Monday 21 September, Johnsonville Club, 1 Norman Lane (off Johnsonville Road), Johnsonville, Wellington, 7:30 pm. Parking up the drive at the venue, bus and train nearby. 

Entry: $20/$15 for members. (Please note subs are due for the new financial year.) Cash only (no eftpos facilities). 

The Andrew London Duo features songwriter and raconteur Andrew London performing a mix of new and classic original songs. His musical partner Kirsten London will accompany him on bass guitar and vocals, and perform her own solo material. Together, they create an energetic performance filled with songs inspired by themes of confrontation, frustration, provocation, and mild inconvenience.

We’re looking forward to having them perform at Acoustic Routes playing “folky country swingy Kiwiana” in their inimitable way!

Hill-start

Hill-start is the musical collaboration of Porirua couple Jo Moir (Hobnail) and Simon Harding (Obediah). Simon (vocals, guitar & mandola) and Jo (vocals & fiddle) have been singing together since they fatefully met at the Plimmerton Open Mic 7 years ago. 

The Hillstart sound features Simon’s authentic Americana-tinged vocals, and Jo’s weaving fiddle lines and blended harmonies. They play simple songs that pack a punch, following the old maxim of “three chords and the truth”. Simon & Jo craft their own versions of songs from favourite artists including Jason Isbell, Shane Nicholson and Gram Parsons, with the odd original song sneaking its way into the set.

In recent times, Simon and Jo have been enjoying the challenge of playing more often outside of their own living room, with warmly received performances at Winterlude, Mainly Acoustic and Ohau House Concerts. 

Hill-start brings you songs of heartache, love, and other nonsense.

Note: The concert will be on the first floor, with access via stairs or the lift. (Yes, the lift is back in action!) You may have to press the button at the side of the door to gain access to the building.

Supper is not provided, but you’re welcome to purchase drinks, tea and coffee and snacks at the bar. If you want to purchase alcohol, a member of the Johnsonville Club will need to sign you in. Feel free to make your purchases on the way in and bring them up to the room.

Monday 17 August, Johnsonville Club, 1 Norman Lane (off Johnsonville Road), Johnsonville, Wellington, 7:30 pm. Parking up the drive at the venue, bus and train nearby. 

Entry: $20/$15 for members. (Please note subs are due for the new financial year.) Cash only (no eftpos facilities). 

Wellington-based fiddle player Rachel James and guitarist Donald James combine forces for one mission: to play folk and “gie i’ laldy”, meaning to do something with gusto or great enthusiasm. With Welsh and Scottish roots, they are inspired by Scottish, Irish and Scandinavian music traditions.
Laldy brings to the stage a set which weaves together contemporary and traditional folk tunes and songs with original writing and arrangement. Playing a selection of sweet songs, modal grooves and traditional bangers, Laldy are a lively and danceable offering to the New Zealand folk and festival scene.

Owen Hugh

Scottish with a Welsh name, living in NZ and having a permanent hunger for curry, Owen describes himself as confused. He has been writing songs since he was 16 though it took him 3 years of trying before writing a decent one. He has just remastered all his albums and they are available on sites such as YouTube, Spotify and Apple music.

His music always touches the soul and contains Celtic, Rock Folk and Blues influences. He cut his teeth at folk clubs in NZ and the UK in the 90’s and has played Edinburgh Fringe Festival 4 yrs in a row as well as several festivals in UK. Once described in the American Press as a cross between “Billy Connolly and James Taylor”, be prepared to laugh and cry possibly at the same time. After a period of writer’s block he is now recording and road-testing new material.

Note: The concert will be on the first floor, with access via stairs or the lift. (Yes, the lift is back in action!) You may have to press the button at the side of the door to gain access to the building.

Supper is not provided, but you’re welcome to purchase drinks, tea and coffee and snacks at the bar. If you want to purchase alcohol, a member of the Johnsonville Club will need to sign you in. Feel free to make your purchases on the way in and bring them up to the room.

Monday 20 July, Johnsonville Club, 1 Norman Lane (off Johnsonville Road), Johnsonville, Wellington, 7:30 pm. Parking up the drive at the venue, bus and train nearby. 

Entry: $20/$15 for members. (Please note subs are due for the new financial year.) Cash only (no eftpos facilities). 

Black Eyed Susie Trio is a band born and bred on the Kapiti Coast, featuring the violin and guitar duo of Susan Colien-Reid and Ramon Oza, now joined by keyboardist Nick Brown. Susan has supported many artists including The Blind Boys of Alabama and Ramon is the slick funky blues guitarist with the husky voice who has played since he was 14 including drifting with the “Drifters” … Susan and Ramon have played festivals, gigs and venues all over the North Island, and are now enriching their sound with the addition of Nick Brown on keyboards.
Expect to hear a fusion of Celtic and Blues Rock sound with originals and covers, including some trad folk numbers.

Stan Antonio

The duo Stan Antonio is Phoebe and Alex, who grew up attending folk festivals and have played around Wellington as part of various folk groups. They dabble in the realms of Americana, folk, and bluegrass, and have recently been writing music together. Their influences include classic artists such as Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, more contemporary artists such as Adrianne Lenker. They aspire to use the banjo as a force for good in this world, alongside close harmonies and acoustic guitar.

Both are ‘next generation’ folkies whose parents are long-term members or supporters of the folk scene in Wellington – Jude Douglas, Ann McChesney and Ian Smith are all familiar faces on our stage.  

Princess and the Pea

Michael Muggeridge (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Cara Brasted (fiddle, vocals) share a love of traditional and contemporary folk-americana music, weaving together heartfelt harmonies and lively tunes. This pair of beanpoles aim to have your toes tapping. With folkie families hailing from the Taranaki region and Oregon, USA, they are members of local band Butter Wouldn’t Melt. Cara also performs with her parents Rene and Bob in Wandering Thyme, while Michael performs with T-Bone, Jenny and Nicola Mitchell. Whether it’s a driving fiddle tune or a tender ballad, they love sharing music that brings people together.

Note: The concert will be on the first floor, with access via stairs or the lift. (Yes, the lift is back in action!) You may have to press the button at the side of the door to gain access to the building.

Supper is not provided, but you’re welcome to purchase drinks, tea and coffee and snacks at the bar. If you want to purchase alcohol, a member of the Johnsonville Club will need to sign you in. Feel free to make your purchases on the way in and bring them up to the room.

Monday 15 June, Johnsonville Club, 1 Norman Lane (off Johnsonville Road), Johnsonville, Wellington, 7:30 pm. Parking up the drive at the venue, bus and train nearby. 

Entry: $20/$15 for members. Cash only (no eftpos facilities). 

Netherlands-born Frank John brings his technical brilliance to this New Plymouth-based duo, and his Taranaki-born wife Erin Manu provides driving rhythm guitar and has a reputation for her unique style on banjo – described as having ‘a kinda swagger’ – by Albi from Albi and The Wolves.

Through sizzling acoustic instrumentals and soulful delivery of ballads, they capture the essence of guitar and song with variations on folk, blues, country, swing and classical genres. They perform some hidden gems, well known standards and their own compositions, with an extra polish as they’ve recently been recording a new album.

Jude Madill

With a voice that has been likened to both Kathy Matea and Jewel, Jude Madill plays and sings with great feel and an equal enthusiasm and love for music. She has played both solo and in groups, most recently The Madillionaires, Eagals and The Kist, around the local folk scene. 

Jude has been singing ‘since forever’ although she has not always performed as a songwriter, she says “For a good part of my life I only sang and played other people’s music – then, quite suddenly, when I was 30-something I started writing songs myself.”

Most of Jude’s original music falls somewhere in the folk/alt-country box although her
musical inspiration comes from an eclectic playlist. (Photo by Ebony Lamb)

Melling Station Boys

The Melling Station Boys, Wellington’s only pure Bluegrass band, was formed back in 2015 after an Acoustic Routes blind date concert way which brought together founder members Alastair McCarthy and Todd Foster. The band grew from there, with Andrew Bicknell and Ian Smith joining the line up, and much more recently, Kevin Ikin.

MSB are a classic Bluegrass combo, with banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass and mandolin, strong vocals and harmonies, keeping this musical tradition alive in Wellington. The Melling Boys have a wide repertoire of traditional and contemporary Bluegrass songs and tunes, as well as other songs from the Americana music world, and one or two originals. The Melling Station Boys are: Alastair McCarthy – guitar and vocals; Todd Foster – banjo and vocals; Ian Smith – fiddle and vocals; Kevin Ikin – mandolin and vocals. For their performance at Acoustic Routes, the band will be joined by Bill Vella on double bass.

Note: The concert will be on the first floor, with access via stairs or the lift. (Yes, the lift is back in action!) You may have to press the button at the side of the door to gain access to the building.

Supper is not provided, but you’re welcome to purchase drinks, tea and coffee and snacks at the bar. If you want to purchase alcohol, a member of the Johnsonville Club will need to sign you in. Feel free to make your purchases on the way in and bring them up to the room.

Monday 18 May, Johnsonville Club, 1 Norman Lane (off Johnsonville Road), Johnsonville, Wellington, 7:30 pm. Parking up the drive at the venue, bus and train nearby. 

Entry: $20/$15 for members. Cash only (no eftpos facilities). 

After sadly having to cancel due to the weather in April, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that our New Zealand month concert will go to plan!

Sage Plus is a trio, with well-known guitarist and singer Murray Kilpatrick and vocalist Sue Rose, along with Susan Ellis on fiddle and sometimes cello. Murray and Sue have been playing music together for over twenty years, and you’re bound to have heard them performing together as Sage around Wellington and beyond. They have an eclectic repertoire based on their various musical interests, including some self-penned material – not just NZ music but Wellington music!

They often invite Susan to play with them, adding her experience as a fiddle and cello player from her involvement in a number of groups, within and outside our folk scene for many years, including the Jimmy Cook band, making the trio Sage Plus.

Dean Murray

Dean started out learning music at school and returned to it after a 26-year career as a school caretaker. He has performed at venues like the Levin Folk Music Club and Firebird, and collaborates with Carylann Martin and Steve Poulton. He’s also involved in crafting his own instruments, including guitars and amplifiers, and has even planted Tasmanian hardwood trees for future instrument-making.

Over the years he has penned over 150 songs! Come and hear a small selection of them on Monday 18 May!

Bruce Carey

Like Dean, Bruce’s interest in music started in his primary and secondary school years, when he played violin. After a very long break from music, he now uses guitar to develop songs on a wide range of topics – but continues to be interested in trying to capture events from New Zealand history – and in particular, stories of heroism, injustice and tragedy – or connections to his family. For this set he will focus on some of his Wellington-based stories.

Note: The concert will be on the first floor, with access via stairs or the lift. (Yes, the lift is back in action!) You may have to press the button at the side of the door to gain access to the building.

Supper is not provided, but you’re welcome to purchase drinks, tea and coffee and snacks at the bar. If you want to purchase alcohol, a member of the Johnsonville Club will need to sign you in. Feel free to make your purchases on the way in and bring them up to the room.