Stories

If you headed over to Welles Street on Friday night, you would have been greeted by a woman dressed as a man in a bright red suit singing his own rendition of ‘Let Me Entertain You’. Georgie Sivier’s alter ego Tony Chestnut was a perfect opener for the launch night of the fourth Comedy Carnival, which will run until September 21. Fourteen comedians took to the stage to deliver laughs and they did not disappoint. If Tony Chestnut didn’t set the scene, next act on stage was Stephen Lefebvre, who wandered around the crowd, shaking everyone’s hand, greeting them with “Hi, great to see you” – and that was his entire act. ‘Your Dad’ found his long-lost son in the audience, who proceeded to join him on stage, sit on his knee and listen to some words of wisdom. Jim Smalls captivated the audience as he told the story of adopting...

The booming bass was felt throughout Christchurch Town Hall as the sold-out Synthony crowd buzzed with good vibes. The venue was transformed into a high-energy nightclub full of amazing visuals and a killer sound system. Cherie Mathieson had everyone singing along to ‘Show Me Love’ as she nailed it with her powerful voice, not missing a beat. Looking around, there wasn’t a single seat in use as every person was dancing along to track after track of club favourites. The collab between Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, DJs and live singers, all performing with an incredible light and laser show, made for an absolutely banging night. Kicking off with DJ Craig Shaw, the mood was set and everyone was amped up as he played a sensational set. When the orchestra took to the stage the audience went wild, they were ready to take a journey through the last three decades of club classics....

Every movement during the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Bold Moves was completed with fluidity and without fault – each dancer made the entire work look seamless. Act by act you will be taken on a breathtaking journey and they save the best for last with the stunning Artifact II. Full of passion, quick footwork and daring, bold moves, the show delivers on its name. This sensational show will have you mesmerised and is certainly one not to be missed – showcasing the performers' versatility, strength and dynamic range. Serenade is the opening dance, choreographed by George Balanchine and staged by Patricia Barker. As the lights dim and the curtain goes up, the chatter simmers down and the crowd welcomes 17 women, poised motionless on stage. The tender performance is laden with meaning and has an unspoken narrative. The deep emotion can be seen through whirling movements and awe-inspiring footwork. All movements...

Cityscape headed down to the boutique Deluxe Cinema at The Tannery to check out Amazing Grace. The concert film of Aretha Franklin is a breathtaking and hair-raising performance that needs to be seen to be believed. Barely a word is spoken by the gospel queen throughout, the music speaks for her. The 1972 performance was filmed at New Temple Baptist Mission Church in Los Angeles over two nights and this is the first time it’s been released to the public. The footage was held back due to technical issues, but we’re so glad that it has been released for our viewing pleasure. Her unique and captivating voice filled the theatre as she sang alongside the Southern Californian Community Choir and Reverend James Cleveland, and the result was beautiful, harmonic melodies. The film shows the audience enjoying themselves and getting swept up with the music, clapping, singing and encouraging Franklin throughout. This...

The trio behind shared workspace developer Qb Studios – Alex Brennan, Mike Fisher and Tom Harding – have an impressive track record of repurposing the old for the new, turning outdated commercial or industrial buildings into modern, flexible office environments. Alex tells Cityscape it’s like finding buried treasure. What developments have Qb Studios already completed? It’s been a busy 4½ years. We have opened six locations since we started in Christchurch in 2014. In Christchurch we have opened in Southwark Street, St Asaph Street and Addington, and in Auckland we are in Ponsonby, Herne Bay and Newmarket. In the last year we have more than doubled in size, expanding our flagship locations in Auckland and Christchurch and opening a new, more intimate location in Newmarket. What is in the pipeline? After a busy year we are looking forward to strengthening and nurturing the community of businesses that we already have in...

Cityscape brings you the goss from Ballantynes as they celebrate the season with the fashion event of the year. Fashionistas rejoice – September brings Ballantynes Fashion Week. The stylish central-city department store will show why they are the most on-trend hangout in town as they host the South Island’s biggest fashion event, which struts its stuff from Thursday September 19. Among the must-see events are appearances by three of New Zealand’s leading fashion icons – Kathryn Wilson, Paula Ryan and Karen Walker, all offering a variety of events. The big show doesn’t come together overnight – Ballantynes’ Liz Mills gave us a rundown on the timeline. At six months out the planning starts as they consider venues. Fast-forward three months and it’s time to choose themes and structures. With one month to go, models are cast and outfits selected. Overdrive kicks in with one week to go, with lots of garments...

Aldous Harding opened her homecoming show to silence. As she walked on-stage at the James Hay Theatre you could hear audience members’ every moves – the shuffling, the drop of a cup and the anticipation. Then, slowly, as Harding took a seat centre stage, the silence erupted into applause. She opened the show acoustically before launching into her recently-released third album’s title track ‘Designer’. The quiet crowd loosened into the music and the night was under way. “I’ve got a lot to say, but now is not the time. Thank you,” she told the crowd during her first interaction. When the opening bars of Designer’s lead single ‘The Barrel’ started playing – after ‘Treasure’ – Harding reminded the crowd that this “isn’t the Party tour", and encouraged them to have a little fun. And that we did. Bar one man rockin’ out next to me, no one in the well-dress Wednesday night...

The highlight of the nation’s annual fashion calendar, New Zealand Fashion Week, has lit up the catwalk for 2019 and officially gotten under way. The festivities kicked off last night with Kate Sylvester’s romantic and ethereal show, which was an ode to love letters. Maggie Marilyn, Yu Mei, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Zambesi and Juliette Hogan are among some of the many esteemed designers showing their Fall/Winter 2020 collections throughout the jam-packed week. Supermodel Elle Macpherson will also be making an appearance. The iconic face in fashion is helping launch the inaugural New Zealand Fashion Week Gala. The black-tie gala has been modelled on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Met Gala and will raise money for youth organisation The Rising Foundation. The luxury event is due to take place at SkyCity on September 27. Macpherson said she was “honoured” to be appointed as the gala’s inaugural host. “New Zealand is so...

A new collection, a new collab and a new store – there’s no slowing down for Kate Sylvester. She tells Cityscape that staying true to her vision is key to her brand’s longevity. What inspires your designs? My collections always tell a story. I look to books, art, films, music – all the things I love. What is your favourite collection of all time? It’s hard to choose a favourite, it’s like choosing your favourite child. Tartt Winter 2015 comes to mind, especially the show we did at New Zealand Fashion Week, where the pages of books fell like confetti from the sky. How would you describe the Kate Sylvester SS19 collection? Kraftwork honours the craft of fashion. The signature prints in the collection evolved from a personal tapestry project of mine and I incorporated beautiful craft techniques throughout the collection, including blanket stitching, cross stitch and intarsia. How has your...

British hellraisers The Stranglers are teaming up with Kiwi legends Mi-Sex for a one-off Christchurch show. The punk rockers will cut loose at the Christchurch Town Hall on February 13, 2020. The Stranglers have promised to play all of their hits, including ‘Golden Brown’, ‘Peaches’ and ‘Walk On By’, among others. The iconic English band formed back in 1974, where their carefree, middle-finger-up attitude saw them embraced by the late 70s punk movement. In the years since, they’ve landed more than 20 top 40 singles and more than 18 top 40 albums worldwide. Tickets for the Christchurch show can be purchased from 9am on August 29. The StranglersChristchurch Town Hall, February 13, 2020ticketek.co.nz

Kate Sylvester has launched Reloved, an online secondhand marketplace where people can buy and sell pre-loved pieces from the brand. The project supports Sylvester’s mission to stop her brand’s luxury items from ending up in landfills and at the back of people’s wardrobes. “At Kate Sylvester we make clothes to last a lifetime, not a season. We believe in the integrity and longevity of our product and are committed to extending the life of our garments,” Sylvester said. To sign up, simply click the “sign up” button in the top right-hand corner of the website’s homepage. Those wanting to sell garments will find the “list an item” button in the same place. It’s completely free to sign up but a 10 percent commission is charged on all items sold. This is used to cover the website’s operating costs. The launch of Kate Sylvester Reloved comes less than a week after the...

David Suchet won the hearts of the world as the long-running lead in Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Now he’s taking time to reflect on 50 years in showbiz with his 2020 live shows, Poirot and More: A Retrospective. Kia ora, David. You’re coming to New Zealand next year – are you looking forward to it? I’m really excited about this tour and I’m really excited about coming to New Zealand because I’ve never performed in New Zealand, ever. It’s going to be a great treat for me to be with you all there. I can’t wait. When did the idea strike you to put this one-man show together? It really was started with an invitation, an invitation from the producer Liza McLean, who produced my last tour of Canada, America and Australia in 2014 with a play I was in called The Last Confession. It was so well received in Australia that...

Kate Sylvester has opened her second Christchurch store on the city's bustling Cashel Street. The large store is fresh, bright and bursting with the colours of her new Kraftwork collection. It also takes a mindful approach to sustainability. FSC sustainable plantation-grown timber is featured throughout the store, as is recycled brass. The custom-built furniture and fixtures were made with care by Kiwi craftsmen, too. Sylvester told Cityscape her latest collection "honours the craft of fashion". "The signature prints in the collection evolved from a personal tapestry project of mine and I incorporated beautiful craft techniques throughout the collection, including blanket stitching, cross stitch and intarsia," she said. When it comes to Kraftwork, we've got our eyes on the striking Lucy dress, the bright pink Holly jumper and the preppy Lee dress. Make sure you swing by the new store and say hello to the wonderful team next time you're in town for...

Town Tonic, Not Without You and Pescatore are among the esteemed finalists announced for the 2019 Christchurch Hospitality Awards. The annual awards celebrate the very best of local hospitality – from establishments and sales representatives to chefs and front of house staff. Old-skool speakeasy O.G.B. led the pack with four nominations, including one in the coveted Asahi Beverages Outstanding Bar category. The Craft Embassy, gin gin and Smash Palace rounded out the Outstanding Bar nominees. Chief executive for the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, Marisa Bidois, believed the Christchurch hospitality scene was more deserving of recognition than most. “Designing exciting and first-class dining experiences to attract people back into the city, they are at the forefront of rebuilding and reimagining the city. These are a dedicated and creative group of individuals who are critically important to the future of Christchurch,” she said. Tickets are now on sale for this year’s awards...

Hip-hop trailblazer JessB is bringing her New Views EP Tour to Christchurch’s Blue Smoke on September 14, 2019. The colourful new EP features collabs with the likes of Church Leon, Paige and Abdul Kay, among others. For JessB, New Views represents a period of personal development that broadened her creative horizons. “I’ve been taking time to connect with creative communities here and in places like New York, London and Amsterdam, and my growth and expanded worldview is what New Views is all about,” she said. The Auckland-based rapper has built a reputation as one of the country’s most promising rising stars and has been praised by the likes of Apple Music Creative Director Zane Lowe and David Dallas. In addition to the big-name shout outs, she’s toured with Ladi6 and opened for the SIX60, Fat Freddy’s Drop, YG, Lil Simz and international superstar Stormzy. Tickets for the upcoming show are now...

Alt-country group Cowboy Junkies will return to New Zealand in 2020 for the first time in more than two decades. The nationwide tour includes a Christchurch show at the Isaac Theatre Royal on May 3. The Canadian band carved a name for themselves in the late 80s with their unique brand of country, which was both quiet and reflective. A 1988 folk-inspired cover of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Sweet Jane’ shot them even further into the mainstream music scene. In the band’s 34 years in the game they haven’t once gone on hiatus or adjusted their lineup, proving they really can stand the test of time. Tickets for the Christchurch show can be purchased from noon on August 9. davidroywilliams.com

Seven young creatives will have their art exhibited in the central city as part of SCAPE Public Art’s Re:ACTIVATE project. Re:ACTIVATE promotes the creative arts by mentoring aspiring creatives and artists. Students from across Christchurch were given “rock” as a design brief, which was derived from the classic game Rock, Paper, Scissors (the overall theme for this year’s SCAPE Public Art Season). A record number of entries were received for Re:ACTIVATE, with Tessa Marshall (Sticks of Rock), Alex Sands (We Are One!), Emily Higham (Physiological Manipulation), Helena McCondach (Negotiation), and Rosetta Brown, Hazel White and Georgina Jolly (Strength in Sisterhood) coming out on top. Each of the works will be installed on the corner of Cashel and High streets, where they will be on show as part of SCAPE Public Art’s upcoming festival, which runs from October 5 to November 15. scapepublicart.org.nz

Fresh off the back of their Bay of Dreams announcement, iconic Kiwi six-piece reggae/rock/dub/funk band Sons of Zion brought the goods to The Good Home Ferrymead on Saturday night. In the second stop of their ‘Come Home’ tour, the band showed why they won ‘Best Roots Artist’ in 2018 among their many other accolades. The crowd was grooving and bopping to favourites all night, with dazzling lights and non-stop rhythmical sound from Sons of Zion and Disllastrate. Opening act Dillastrate warmed everyone up on the chilly Christchurch night with their high-energy performance. The duo performed the title track off their ‘Black Diamond’ album alongside covers including the ever-so-popular ‘Sweet Dreams’ by the Eurythmics. By the end of the set, they had the audience moving and their vocal chords warmed up, ready for the main act. Sons of Zion started their set with a bang, opening with ‘Tell Her’, ‘Be My Lady’...