Perfection, when it comes to music, is a dubious concept,  and one I place little stock in. Music does many things. It can make you happy or sad, make you dance or doze; it can elevate the soul and send spirits soaring. But, in my experience,...... Read More

Changes are afoot, but then changes are always afoot. And the more you write it, the weirder the word ‘afoot’ seems... I have a few public information announcements this week, with very little connective tissue, so I'm just going to...... Read More

It takes a lot to render me speechless, but last week did it. Alarmingly, it seems the Curse of the Column is still alive and well. There is a small window between a paper being ‘put to bed’ and the printed edition hitting your letterbox. A...... Read More

Since I wrote about the (possible) end of the world, this column  has been cursed. I'm not sure how it went so wrong. Maybe it was the Trump jokes. Maybe the Orange Ogre set his minions on me. Or got his Russian mate to. Was I was tempting...... Read More

Go away for a week and everything falls apart... A couple of weeks ago it seemed a good idea to write two columns in advance before jetting off to sit beside a tropical swimming pool sipping cocktails involving small umbrellas and pineapples. But,...... Read More

Despite my almost non-existent social media presence, I get a few emails. The single most common enquiry, if I look back, is from musicians new to the area looking for a place to play and perhaps meet some local musos. Some are professionals just...... Read More

  Sarah Spicer I don't have a lot of connective tissue for this week's column. But what I've got are many interesting and eclectic gigs, which have nothing to tie them together other than that they're happening here in the Bay....... Read More

If you'll excuse me this week, I'll skip what's coming up and pause for a few recollections; one of Tauranga's great “characters” has left us. I'm talking about the indefatigable Roly Hammond, organiser of so many things...... Read More

Folk music is noticeably popular in the Tauranga area. It's been that way since I started writing for The Weekend Sun and doesn’t seem in any danger of dying out. A lot of that has, of course, got to do with the Katikati Folk Club (KKFC)...... Read More

Perhaps I've become a little pessimistic, but lately I keep seeing signs of the end of  the world. Because things don't seem good. Fears of an impending zombie apocalypse may have passed, but there appear to be new menaces around every...... Read More