Folk in NZ South Island

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Ref
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 09:11 PM

"Good on yah, Lad!"

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: alanww
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 11:52 AM

Thanks for the further info Everyone
I don't think I'll get time to go over to Stewart Island, Uke. I only have 4 weeks to tour the South Island. I'll have to meet Sam the next time I'm down under!
Thanks for comment on the beer, Ref, perhaps I'll find time to tour the brewery while I'm in Dunedin!
"... and there for me ...!"
Alan

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Uke
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 11:10 PM

Hi Charley
If you ever make it there, try the South Sea Hotel, which looks a little swanky in this image but also has a relaxed public bar. Stewart Island is a great place for fishing, eating the local produce around and tramping - Sam helped build many of the tramping huts on the island back in the '80s.
Cheers
Mike

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Ref
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 10:16 PM

Spent two and a half weeks there in June-July '05. Didn't encounter any folk music, but I didn't know about Mudcat back then. Now I'll have to go back. Loved Dunedin and Queenston. Would like to have encountered more Maori culture. If you're having a brew, make it a Speight's. Nothing else down there is worth drinking.

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 09:02 PM

Uke-

Thanks for the update on Sam. I suspected he is a National Treasure and if I ever get to NZ I'd certainly make every effort to stop by the pub (which pub?) and treat him to his favorite brew.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Uke
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 05:51 PM

Hey Robyn,
I recently saw Sam on Stewart Island and enjoyed his company for a day or so. He doesn't drive the bus now though and I don't think he's on-line. He's still a local celeb though - at the local pub there's lots of photos of Sam on the wall, right next to the piano, the lagerphone and the stack of songbooks. The locals apparently use these in combination to raise the rafters from time to time.
Cheers
Mike

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: alanww
Date: 03 Mar 07 - 06:06 AM

Hey, thanks for the info everyone.
No, sorry, Little Robyn I won't be able to join the session at the Cat & Fiddle in Hastings as I did last year - my trip will just be in the South Island this time.
It certainly doesn't look like there are many Mudcatters in South Island. That's a pity!
"... or take again my homeward road!"
Alan

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 02:17 PM

Robyne-

No problem.

I see it's in the vicinity of the Snares.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Little Robyn
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 02:04 PM

Charley, do you know where NZ is?
Do you know the general shape?
Well, look at the very bottom of the South Island - that little blip, almost triangular shaped on some maps, that's Stewart Island.
Billy the bus is the name of the little yellow tourist bus that Sam drives people around in. I've seen it (and Sam) on a TV programme a couple of years back, just for a few seconds, just long enough to say "Look there's Sam!" and then he was gone.
Sam was involved in the Wellington folk scene in the 60s but then he vanished, at least from our sight so it was great to find him here on mudcat. Haven't heard from him for awhile tho'.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 09:03 AM

Robyn-

Thanks for the update on "Billy." Of course I haven't got a clue where Stewart Island is or isn't.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: GUEST, Tom Bliss
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 03:48 AM

I wish Mudcat had been around in 73 when I was in NZ traipsing round with my guitar looking for places and people to play with. Lived in Hastings for a while and worked at the Hawkes Bay Hotel. Did my first ever radio with Cousin Dudley - is he still on air? Then a national show with NZBC in Wellington - was in Dunedin for a while too. Closest I got to Stewdile was looking south over the water - lovely spot on the southern tip. Happy days. Must come back some time! Tom

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Little Robyn
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 01:08 AM

Billy the Bus AKA Sam Sampson lives on Stewart Island but I haven't heard from him in ages. It's very isolated down there and I don't think Sam gets to events on the mainland very often.
ARE YOU THERE SAM!!!!!!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Gurney
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 11:13 PM

I can't add anything to Robyn's post, but if I was looking for new material I would certainly check out The Chaps from Dunedin, who include in their number Marcus Turner.

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 08:43 PM

Now just where might Billy the bus be located? He was a prime contributor from New Zealand on one of our old Giant Squid threads.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Stewie
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 06:08 PM

Also check out singer/songwriter/guitarist, Bob McNeill, who has also issued a fine album of mainly Scots tunes with Orkney fiddler, Kenny Ritch, under the group name 'ben the hoose'. Tasty!

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Folk in NZ South Island
From: Little Robyn
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 01:41 PM

Hi Alan. I guess we won't see you this time.
There may be some catters down south but I can't think of any.
But be on the lookout for Phil Garland, Dave Hart, Martin Curtis at Cardrona, Mike Moroney and the Dunedin lot including Marcus Turner and Louise Frampton who has recently deserted the Cat & Fiddle crowd.
These are all friends of ours from way back - just mention Mitch!
Cheers,
Robyn

Subject: Folk in NZ South Island
From: alanww
Date: 27 Feb 07 - 11:51 AM

Hello to all Mudcatters in NZ, particularly in the South Island.
I had such a good time touring the North Island last year that I'll be touring the South Island for four weeks from 29 March 2007. I have already made a number of contacts and will be performing at the Canterbury Folk Festival at Easter.
I sing and play the concertina, both as accompaniment and at music sessions (see my website).
I've followed up most of the contacts at the KiwiFolk website and have had a good look at various other sites, including the NZ Folk Song website.
I plan to visit various folk clubs and/or music sessions in Christchurch, Picton & Dunedin. But unfortunately I won't be able to make Nelson, Blenheim or Wanaka at appropriate times to see any action.
But are there any other folky things I should consider during the rest of my tour?
And are there any South Island Mudcatters I could meet up with?
I know that Little Robyn lives in the Hawkes Bay area in the North Island (how are you Robyn?), that jacko@nz lives in Hamilton on the North Island and that Billy the Bus is from Stewart Island.
"For I am free to go abroad ...!"
Alan