for a great cause.

Art For Artists Sake has been created to help Youthline, New Zealand’s largest and longest standing youth development and support service. Each of the 16 musicians will create a piece of artwork which the public will be able to view and purchase.

According to Isaac Aesili moving from vocals to visual will be an interesting challenge.

“Creating is in our blood, but Art For Artists Sake will be about expressing ourselves in a completely new and unfamiliar way.”

“It’s a great showcase of NZ musical talent and we hope to spread the word about Youthline’s work, and raise some much needed funds so they can keep supporting and developing our young people,” says the organiser Ren Kirk

Once complete, the artworks will be displayed online at www.artforartistssake.com and at popular venue, Sale Street in Auckland City, where the pieces will be auctioned off on Sunday 17th October.

The 16 NZ musicians providing their talent for Art For Artists Sake are:

Anna Coddington, Adi Dick, Hollie Smith, Isaac Aesili, Iva Lamkum, Jade Pritchard, Julia Deans, Lewis McCallum, Lisa Crawley, Lisa Tomlins, Mara TK, Rhian Sheehan,  Riki Gooch, Ruth Carr, Sacha Vee & Tim Guy.

For more information, please contact: Ren Kirk on ren@artforartistssake.com, 021 1629 100

Youthline thanks the following sponsors of Art For Artists Sake: Benefitz, Master Mouse Patrol, Moochmag.com, Phantom Billstickers, Radio Ponsonby, Real Groove, Sale Street, The Groove Guide, Unlimited Realties.

Youthline was established 40 years ago with a primary focus of involving young people, both those who seek assistance and those who wish to develop themselves. Youthline receives & responds to up to 160,000 contacts from young New Zealanders & families reaching out for help every year. On top of this, each year we receive over 200,000 text message from young people in need of help. www.youthline.co.nz

The Awards celebrate and acknowledge the best music videos New Zealand has to offer – as voted for by the New Zealand public. Award categories run the full gamut of New Zealand music including Rock, Metal, Electronic, Group, Solo Artist, Indie, Dub and Hip Hop, Breakthrough Artist, and presenting partner Grabaseat’s Video of the Year Award.

Juice TV Managing Director Dan Wrightson says “The Juice TV Awards are a one of a kind event in New Zealand because they allow fans, rather than the music industry, to decide on who wins each award category.

“Sometimes the music industry loses sight that it’s the fans who are the real experts,” Mr Wrightson says. “Our awards are the best way for Kiwis to have their say in New Zealand music month and they’re also a golden opportunity for us to enjoy interactive feedback from the best judges there are – our viewers and friends in music.”

Those who vote for their favourite NZ music videos will go in the draw to win weekly prizes from Awards sponsors Guitar Hero, Dickies, The Quadrant Hotel and Real Groove magazine. Plus the big draw card to vote will be the chance to win a $10,000 VIP Juice TV Awards prize package including flights, penthouse accommodation and a star-studded pre-awards party at The Quadrant Hotel, as well as red carpet treatment at the Awards Show and loads of other goodies supplied by Juice TV Awards sponsors.

Juice TV will broadcast the awards, presented by Grabaseat, live from the newly established Juice Bar at the Windsor Castle in Parnell, Auckland from 7pm on May 31st as a wrap-up celebration of New Zealand music month. The awards after party featuring live performances from some of NZ’s top acts and headlined by Opshop will also feature in the broadcast.

Tickets to the Juice TV Awards are by invitation only, with chances to win tickets on Juice TV over NZ Music Month and exclusive Awards weekend packages up for grabs through grabaseat.co.nz.

To vote go to www.juicetv.com

Ed.

Hi there Happyzine readers,

My name is Levity Beet. I write and perform music for children of all ages. One of my songs ‘The wheels on the bus they don’t go round’ has just made it to the finals of the ISC (International Songwriting Competition).  As well as being judged by Weird Al Yankovic, Tom Waits, Neil Finn and others the competition has a Peoples Choice section. If you’d like to help give NZ children’s music a boost (and do me a great favour!) you can vote up to once a day per email address throughout March.
You can vote by…
1. Going here…
http://www.sonicbids.com/voting/Default.aspx?p=336
2. Enter your email address and submit
3 Then go to your email inbox, open the mail from Sonic Bids and click on the link in there
4.That will take you to a page with all the finalists from all sections, scroll down alphabetically to ‘The wheels on the bus they don’t go round’ – tick box and submit.

You can listen to ‘The Wheels…’ from there too.

To listen to more of my music go here…
http://www.myspace.com/levitybeet
Or see a video of my Apra NZ 2009 Children’s Song of the Year here…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers
Levity Beet

Promoters have announced the four New Zealand acts to perform at January’s Raggamuffin concert in Rotorua.

Read more

Charlotte Squire

10:34AM Tuesday Oct 20, 2009
By Scott Kara

Britomart Square will play host to its first music festival in February.

The day-long Laneway Festival on February 1 will be headlined by British post-punk band Echo and the Bunnymen, highly-touted British act Florence and the Machine, and noisy New Zealand pop rock band the 3Ds, who play for the first time in 12 years.

Read more

New Zealand is one of 16 countries that will get access to a live stream of a U2 concert on YouTube.

Read more

By,

Purple

For more information about Visionic, the music DVD or to purchase the DVD visit the Happyzine shop.

David Coffey in action

Published in Happyzine Winter 2008

Nineteen year old David Coffey plays drums in the Christchurch based band ‘The Insurgents’. He shares his advice about making your dreams into a reality and making the most of being young. What makes you happy? Lots of things, the people around me, my friends, my family. The simple things, like achieving a goal, no matter how minor it is. This kind of keeps me sane, keeps me positive. It keeps me looking towards the future instead of dwelling on what’s happening now. It’s far easier to look towards the future, and to have something to work towards because I’m never as happy when I’m just static, when I’m not doing anything. Who or what do you consider to be special in your life? The people that surround me, my friends and family. Music is a big thing. I always try and make time to enjoy things. Especially because I’m young, I try to have a good combination of fun things and boring things like doing work. Who or what gets you through the hard times and how? Friends and stuff like that, but not always in a really obvious ‘lets have a talk about what’s bothering you’ way, just more being there and sort of keeping it real and just being normal, because you need that. Maybe my mum’s the person who I talk to about problems but my friends – they just keep me normal, keep me sane. What do you dream of and what steps have you taken towards your dream? Well, I dream of music. And you know, I’ve been doing it for years and every time you play a show, make music, it feels real. It feels like this could happen and every time we practice it just adds a little step towards what you want. It’s gonna take a friggin long time and it’s a lot of effort and I have to work my ass off, ’cause I wanna go over seas like Chris is (my friend Chris in my band). I currently just work my butt off and that’s the really hard reality thing. It’s getting the dream and the reality thing and kind of combining the two. I know a lot of people who talk about their dreams, and though they talk about it a lot, they’re not actually doing it. They’ve got this dream, and transforming that dream into reality is the hard part. It’s far easier for most people to just sit around and talk about it but the reality is, it’s really hard, you’ve gotta do it though. What is the one thing you’d like to say to other youth about how to enjoy being young? Don’t get to caught up in yourself. Be yourself. Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you. Say what you think. Be honest. What is the one thing that you’d like to say to the world about being young? Don’t you wish you were all young like us? Don’t ya? You’re only young once and you’ve gotta get your money’s worth. The end. Charlotte Squire