Menu Magazine

Active Wellington with Forge

Hey hey Menu Maggers,

Glad to see you all survived Snowpocalypse '11, now lets get active and warm this mo'fo up!
 Sunshine is currently streaming in my window and I'm itching to get out the shorts for summer, in the mean-time though there's plenty going on for us to shake our booties at.

Sept starts off with SamIAm presented by x.d. on Thursday 1st at SFBH. SamIAm hails from Ann Arbour (USA) and has the skills to seamlessly blend the genres hip-hop, dubstep and glitch to create his own unique and distinctive sound. He's supported by D:UNK, Excelle, Gus, Izz The Wizz & Ralph Himself with tickets only $20 +bf from www.1-night.co.nz & Alc headquarters on Cuba Street.

On the same night one of Wellington's most under-rated bands (IMO) Captain Sergeant Major are playing at Mighty Mighty for free alongside Cliche Guevara. Every time I see Captain Sergeant Major, their combined talent astounds me. This one starts early at 9pm so maybe you can fit in both! If ya looking for something different to check out and broaden your horizons for, the Roseneath Centennial Ragtime Band are at Mighty Mighty on Friday 2nd. Strongly influenced by the music of legendary New Orleans musician Louis Armstrong, the Preservation Hall Jazz band and the second line tradition these guys drop a sound reminiscent of old school New Orleans.

Last month I recommended some local hip-hop for ya to check out and it was one damn fine gig, this month I'm gonna do the same. Saturday 3rd sees the man with the golden fingers, Alphabethead hosting a grand ol knees up at Bar Medusa (Vivian St). This tea drinking wild man was a DJ battle champ in his teens and now defies genres to bring you some of the most original and exciting music in the known world. Joining Alphabethead will be Tourettes promoting his third album “Tiger Belly” as well as Jay Roacher who's just dropped his latest album "Cheer Up Jay". This night of rap songs, juggling, poetry, turn-tablism and other hilarity, is only $10 on the door so get down early to witness the fitness of The World Of The Weird Tour.

But wait there's more hip-hop on the horizon and this comes in the form of ex Slum Village member turned soloist, Elzhi. He's droppin in on the capital on Wednesday 7th at SFBH for the low price of $25. For a taster you can download his mixtape “Elmatic” from www.elzhi.com.

Continuing the trend of fantastic burlesque gigs in the capital, September 8th serves up Monster Burlesque in the historic surrounds of The Paramount Theatre. If you can imagine Rocky Horror meeting Baron von Münchausen and getting wrapped in a cloak of Cirque du Soleil this would be the result! Monster Burlesque boasts gravity-defying stunts, music, trickery and sensuous comedy. Bookings for this are essential and you can do so at www.eventfinder.co.nz or www.paramount.co.nz. Keep an eye out around the waterfront over the coming weeks as Monster Burlesque will be putting on a series of free spectacles, to find out more about when and where this will be just search for Monster Burlesque on FB.

Friday the 9th is one heck of a busy night with RumbleAndScratch returning to Medusa, Dubstate having their first weekend party at Sandwiches and Bikini Roulette at Happy!

Here's a quick run-down of each:

RumbleAndScratch has one of NZ's best dark dnb producers Nanotek as the headliner. He's supported by the talents of Offset (ChCh), Habit, Agitate, Adamant, Synapse, Dirty P & Saboteur all for the low price of $5. This will start at 9pm as it only runs till 3pm so get in early.

Dubstate steps things up a notch this month by not only switching from Thursday to Saturday but having the mighty Gomorrah with the lyrical styling’s of Timmy P. They've got a theme for this one in the form of Crips VS Bloods, East or West! Which is best? Biggie Vs 2Pac? ...The Barside DJs Vs the Clubside! It's a dubstate battle. There's a huge lineup in support as well - Sticks & Stones, Mufasa, Symptom, Asylum, Tenpin, Lakeside Shanking, Splinter, Shrink, Short Circuit, Oscillot and hosted by Rapp Scallion. $10 for that one.

Bikini Roulette is all about the R&B, blues-country, moon-howling soul thieves’! This ones also $5 and is at Happy on the corner of Tory and Vivian St.

Since I do love me a bit of old school I can't not mention The Clash vs The Pixies tribute gig. Brought to you by Wellington's Wazzo Clash and The Proxies, this battle goes down at the Garden Club on Friday September 16th.
Speaking of The Garden Club I've gotta stop and give props to the Terrace Bar DJ's Souladelic, Heylady & Empyre holding it down on a weekly basis. Being Wellingtons only inside smoking bar with DJ's this place has been a godsend during Snowpocalypse and each time I've stopped in it's been an epic night of great tunes and fine peeps!

Lastly this month, the 23rd sees the return of Electric Wire Hustle from Europe an they're going to be teaming up with The Little Bushman for 2 nights in a row at SFBH. Tickets for this can be got from www.cosmicticketing.co.nz or in store at the new Cosmic store right next to the bucket fountain in Cuba St.

Don't forget to tune into Radio Active 88.6 fm (www.radioactive.fm) or to come say hi to me at Terrace Bar every Wednesday. I've also been dropping sets in the Cosmic store early on Saturday afternoons before the Messed Up radio show (4-7pm) which makes a nice change to crappy elevator styled pop!

See ya on the floor!

<3
Forge