Two of NZ's foremost roots singer songwriters, Adam McGrath and Darren Watson team up for a double release/toy raiser chirstmas cheer/whateverathon this dec. at chch's premier community music venue 'Cassels Blue Smoke'.
Darren will be showcasing his new album 'Getting Sober for the End of the World' for the first time in chch and Adam will be releasing a new possibly pretentious book 'The Dogs Are Up'.
Expect stories, songs and a socialism of the public bar.
PLEASE BRING A TOY TO BE DONATED FOR XMAS ALONG WITH YOUR TICKET.
Adam McGrath
Adam McGrath is a folk singer stationed wherever he lands. He travels the state highways and byways of New Zealand, Australia, Europe and parts beyond, slinging songs and offering up low rent barroom philosophy with his band of misfits and chancers, The Eastern. He hopes for the best, prepares for the worst and believes in Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, libraries, and singalongs. He lives alone, cooks infrequently and is scared of flags that blow to the right. He is happiest in front of a jukebox as the call for last drinks is given, because jukeboxes are getting harder to find, and the last drinks call means the lock in is ever closer. His songs have gathered more than their share of good reviews in NZ and overseas, he's been nominated for a couple of serious music awards (including the Apra Silver Scroll), Graham Reid from the NZ herald called him 'NZ's toughest minded songwriter’ and Barry Saunders from The Warratahs simply described him as “The Truth” while Radio New Zealand refered to him as a “National Treasure”.
Darren Watson
Music journalist Nick Bollinger recently described Darren Watson's music with the phrase So few notes, so much music. Watson's thirty five year journey from a busy, almost twitchy, fresh-faced front person for the popular late 80s rhythm and blues showband Chicago Smoke Shop to politically engaged folk-blues troubadour has been something to behold. Over the last decade in particular Watson has developed a uniquely Kiwi writing voice and a direction which has taken his music out of the bar room and into concert halls and festivals. Gone are the imported affectations and electric histrionics. Now then with a bold acoustic-based approach and a sweetly-maturing voice, Watson sings original songs that, while drenched in the blues, could only really come from Aotearoa.
