Monday, 8 December 2026
Club Night with hoop.
7:00pm. $20

hoop. are a five-piece indie folk band from Tāmaki Makaurau, weaving together lush
harmonies, emotive instrumentation, and genre-blending songwriting to deliver
music that feeds the soul.

hoop. combines the singer/song writing talents of Nick Edgar (vocals, flute, guitar,
harmonica) and Al Baxter (vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica) with the
soaring string arrangements of Emily Allen (violin, viola) and the tight, earthy rhythm
section of Rusty Knox (drums, percussion) and Glenn Coldham (bass).
The result is a rich and varied repertoire influenced by everything from Celtic
traditions to Americana.

hoop. are well-known as the curators behind Auckland’s Ministry of Folk – a
recurring event that transforms a historic 1800s church hall into a cabaret-style
venue for intimate performances by acoustic artists, not dissimilar to our very own Whangateau Hall Folk Club.

First half floor singers! Email to request a first half spot.
$20 cash or bank transfer
Doors open about 6:45 for a 7:00pm start.

On November 27th the lovely and talented David Shanhun is hosting a concert at our hall that should have been part of our official Folk Club lineup, but the timing did not work out.

I had the pleasure of seeing Adam and Marika at Wellyfest, and they are absolutely stunning musicians. And everyone should already know how I feel about David Shanhun. His past shows with Shimna Higgins have been some of my favourite all time Whangateau Hall moments.

You can get all the info here: https://www.davidshanhun.com/adam-marika and purchase tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/david-shanhun-adam-and-marika-whangateau

Maybe you’ve never heard of the Taranaki Highwayman, the ghost of the Vulcan Hotel and the man who conquered the Niagara Falls in barrel, only to slip to an untimely death on an orange peel in Onehunga…

Perhaps you’ve always assumed that the most compelling stories from the past come from somewhere else. Spoiler alert – they don’t!

Right here, written in the pages of our own New Zealand story is a line-up of characters up there with any gunslinger from the Wild West: heroes and villains, do-gooders and ne’er-do-wells, high-flyers and low-lifers – we’ve got more than our share.

It’s said the past informs the present, but how many of us know of, or were even taught of the characters who make up our own past and who helped shape who we’ve become? Not just the great and good but those with dirt under their nails and blood on their hands; the sinew and gristle of our backstory.

Bringing it to life with a bang is the travelling ensemble ‘Unsung Heroes’
The multi-media show of original songs, written and performed by Chris Priestley and Cameron Bennett, supported by virtuoso guitarist Nigel Gavin and vocalist Sonia Wilson, guarantees to inform and entertain.

Club night! Floor singers first half. Email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to book a spot.

$20 on the door, cash or bank transfer accepted. Doors open at 6:45pm for a 7:00pm start.

Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard

Monday, 20 October, 7:00pm, $15.

Second half guests: Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard.

For more than four decades Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard have been playing music together, part of that secret army of ‘indie’ musicians who fly just below the commercial radar, playing grass-roots, mostly un-plugged music throughout New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Floor singers first half. Floor spots are two songs for a maximum total length of 8 minutes. All welcome, regardless of experience or ability.

Email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to request a floor spot or book!

Step into a world where myth and music entwine. Journey through haunting ballads, tender lullabies, and captivating tales inspired by siren legends from around the world. Maggie Cocco weaves storytelling and song into an enchanting, family-friendly performance, revealing the beauty, mystery, and lessons hidden in these timeless sea-born myths.

Doors open 7:00pm
Show starts 7:30pm
$15 cash or bank transfer

email whangateaufolk@gmail.com to book.

Monday, 29 September 2025, 7:00pm, $5

Spring is in the air!

Hello, Whangateau Folk friends and family! The clocks have changed, and it’s time to get into the garden. But first! Time for folk club. We don’t have a guest this month, so plenty of room for floor singer sign-ups and a nice long intermission break to have a good yarn. We’ve already had quite a few sign ups for this month, and I can tell you it is going to be an amazing night.

Email me (whangateaufolk@gmail.com) if you would like a floor spot. Otherwise, you can rock on up on the night. Small entrance fee to cover the bikkies and tea, with a little left over for a nice donation to the hall committee fund.

What: September Whangateau Folk Club Night
When: Monday, 29 September 2025. Kick off at 7:00pm
Tickets: $5 cash or bank transfer

Hot on the heels of a great night of music with Penni Feather and Wilkiemac on August 18th, it’s time once again for club night! Our special musical guest this month is an outstanding band I first heard at the Hamilton Folk Festival. This trio brings energy and emotion and sheer brilliant musicality to both original material and covers. They are currently touring their third album release “All night before the world began,” which has been described as a “Neil Gaiman-esque journey from love and vulnerability to the apocalypse.” Their sound is a delicious combination of English folk and 1970’s style singer/songwriter folk rock. I am so looking forward to this great show!

What: Club night with Bill Angus and the Mighty Ways
When: Monday, 25 August 2025, 7:00pm. Doors open 6:30pm.
Details: $15 entry (cash at the door, or by direct deposit to 12-3095-0214629-001, acct name Ms J E Abarbanel and Mr N J Torkington)
Floor singers first half, email for a spot!

World class and award winning musicians at Whangateau

Donna Dean has been writing songs most of her life, songs about setbacks, struggle and success. Honing her craft for decades and sharing her songs in far flung places, from Paihia to Prague, Te Kuiti to Texas and Corfu to Coromandel, Donna’s songs linger in the hearts of her audience. She’s a songwriter’s songwriter with multiple APRA and Tui awards for her songwriting and record production. Her collaborations include the likes of songwriting legends Russell Smith, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Webb, Paul Kelly, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham and Don Mclean. She wrote the title track to Rhonda Vincent’s 2010 Grammy nominated bluegrass album “Destination Life” and her 2023 album, “Kisses & Other Things”, produced by multi-instrumentalist/author John Egenes features American songwriter, multiple Grammy nominee Eliza Gilkyson.

This tour celebrates Forgotten Gems, songs written by Donna and recorded together with Russell Smith & The Amazing Rhythm Aces in Nashville and Auckland, tracks which won Donna her first APRA and Tui awards in 2003.

Donna’s touring line-up features Dunedin bassist John Dodd, (a longtime stalwart of New Zealand music – Dodd has worked with an elite group of A-List artists over the years), and Dunedin based John Egenes, joining the Forgotten Gems tour playing his own songs and telling a few tales.

What: Full Concert with Donna Dean and Friends
When: Saturday, 17 May 2025. Kick off at 7:30pm
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/donna-dean-with-dodd-and-egenes-at-whangateau-hall/tickets
Or $22 cash at the door.

28 Apr 2025, Monday: Club night with Vai Mai Natana.

This new 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.

You will feel it, be captivated by it and you will love it.

$15.00. First half floor singers. Start time 7:00pm. Email to book tickets or to request a floor spot. whangateaufolk@gmail.com

Butter Wouldn’t Melt returns to Whangateau with a full band and new single!

Butter Wouldn’t Melt will melt your heart with soulful stories, far-away fables and whimsical songs.
Finalists for the 2023 Best Folk Artist Tūī | Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa, Butter Wouldn’t Melt is the very definition of a grassroots, do-it-yourself band. Every note, every frame, every brushstroke of this project is their own— written, recorded, mixed, mastered, promoted, filmed, and designed. Featuring Andrea Reid (Vocals and rhythm guitar), Nick Burfield (Vocals and lead guitar), Cara Brasted (Fiddle and vocals), Marz Connelly (Double bass and vocals), and guest appearance from Kim Bonnington (Vocals).

When: 7:30 pm, Monday, 14 April 2025.
Doors open at 7:00pm
$15.
email to secure you seat!

Learn more about Butter Wouldn’t Melt