Fertility Festival Unveil Debut Album + Videos

Soon to storm the stage as part of The Wine Cellar's all-star 20th anniversary celebrations, Fertility Festival give us a sonic kick in the bum this Friday with their debut self-titled album, out via Aotearoa experimental flag flyers iiii Records. Renowned for filling Pōneke's stages and streets with up to sixteen musicians at a time during that strangely under-documented era known as the '00s, Fertility Festival's membership on the collection includes William John Hooker, Warwick 'Top Shelf' Donald, Isaac 'Fat Bottom' Smith, Gerard 'Basketcase' Crewdson, Blair Latham and Julian Taylor, with special guests Tom Rodwell, Blind Joe Pineapple, Tadaki Paul, Reuben Derrick, and Chris 'Guest Speaker' O'Connor.

Opener 'Smash Hit (Live)' is one heck of a foot stomper, throwing down an overdose of inspired horn vamps and ritualistic groove mantas conjured to move bodies into wild shapes. An eight track wealth of hooting (and occasional hollerin') riches, Fertility Festival was recorded during the unofficial Ornette Coleman afterparty at legendary underground music hub Happy in early 2008. The release is accompanied by a new video for 'Desert Vision', filmed / edited by Stephen Bain and featuring Tāmaki Makaurau dancefloor king Tejo van Schie, plus a searing clip for  'Smash Hit' of the group in collective action also filmed by Bain. A crucial Aotearoa audio artefact finally unearthed, listen up to Fertility Festival and head along to the group's grand return...

It Seemed A Good Idea At The Time - Twenty Years Of The Wine Cellar

Monday 27th May - Vitamin S Special! (koha entry)
Tāmaki's Non Idiomatic Free Improvising Collective will curate an evening of music

Tuesday 28th May - Storehouse plays a Rent Party in the Wine Cellar Bar room! (money in the hat)
Get ready to shake shimmy and sweat to profane blues and calypso

Wednesday 29th May - Songwriters Special 'Into the Grotto'*
featuring Louisa Nicklin, Kraus, Babe Martin, Samara Alofa + more to be announced

Thursday 30th May - Trioglodyte with guests*
Jeff Henderson (saxophones), Eamon Edmundsen-Wells (double bass) and Chris O’Connor (drums) present a special 3 set show featuring guests Allanah Goldsmith, Riki Gooch, Erika Grant, Rosie Langabeer, Rahana Larsen Taylor and more to be announced

Friday 31st May & Saturday 1st June - The Wine Cellar, Whammy Backroom
Featuring... Mokotron, Hans Pucket, (the return of) The Fertility Festival, Echo Ohs, Dick Move, Guardian Singles, Bloodbags, Amamelia, D.C. Maxwell, The Broken Heartbreakers, TOOMS, Sulfate, Pony Baby + more (set times to be announced)

*Tickets available HERE via UTR (festival concession tickets + supporter packages available)