‘My Name Is Moana’ – AOTNZ Tour 4 May – 1 June

Moana tours alongside sister Trina Maniapoto, Paddy Free & Cadzow Cossar.

Songs haunt us. They remind us of where we’ve been and hint at where we are going… a bit like Ocean or Moana, that mysterious watery highway that connects our Pacific Islands and our people.

‘My Name is Moana’ is an intimate 90-minute tribute to the ocean led by singer/songwriter Moana – Arts Laureate, inductee into the NZ Music Hall of Fame and 2019 Distinguished Alumni (University of Auckland). This show celebrates our relationship as New Zealanders to the Ocean through a mixture of music, myth and personal anecdote. An intimate, uplifting and often humorous experience, “My Name is Moana” includes garage party classics as well as those inspirational songs which have taken Moana and her musicians across 30 countries.

“We have travelled to some of the most exotic places on the planet,” says Moana. “But the Arts on Tour 2017 journey around our own beautiful country was an absolute privilege. It was a reminder too of the passion people have for reclaiming the health of our waterways.”

Independent Music NZ has announced the 2019 recipient of the Classic Record, an award acknowledging New Zealand’s history of music albums that continue to inspire us and define who we are. This year’s judging panel has recognised Moana and the Moahunters’ TAHI (Southside 1993) as one of Aotearoa’s classic records. Needless to say, songs from TAHI will be ringing out from Twizel to Taranaki to Tauranga and everywhere in between.

AOTNZ audiences loved Moana and her fellow musicians when they toured in 2017. Heck, they loved them so much, some fans carried their own guitars and ukuleles to the show – and joined in.

You can too. Now back by popular acclaim Moana, Trina and Paddy return. And they will be joined by Cadzow Cossar, one of NZ’s tastiest yet unsung musical heroes on guitar, as well as bass.

FEEDBACK – some comments from their last AOTNZ tour:

* “Superb artistic quality – wonderful stories, laugh out loud humour and the music was beautiful.” – New Plymouth
* “Truly an evening of stories, harmonies and entertainment, but with a message: look after your country and your living rivers and oceans. Entertainment at its best. A brilliant evening.” – Geraldine
* “Outstanding event – very professional” – Onewhero)
* “Very impressed by their aroha and professionalism” – Gisborne

PROFILES

Singer/songwriter, documentary maker and writer, Moana Maniapoto has played hundreds of concerts throughout New Zealand, the Pacific and around the world. The awards just keep on coming. But what you probably don’t know is that Moana is a gifted storyteller – hanging out to share tales of life on the road. Moana also grew up on “garage party” songs. She intends to whip out her battered old party guitar and keep up with Cadzow, a very flash guitarist.

Electronic Music Producer Paddy Free has fused his love of electronica and traditional Māori music to earn himself a special place within the NZ music industry – and internationally. He produced albums for Ngā Tae, Toni Huata and Moana & the Tribe but is most famous for being one half of electronic act Pitch Black. Paddy writes music for dance pieces for WOW and the Auckland Arts Festival. During our last Arts On Tour, Paddy’s impersonation of a radio announcer was so perfect, he scored a voice-over at the radio station in Geraldine.

Vocalist Trina Maniapoto started singing publicly in kapa haka in Rotorua as a member of Tūhourangi-Ngāti Wahiao. Trina’s debut stage performance was at Te Papa, a week prior to a 34-gig tour across Europe. She was so good, we kept her on. Favourite performances? Kalamata (Cultural Olympiad, Greece 2003) when the band led indigenous artists from US, Australia and Hawaii in a 20-minute, impromptu jam. Then there was that gig at the Sydney Opera House. Trina may have packed her poi away, but her harmonious singing and ukulele skills mean she’s a keeper.

Cadzow Cossar is one of NZ’s “tastiest” guitarists, both on electric and acoustic. He easily conjures up the sound of an entire band all by himself. Proving that music is a universal language, Cadz directed a 12-piece orchestra in Florence and trained up a bass player in Russia, all without speaking a word of Italian or Russian. A patient sort of guy, which is why Cadzow shares his talents as a tutor in schools. But all those tall tales of life on the road? He saves those for late night sessions with the band. However, it’s highly likely he will spill the odd secret during the My Name is Moana tour.

SCHEDULE

Saturday 4 May 7.30pm Whakatane
The Liberty Centre
$20 Book: The Good Life

Sunday 5 May Gisborne
Location to be announced

Monday 6 May Napier
St Joseph’s Māori Girls College – Day performance for pupils and staff 1.30 (private)

Tuesday 7 May 7:30pm Waipawa
CHB Municipal Theatre
$25 Book: Eventfinda or CHB Theatre

Wednesday 8 May Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm Patea
Patea Maori Club
$10 Adult $5 (under 16) Book;  Patea Library Plus

Thursday 9 May 7.30pm New Plymouth
4^th Wall Theatre
$25 Book: www.4thwalltheatre.co.nz

Friday 10 May 7.30pm Whanganui
Royal Wanganui Opera House
$25 Adult $20 Seniors, students, FOH Book:  Royal Wanganui Opera House

Saturday 11 May 7.30pm Picton
Picton Little Theatre
$25 Book:  Take Note, Picton and Alyssums Blenheim

Monday 13 May 7pm Lincoln
The Laboratory
$20 Book:  Over the bar or 03 325 3006
 
Tuesday 14 May 7pm Darfield
Trinity Church
$20 Adult, $10 Student Book:  Selwyn Gallery or on the door
 
Wednesday 15 May 7.30pm Twizel
Twizel Events Centre
$25 Adult, $10 Student
(include complimentary nibbles, cash bar available) Book: Twizel Info Centre

Thursday 16 May 7.30pm Bannockburn
Coronation Hall
$25 Adult, $20 SuperGold, Student/Child $5 Book:  Cromwell i-Site

Friday 17 May 7.30pm Hawea
Lake Hawea Community Centre
$25 Book: Sailz Café, OCD Café, Wanaka Medical Centre, (cash only) Door sales (eftpos available)

Saturday 18 May 7.30pm Arrowtown
Athenaeum Hall
$25 Book: Eventfinda
 
Tuesday 21 May 7.30pm Takaka
The Playhouse
$20 Book: Pohutukawa Gallery

Wednesday 22 May 7.30pm Motueka
Chanel Arts Centre
$25 Adult, $5 Schoolchildren Book:  Floral Affaire, Motueka

Thursday 23 May Mapua Dinner from 6pm Show 8pm
The Playhouse Theatre
$25 Book:  The Playhouse Theatre

Saturday 25 May 8pm Otaki
The Maoriland Hub
$25 Waged, $20 Unwaged Book:  www.iticket.co.nz

Sunday 26 May 7pm Rotorua Doors open at 6.30pm.
The Rotorua Little Theatre
$20 Book: Eventfinda
 
Tuesday 28 May 7.30pm Opotiki
Opotiki Senior Citizens Hall
$20 (Drinks and nibbles available) Book and presented by:  Opotiki District Library

Wednesday 29 May 7.30pm Tauranga
X Space
Baycourt Community and Arts Centre
$35 Book:  www.baycourt.co.nz

Thursday 30 May 7.30pm Hamilton
The Meteor Theatre
$23 GA, $17 Concessions Book:  www.themeteor.co.nz

Friday 31 May 7.30pm Putaruru
The Plaza Theatre
$20 group and loyalty discounts available Book:  Eventfinda and the Plaza

Sat 1 June 7pm Doors open Show 8pm Paeroa
The Refinery $20 Book:  At venue or Eventfinda