Spotlight: Gig Starters Aotearoa Events - Celebrating Youth Week & NZ Music Month

The Gig Starters Aotearoa initiative is back this week with three, 100% free info-packed events helping rangatahi leapfrog into the world of putting on all-ages gigs, presented in celebration of Youth Week and Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa / NZ Music Month with the help of APRA/AMCOS NZ. Featuring live musical performances and in-depth know how from event organisers, promoters, the all-important tech people, artists and more, Gig Starters Aotearoa provides a highly accessible toolkit to get your own shows off the ground with maximum clarity and minimum fuss.

The first event is this Wednesday at New Plymouth's Most FM studio, with Christchurch's event kicking off on Friday afternoon at LOOP Papanui Youth Development Trust and Whangārei's event happening from 2pm onwards at ONE ONE SIX. Each three hour long Gig Starters Aotearoa event will begin with a group discussion about organising all-ages shows, then a soundcheck / workshop giving attendees the opportunity to see exactly how gigs are set up (this is super useful info), then live performances by local live acts (starting two hours in), plus there'll be light snacks available. You can choose to head along for the workshops and / or simply enjoy the free gig — get amongst this week's Gig Starters Aotearoa details and lineups in each region below...

Wednesday 17th May - The Most FM studio, 27 Liardet Street, New Plymouth
4.30pm doors / 5.00pm start (live music starts at 7.00pm)

The Crew:
Rodney Fisher - NZ Music Commission, Special Projects and Events / Goodshirt
Victoria Girling-Butcher - Solo Artist VGB and band member of the legendary Dave Dobbyn
Sharina Parsottam - Local event promoter and booker at New Plymouth District Council
Kerry Smith - Local New Plymouth based sound engineer
Sam Egli - Recording artist sound checking and performing at the event

Live Acts Performing:
Green Bathing
Ezra Ruka and Luka Smith

Friday 19th May - LOOP Papanui Youth Development Trust, 14 Harwood Road, Papanui, Christchurch
3.30pm doors / 4.00pm start (live music starts at 6.00pm)

The Crew:
Rodney Fisher - NZ Music Commission, Special Projects and Events / Musician
Marc Royal - Manager @ Volts & Events Producer / Musician
Trilby Crowther - Trilby Crowther APRA AMCOS
Tom Linklater - Creative Arts & Technologies Coordinator Papanui Youth Development Trust
Shana Valere - Recording artist sound checking and performing at the event

Live Acts Performing:
Midnight Buzz
Valere

Sunday 21st May - ONE ONE SIX, 116A Bank Street, Whangārei
1.30pm doors / 2.00pm start (live music starts at 4.00pm)

The Crew:
Rodney Fisher - NZ Music Commission - Special Projects and Events / Musician
Laurel Devenie - Event Producer / Performer co-founder of ONE ONE SIX
Dan Stenhouse - Venue Sound and Lighting Engineer
Jackson Boswell - Recording artist sound checking and performing at the event

Live Acts Performing:
Borderline
Ready Set

Playing at this Friday's Gig Starters Aotearoa Christchurch event with Midnight Buzz, check out Valere's acoustic performance of her streaming hit 'like that' for Live at Beat This SESSIONS Worldwide...

Press release:

Gig Starters Aotearoa, partners with local youth centres, and community spaces to bring 3 special events this May in Celebration of Youth Week & NZ Music Month with the help of Apra/Amcos NZ.

A crew of industry professionals, a local recording artist and a production technician, who will be discussing the need-to-knows of putting on your own all ages gig. After the hui will be a soundcheck / workshop, with the chance to watch and be part of a live production set-up. And then it's gig time with a headliner and a support act performing, some light snacks will be provided and this is a chance to mingle and enjoy the music.

The whole event is 3 hours long and you welcome to come for the whole event or just show up for the live music 2 hours in. Please note slight variation in timings and all events are free entry via RSVP from www.gigstarters.co.nz