Winston Watusi Music Plus

Last week I included a quick glance at shows cancelled, postponed or confirmed; this week it's all about that.

Two of the uncertain upcoming shows were at Totara Street and some clarity has since arrived. It's now definite that the first show (Casper, Masaya and Joe's Van) has been postponed with a new date yet to be confirmed, while the joint show by Waiting For Alaska and Albi And The Wolves, set for March 10, will be going ahead with a maximum audience of 100.

Also looking set to actually happen is the acoustic guitar extravaganza at The Jam Factory on March 18 featuring the trio of Doc Sanchez, Jimi Kara and Luke Flanders, going under the name Diablos Caravan. All are fine guitar players, Jimi last visiting Tauranga to play at Jack Dusty's Ale House, doing a Jimi Hendrix tribute show as part of Electric Universe's album launch.

The trio promise a night of original, on edge, flamenco, blues, Latin jazz, country, and everything in between. Tickets are $25 online from Eventspronto.

Craig Denham

Festivals

I'm still also keeping my eye on three big festivals, each of which has taken somewhat different approaches. The first to happen, or in this case I assume the first to be cancelled, is Tauranga's One Love Festival, originally due to take place on Waitangi weekend and postponed until the first weekend in April. At the time that seemed remarkably optimistic and now with the date five weeks hence and the Omicron surge predicted to peak in four to six weeks – hmmmm...

The Rhythm and Vines Festival was postponed from New Year's Eve till Easter. That's seven weeks away; I don't fancy their chances either.

And the National Jazz Festival, originally scheduled for Easter, has rescheduled for the end of June, the new public holiday that is Matariki on the weekend of June 25. Hats off to the organisers for moving swiftly and decisively to a date that seems far enough away to be safe. I am not privy to them but I'm sure there are plans for the outdoor aspects of the festival since it will – obvious spoiler alert! – be a little chillier in winter.

Cousin Alice

Katikati

It's also great to see the Katikati Folk Club back in action with The Alpaca Social Club and Cousin Alice heading to town. The KKFC holds concerts at The Arts Junction on Katikati's main road and along with the venue are working through traffic light rules. I mention this because I know more than a few people are hesitant about stepping out in these uncertain times. This happens to be a show well worth doing that for and, rest assured, it will be double-vaxxed and distanced.

The Alpaca Social Club is a duo comprising of piano accordionist Craig Denham and bouzouki player and guitarist John Sanders.

Craig has been a frequent musical visitor to Tauranga, often through various concerts set up by Rosie Holmes in Te Puna, and he plays a bewitchingly eclectic range of music. Over the years he has been involved with Ardija, with Ruia Aperahama (the ‘What's The Time Mr Wolf' guy), Mamaku Project, and most notably with his own band, Beyondsemble, which ranged across jazz, folk, Gypsy and world music. More recently he has been living and playing in Prague.

In The Alpaca Social Club he collaborates with fellow Beyondsemble member Jon Sanders: the two have toured together several times and played everywhere from festivals such as WOMAD to small shows on Stewart Island.

They will be joined by internationally-travelled smokey-voiced singer/songwriter Cousin Alice, who creates a captivating sound, described as 'gritty, sweet, and heartfelt, delivered with a shot or two of humour”. She's been likened to a cross between Tom Waits, Peggy Lee and Marianne Faithful and although based in London was raised in New Zealand. Alice is exotically of Barbadian/Welsh/English/Sephardi parentage and draws on a rich infusion of Maori, Polynesian, Caribbean and Calypso culture.

The trio is at the Arts Junction on Saturday, March 5. Doors open 7pm; show at 7.30pm. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 non-members. Numbers are, not surprisingly, limited.