June club night is Monday, 30 June. No guest this month, so plenty of room for floor singers. Dust off your guitar and give it a go! Entry only $5 to cover costs. Email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to request a floor spot, or just come a little early.
All welcome, BYOB and of course there’ll be a cuppa and bikkie at half time.
The Whangateau Residents and Ratepayers Association is hosting a Country Dance this Saturday at the hall. All are welcome. Entry is $5. Bring your own beverages and a plate to share.
CHANGE OF SPECIAL GUEST BAND!
I somehow got my dates confused and Hobnail Trio is coming in September, not May. So instead we will have wonderful local folk duo Vai Mai Natana, who first played at the hall to rave reviews one year ago.
This hot folk duo of Mema and Nathan Boston delivers an exceptional music experience that you will feel at your very core as this is where they express from. They focus on acoustic arrangements of Mema’s original works with the odd quirky cover all delivered with the sincerest of love for sharing their craft. Musically, it’s kinda like The Rescues formed a love triangle with Leonard Cohen and Andres Segovia. It is a most delicious blend of quirky beauty that will make you laugh and probably cry in the same night. Expect soaring vocals with carefully placed guitars supporting poetic lyrics in the sincerest of love for sharing music with you.
As this is a local duo, instead of a traveling trio, tickets will be $15, not $20. If you have already purchased and paid for tickets, please contact me for a refund. Or to sort out whatever you prefer. My apologies for this confusion. I’d say it won’t happen again, but I really can’t promise that!
Doors open at 6:45. Floor singers first half. $15 cash or bank transfer. Email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to secure your seat or sign up for a floor spot. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 25th!
Local Kuia Marie Ashton has composed a new waiata for our community. We are very grateful to her for this new taonga. Once we have an audio recording we will post it here.
Nā Marie Ashton-Jones i tito i te tau 2026. He waiata tēnei i tākoha atu ki te rōpū tiaki i te whenua
me te moana o Whangateau.
(Nau mai, Haere Mai, a song composed by Marie Ashton-Jones in 2026 for the Kaitiaki group WRRA of the land and sea in Whangateau).
Haere mai,
Haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai (Welcome)
Nau mai, haere mai
E ngā-tangata (welcome people
Nau mai, haere mai
I- tēnei rā (Welcome today
Nau mai, haere mai
Ki tēnei whenua o Whangateau (Welcome on this land)
Whakapiri mai,
Whakatata mai, (Join come close)
Koutou katoa
Ko mātou ngā kaitiaki i tēnei whenua,
i te moana o Whangateau
We are the guardians of this land and Whangateau sea
Club darlings David and Shimna return with a brand new show!
This dynamic guitar & violin duo are re-united for a series of sizzling shows across New Zealand in 2026. Shimna will be back from Belfast, Northern Ireland & this tour marks a special reunion, a chance to bring their close harmonies, infectious fun vibes, and exquisite guitar and fiddle playing back home to New Zealand where it all began!
This is a club night with first half floor singers. Email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to book your seat or a floor spot!
Monday, 23 March. Doors open at 6:45. Floor singers first half. $20.
Happy Equinox! Time for a new toothbrush! And time for our monthly Folk Club Night, with special guests Canadian folk cabaret duo Zonnis. We are having club night a week early to catch these excellent traveling troubadours at the very end of their successful New Zealand tour.
Hailing from Canada’s rugged west coast, Zonnis fits into any setting where music lovers are set to listen. Drawing upon their years of traveling and touring, their music takes you on a journey through upbeat and inspirational to somber and introspective, all with a healthy dose of humor thrown in for good measure. While never hesitating to poke fun at the world around us, Zonnis rides the line to stay within enough boundaries that it can be enjoyed by folks of all walks of life. Styles range from traditional folk to bluesy rock, with a bit of funk and soul tossed in as well.
This is a club night with first half floor singers. Email me to book your seat or request a floor spot. Tickets are $20 cash or bank transfer. Doors open at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start. See you there!
Sunday, 15 March. Doors open at 7:00pm. $25.
In case you are on the fence about coming to see You, Me, Everybody in concert, please have a listen to their recent interview on Radio NZ: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nzlive/audio/2019024857/nz-live-you-me-and-everybody
YME’s new album, “Midnight” is simply outstanding, adding to an already excellent repertoire of music. If you like The Lonely Heartstring Band, you will love You, Me, Everybody. All these musicians are well known to us, and we’ve been watching them develop and improve as a band since they formed. in 2019. New Zealand’s Punch Brothers, walking in the footsteps of the legendary Lonely Heartstring Band, this is a show you absolutely must not miss.
This is a full concert with this magnificent band. Email to book your seat. Tickets are $25 cash or bank transfer. Doors open at 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start. See you there!
I don’t know what’s going on, but this year has been one cancellation after another. Don’t look at our calendar for future events. It’s likely to change at any moment. More so than usual. It’s been crazy.
Fortunately, I know a lot of really great musicians. And so far I’ve been able to find replacements of equal or higher quality than the original bookings. This coming Monday is a case in point. We’ve got an incredible new four piece folk band from Whangarei coming made up of my dear friends Dusty Burnell, Val and Leah Lands, and Gary Smyth. Dusty Lands brings it all: luscious harmonies, soulful songwriting, banjos, mandolins and resonators. Any of these artists would be worthy of their own club night spot. Together? Mind blowing.
This is a club night with first half floor singers. Email me to book your seat or request a floor spot. See you there!
Monday, 23 February 2026
Whangateau Folk Club Night with Dusty Lands
$20 cash or bank transfer
Doors 6:45pm, 7:00pm start
This Thursday, February 12th, the Auckland Ceilidh band is coming to Whangateau! Join us for an evening of toe-tapping traditional Irish & Scottish tunes, songs, and most important of all, dancing. Long known as a beacon of folk music, this is the first time the Auckland Ceilidh band has come to Whangateau. No experience necessary, all ages welcome. All the dances are explained, talked/ walked through, and called.
The leader of the Auckland Ceilidh band, Paul King, is the current recipient of the Daphne Gretta Mary Stevens Community Music scholarship. He is using the funds to help raise funds for 3 halls in the Auckland Region. Paul has very generously offered to make Whangateau one of those halls so the funds raised can go towards replacing our beautiful heritage floor. Very appropriate for dancing!
Admission is $20, payable by cash or bank transfer, and a light supper is included.
Email (whangateaufolk@gmail.com) to book (essential, as tickets are limited). Doors open at 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start.
Whangateau Folk Club January club night is tonight Tuesday, 27 January.
Our special guest is Hot Diggity! Stick a flower in your hair and get ready for an evening of joyous bluegrass music!This is a club night with first half floor singers. Booking recommended, for this show! Email (whangateaufolk@gmail.com) to book your seat or request a floor spot. Tickets are $20 cash or bank transfer. Doors open at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start. See you there!