The LDO is live now. Not too late to get a ticket. Must dash myself, Don McGlashan on now.

Steve Abel coming up 2pm, The Bads, Dave McArtney and Jordan Luck still to come on, and we still have 5 4 hrs to go. Time to logout and enjoy the music.

Here is a quick shot of high school band AD/BC by photographer Jason Hailes of nfocus. In this shot – Vocalist Moira Jones, Guitar: Miller Christensen-Yule, Drummer: Thomas Alexander and Bassist: Chris Tan.

They were great!! See you soon. Lots more great photos soon.

Update: Actually this shot misses 2 members who were there! and here they are. Keys: Adam Fuhr and Louis McGlashan.

Monty Betham and Nerida Jantti are dancing up a storm for Plunket on ‘Dancing with the Stars’.

In last week’s show they were voted into the top 3 after dancing a fiery rumba. Tip: Click on the photo link of Monty at left if you want a much larger size photo!

Thanks to ‘TVNZ and Dancing With the Stars’ for the photos.

Monty and Nerida are very excited to be joining in the fun at Westmere School’s Little Day Out this saturday.

They will be dancing after Peter Urlich and Hayley Holt.

Monty’s chosen charity is Plunket and the money raised throughout the show will go towards helping Plunket to expand and grow their services in communities such as Family Centres, Parenting Education and Car Seat Rental schemes

Help Monty to help Plunket give children the best start in life.

Text Monty to 8981 or call 0900 89 814 to Vote for Monty!

Update: If you missed Monty and Nerida at the Little Day Out- watch this video as the Dancing With the Stars pair join Matt, Dayna and Vicki in the Studio! on Video HUBTV with Studio 2

Listen (controls below) to check out the Little Day Out radio ads as played on Classic Hits radio stations.

As promised here are the other two LDO radio ads featuring Dave McArtney and Don McGlashan . We have also included the link to the first ad with Jordan as well. Special thanks to these three performers for their continued support.

Click on the audio icon below to listen to Dave.
LDO on the Radio Ad with Dave McArtney Radio featuring Dave McArtney (Ad is 30 seconds – 1.2mb)

Click on the audio icon below to listen to Don.
LDO on the Radio Ad with Don McGlashan Radio featuring Don McGlashan (Ad is 30 seconds – 1.2mb)

Click on the audio icon below to listen to Jordan.
LDO on the Radio Ad with Jordan Luck Radio featuring Jordan Luck (Ad is 30 seconds – 1.1mb)

The radio ads were produced by Images & Sound.

Go here TV Ad for LDO by kidpower if you missed the TV Ad update information.

About 20 students at Westmere School worked together to make a 30 sec TV ad for the Little Day Out.

Thanks to special guests Jordan Luck, Producer Jack Sainte-Rose and Director Jesse Warn from Film Construction, who all took part and Triangle TV for showing the ad.

Thanks also to teachers and parents who helped behind the scenes.

Here is a copy of the video in Quicktime (.mov) format. It is about 4mb in size and should play in the browser for most of you.

TV Ad

AD/BC are an exciting young 6 piece band from Ponsonby who clearly have fun with their music.

Their mission is “To save Rock ‘n roll and get it back into schools.” They are reuniting after their reunion Summer Tour to play at the Little Day Out.

The band members are on vocals: Moira Jones, Guitars: Miller Christensen-Yule (son of producer/engineer Phil Yule) & Louis McGlashan (son of Don McGlashan), Keys: Adam Fuhr, Drums: Thomas Alexander and on Bass: Chris Tan.

The core of the band were in the “Fluffy Pumpkins” at Ponsonby Intermediate in 2004. They did a very successful “World Tour of Ponsonby Primary Schools” and now that they are High School students; have reformed twice..to do it all again with the last tour being in 2007.

AD/BC” aim to take the “hip” out of Hip Hop and put it back into Rock. Be at the LDO on April 5 to enjoy the fun.

Classic Hits has kindly provided radio airtime for advertising the Little Day Out. The first radio spot was completed just this week with Jordan Luck.

The plan is to have a couple more ads with featuring other LDO performers as well.

Click on the audio icon below to have a listen.
LDO on the Radio Ad Radio (Ad is 30 seconds – 1mb)

There is also a TV ad being completed but more news on that later. The ad was also kindly produced by Images & Sound

The Bads are playing the Little Day Out!

Brett Adams and Dianne Swann who started writing together and formed The Julie Dolphin in London in 1992. ( Full bio here.)

Eventually…

Dianne and Brett returned to New Zealand in 2002 and have recently finished recording Earth From Space, an album of songs they have written together and separately as The Bads.

Check the bads myspace page for some sounds especially “Carry the Weight.”

After the amazing and sometimes stressful London experience, they feel a lot more relaxed about music and things in general and which is evident in this collection of songs that show a strength and maturity, and have a unique yet timeless quality.

Preview 2 songs from the Album Earth From Space, (album link has more samples and a buy option for songs or the CD.)

Off The Rails Off the Rail about 1 min:20 seconds and

Trouble rides a Dark Horse- Trouble rides a Dark Horse about 1 min:40 seconds.

Here is a video of the “Carry the Weight”

Steve Abel

Has been confirmed for the Little Day Out. His debut album “Little Death” was released in February 2006 and has been described as “a hidden treasure;” it has attracted glowing reviews and was achieved through a collaboration of some of New Zealand’s finest musicians.

The band, described by the NZ Herald as a “Kiwi supergroup,” are: Gareth Thomas (Goodshirt) accordion; Geoff Maddock, (Goldenhorse, Bressa Creeting Cake) electric guitar; Milan Borich (Pluto’s front man, Bic Runga band) drums; Mike Hall (Pluto, Brunettes, Dimmer) double bass.

Steve has just completed a new album called “Flax Happy” and will be performing at the LDO with Geoff Maddock and Gareth Thomas. You can listen to some of Steve’s music here.

Dave McArtney’s Pink Flamingos now confirmed for the LDO

Dave is probably best known for his solo career as one of the country’s most prominent singer-songwriters throughout the eighties with the Pink Flamingos, formed with the late Paul Hewson of Dragon fame – and as guitarist and co-songwriter with Graham Brazier in the legendary Ponsonby band Hello Sailor.

The band, with all original members, is still active in the music industry and is currently writing and recording material for a new album.

Twice nominated for the APRA Silver Scroll (1981 & 1995) and 5 awards at the 1981 Recording Industry Awards, for the album Dave Mcartney and the Pink Flamingos, including Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Male vocalist, Dave has a BA in English, majoring in Renaissance poetry, and during the nineties taught in various institutions in Southern Germany.

He is currently working on the definitive story of Hello Sailor and its adventures in the music business.

Here is a sound sample below from Do that Thing which will play within the browser. More sounds over here.

Do that Thing.

Also now confirmed for LDO are The Darlings who feature Jackie Clarke, Callie Blood, Wayne Bell, helped out (on the album) most tastefully by Mark Hughes (bass), Rob Galley (guitar), and Steve Garden (drums). For the Little Day Out they will play as a 3 piece.

Jackie Clarke is renowned for her maverick entertainment style, whether it is treading the boards in musicals, sitting in judgement on NZ Idol, or fronting that large band the NZSO.

Callie Blood has spent much of her musical life behind the scenes, singing with the likes of Dave Dobbyn, Barry Saunders and Jenny Morris, as well as featuring prominently on Tex Pistol’s 1987 chart-topper ‘The Game Of Love’, while Wayne Bell has been drummer to the stars, laying down the beat behind everyone from Bic Runga to Greg Johnson.

They list their influences as Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Elliott Smith, Dolly Parton, Joe Henry, Elvis Costello, The Dixie Chicks etc. They have just released their debut album called “The Cicada Sessions.” You may buy that CD or mp3 here.

“Here is a rare thing: popular music for grown-ups. A bunch of brand new songs that will make you laugh and cry, and sing in your sleep.

Funnily, the Darlings never set out to make a classic album of grown-up pop, though that is exactly what they have done. ..”

For a 40sec sample of “Looks Alright” click below.

Looks Alright

Listen to full versions of 3 songs on the Darlings myspace site. Their new site is here.

In The Darlings news file

The 15th annual Norfolk Island Country Music Festival from May 25 to June 1 is a popular event for fans and performers alike as a showcase for country music in Australasia.

New Zealand trio The Darlings headlines the festival together with Australian country musicians Bill Chambers and The Flood for a week of toe tapping action.