Monday, April 7, 2014

New Zealand - Music, Flat Whites, and View after View after View..


It's quite astonishing how blue water can actually be.  You might expect to see water of this color from some deep blue ocean in the tropics, but then again this is the Waikato RIVER.  After traveling for a total of 24 hours between flights, airport waiting, customs, and rental car left side of the road adventures, we pulled into Taupo, NZ.

The next morning we headed out and found the Huka Falls.  With Lake Taupo as its source, the river itself is fed with lovely thermal springs.  Jet lag antidote.

Mt. Doom


Music night in Whanganui!  @ the Savage Club.  We enjoyed our brief stay in Whanganui.  From the Musician's Club to a Riverside Bar gig the music scene was hoppin'!  We saw the Hobnail Band based out of Wellington and the Clazzmatic Boogie Orchestra pictured below!


Clazzmatic Boogie Orchestra  -  umm..11 piece band horn driven funk band!




Opunake Beach - West Coast of North Island

Green Lipped Mussels @ the Mussel Pot in Havelock.  Is that Sauvignon Blanc?  Of course it is!

Abel Tasman - North Coast of the South Island.  Think North Shore of Lake Superior, minus the large smooth lake rocks but add golden sand beaches.  Pictured is Anchorage Bay!

Ferry Crossing from North to South Island



Cardboard Cathedral - Christchurch  Beautiful rebuilt 'temporary' cathedral designed by Shigeru Ban 


The Re-Start Mall in Christchurch - Shipping Container Shopping Center!!



These guys were loud!!  I think they were New Zealand cicada's.  It was Jurassic Park.  Have a listen.  The recording didn't do them justice so I embellished upon it..


This little guy followed me around through the underbrush on a hike.  I thought I was close to a nest because it kept flying very close and was fluffing his tail out.  I later learned that he was just taking advantage of me crashing through brush and stirring up dinner for him.  



West Coast of the South Island - This wasn't us..but in order to get to the west coast, you can take Kiwi Rail from Christchurch..  Apparently it snows up in Arthur's Pass!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Party Time!!


(Sorry this is an old old post, that i had forgotten to post!)

Should be dated from back in 2013!

Happy Folkin' New Year had arrived:

Bands for the evening included the White Iron Band doing their own foot stompin' acoustic set starting at 7pm with KFAI House Party.  They were wild!

The May North officially kicked off Happy Folkin' New Year @ 9pm.  Dobro from Chris O'Brien and fiddle from Stephanie McCorkell blended with George McCorkell's guitar pickin' and vocals.  The May North delivered a smooth set with some tunes from their newest album Interstate Lives.

Beg for Justice had it hoppin' at 10pm with mandolin, guitar, fiddle, bass, and banjo.  Jeremy Peterson kept the pace choppin' on his mandolin.  It was a long drive back to Mankato that evening so they made the most of their set and hopefully got a nice new recording to share with the world.

Then it was Folk 'n' Thieves time....


 but you'll have to listen to the recording to get the details on that.  Those guys are just crazy..