Music showcase highlights indie talent
Some of the capital’s best independent musicians will take to the stage in a series of intimate gigs.
The inaugural Wellington Independent Music Showcase will feature shows from folk musician Graeme James, folk-country duo LOST BiRD, folk-rock band Miles Calder & The Rumours and The Frank Burkitt Band, who play American roots.
Bats Theatre’s The Heyday Dome will host performances over four nights - with capacity for just 70 audience members per gig.
Showcase organiser, singersongwriter and guitarist Frank Burkitt was on the hunt for new ways and places for his band to present its music, finding Bats - which as a theatre, prefers a run of shows over one-off events.
He came up with the showcase as a way to highlight indie music, as well as the hard work and dayto-day life of an independent musician.
Burkitt loves playing to smaller audiences. ‘‘For the audience, the great thing that they’re going to get is how intimate a performance it’s going to be, and the performers - they’ll get to see them in their rawest form.’’
Others featured in the showcase, such as James and Miles Calder & The Rumours often play gigs in bigger, louder venues like San Fran and Meow.
‘‘This is a chance for the audience to see a different side of these artists. It’s the same musician but a different setting,’’ Burkitt says.
Tickets are well on track to sell out which is a positive sign, as he hopes to grow the showcase next year.
There will be a short video before each gig with background on what life is like for the artists.
‘‘For me, for every one hour on the stage there’s five hours of admin work,’’ Burkitt says.
‘‘Booking tours, booking gigs, doing all the PR takes a lot of time. I would put it akin to starting your own business.’’
But the hard work is worth it.
‘‘I wouldn’t do any of it if I didn’t love writing songs and playing them to people.
‘‘It’s the music that is fun. I love writing the music and performing it.’’