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I realise I've not yet even mentioned this year's jazz festival.
Better late than never on that one and you still have six weeks to mentally prepare, even if early bird tickets ended today.
It's going to be a brilliant festival this year and, once again, I'm knocked out by how big the whole thing is, not just Baycourt concerts and a couple of afternoons downtown – which once seemed pretty impressive – but a real immersive experience with music popping up in all sorts of places and forms all round town.
The sheer scale of it is quite something.
Before that though there's another event which has blown me away. It's not exactly music, but an art trail, the BOP Open Studios Art Trail Weekend to be exact.
Russ Spiegel.
It's a very simple and cool idea: have artists open their studios – after all, nearly all work “from home” - and rather than waiting till a rare gallery show you can view their art in the creative environment where it was made.
And if, like me, you thought: “Oh that'll be nice, a dozen or so artists to visit, it'll be good to see something new,” you would, like me, be way off.
There are in fact over 80 artists to visit, stretching from Katikati to Pukehina, with studios open across Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Te Puna, Te Puke and all areas in between. Sculptors, potters, painters, weavers, metalworkers, the lot. It is huge.
Obviously the main areas are most represented: there are a pile of studios at the Mount and in Papamoa and another tranch spread around Otumoetai and Matua; there are some in Welcome Bay and a couple out Tauriko way and in Ohauiti; it's everywhere.
Obviously, with this number of artists on display I can't pick out individuals, so let me just offer details. It's happening February 23 - 25, 9:30 - 4:30pm daily and it is, of course, free (aside from petrol, 'natch).
There are programmes all around town and on their website www.bopopenstudios.co.nz. It is also on social media sites. I can't think of a better way to discover some of this area's many many artists – have fun!
Oops. I've really blown it now, leaving too little space for the Jazz Fest. I will return to it next week. Just let me say: Baycourt concerts include Aussie legend James Morrison, and Russ Spiegel from America who’s latest album has been in the USA top 10 for a number of weeks now.
On Friday the Historic Village - recast as Tauranga's own 'New Orleans French Quarter' with shops stalls and stages – will be sensational.
In the CBD over the weekend the Downtown Carnival is combining both the recent approaches: four outdoor stages as well as music in a host of CBD bars and restaurants, promising the largest downtown offering in festival history.
James Morrison.
And on Easter Monday it's over to The Mount for all-day music. Awesomel! Next time I'll check out exactly who's playing...
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