Stories

Headlining the music acts this year are old-skool Christchurch rock icons Zed. Formed in 1996 when they were still students at Cashmere High School, Zed's debut album Silencer debuted at number one on release and went on to sell double platinum. Their iconic hits include Glorafilia, Renegade Fighter, and Hard to Find Her. The 2020 lineup also includes reggae jammers Sons of Zion, American-born folk sing-songwriter Holly Arrowsmith, eclectic Christchurch artist Mousey and funk-soul belter Tami Neilson. As we head into December with its summer vibes and holiday feels, the South Island Wine & Food Festival is coming to help us all take advantage of that celebratory mood. We'll see 40 of the South Island's premiere winemakers along with some of the region's biggest names in food converge on Hagley Park for an afternoon enjoying all the best parts of summer: warm weather, beautiful places, and of course, eating and drinking....

First it's just a series of noises, then repetitive phrases, then DOUBLE draws you in. DOUBLE is the creation of innovative UK company Darkfield Radio, a virtual reality experience that only requires a smart device and heaphones to enjoy. The critically-acclaimed, chilling, and immersive encounter can be done at home at your kitchen table with a friend or family member. It's the first ever audio-only experience to be part of the official selection for the Venice International Film Festival, and it's clear why. Cityscape tried it out and found it thoroughly immersive and spine-tingling. First you download the Darkfield app and book a session – you can't just do it at any old time. Then at the scheduled time, you set yourself up at the table with a friend, your app, and a glass of water. The voice-driven story is punctuated with small sounds, just enough to set the scene while...

Whether you’re a horror buff, a foreign films fan, or just have a strong nostalgia streak, There’s something to float your boat this month in film. Check out Cityscape’s picks from Lumière Cinemas. TENET In this highly anticipated latest from Christopher Nolan, John David Washington (eldest son of Denzel), is tasked with preventing World War III, with the help of a spot of time travel, of course. Reminiscent of such successes as Inception and Memento, and boasting the characteristically trippy effects and beautiful cinematography, this will be a spy film stamped with Nolan’s unique brand of fun. THIS TOWN Starring several big Kiwi names and proudly wearing that distinctly Kiwi brand of awkward, small-town humour, This Town follows Sean (David White), a man accused and acquitted of the murder of his family. Around to ruin his day and prove his guilt is an ex-cop (Robyn Malcolm) who was once in charge...

I'd never used a personal trainer, thinking I knew enough about exercise to go it alone. But just half an hour with Kyla at Studio Six helped me understand my strengths, my weakness and my injuries, and set me up with a toolkit of exercises that create twice the burn in half the time. Kyla and Ryan Bonniface are a husband-and-wife team running Studio Six Private Training and group exercise classes out of their bespoke studio in Burwood. It's a vibrant space with all the essential gym machines and a good amount of floor space – Kyla, I found out, loves body-weight exercises done mostly on a mat. She's is a long-time yogi, and runs 'fitness inspired' yoga classes and small group fitness classes, as well as personal training. I arrive, ready for my half hour personal training session, and we're straight into it. After a short warm up on the...

Urban artist TOGO is notorious for his defiant acts of vandalism – he's plastered his name in impossible spots on buildings overlooking Christchurch's city centre. As he moves into post-vandalism installations, the pseudonymous artist talks to Cityscape about his motivations, his methods, and how it feels when his art sells out in a matter of hours. Tell me about getting started – did this begin with tags and grow from there? It all started from playful misbehaviour. One antic always introduces another, so graffiti was the culmination of everything I enjoyed. Adventure, trouble, creativity, excitement. From that point I began a journey of learning the art form, developing a groove, improving and exploring different avenues - and becoming a good runner. Your art seems to have gone through a bunch of different stages. When I was younger, I just wanted to see my name in as many places as possible. It...

A French woman who settled in Christchurch in 1925, Louise Henderson was one of the first New Zealand artists to embrace a Modernist style. Her painting career spanned seven decades and her work is characterised by a colourful perspective on life and nature. Louise became a pioneer of abstraction who remained intensely engaged with the world around her. Having met her husband – a New Zealander – in her native Paris, Louise followed him to Christchuch in 1925. She studied at the Canterbury School of Art and went on to become a teacher at the institution while producing her famous works. From watercolours of Canterbury landscapes to abstract still-lifes and Cubist nudes, the evolution of this Christchurch icon's artistic style is showcased here in the first major exhibition of her work. Louise Henderson: From Life takes visitors on an unforgettable journey through Louise's seven-decade career. Full of bold, colourful observations of...

Whether you like to spend your Friday night with a glass of wine on the couch or soaking in some culture, tonight at 7.30pm you can combine the two, thanks to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The NZSO, led by Conductor Laureate Edo de Waart, performed Beethoven’s beloved Seventh Symphony to critical acclaim back in 2017, and tonight all Kiwis have the opportunity to enjoy the performance, no matter what alert level we may be at. The performance described by critics as a “revelation” and “delightful” that left “the audience in wonderment at what they had heard and seen” will be streamed to the nation on Friday 14 August at 7.30pm. It is part of the NZSO’s popular Engage@Home series of streamed and live-streamed performances. It will be available to view at live.nzso.co.nz. Symphony No. 7 is one of the Beethoven’s greatest works, with the captivating second movement one of his...

This one will be a special home-grown edition, featuring New Zealand's most talented and wonderfully hilarious street performers in a new event called Bread and Circus - World Backyard Buskers Festival. The World Buskers Festival always features a fantastic selection of home-grown talent ready to get a laugh or a wow out of the public. This year it'll also focus on highlighting iconic Christchurch venues, local food and beverage makers, and providing a bucket load of free outdoor entertainment to be enjoyed in the summer sun. Loren Heaphy, ChristchurchNZ General Manager Destination and Attraction, said “Bread and Circus is a beloved event and we are proud to support its return to the city." Bread and Circus is also putting a call out to artists - if you want to be in the festival, this is the time to make your pitch. Bread & Circus is currently taking artistic and creative submissions,...

Electro-reggae legends L.A.B are coming to Christchurch in October 2020. Radio New Zealand have deemed L.A.B to be our country's best live act – so you better get your hands on tickets to this spectacular show, coming to Christchurch Arena on Saturday 31 October. L.A.B are one of the fastest-rising acts in NZ, and this concert is coming off the back of major success with their Tait-prize nominated albulm L.A.B III, which features the numer one single 'In The Air'. This gig will showcase them at their best – live and loud. L.A.B sold out Auckland’s Spark Arena and Hamilton’s Claudelands Arena, and this will be their first South Island-headline show in nearly three years. The band was started by Kora frontmen Brad And Stuart Kora, and features Ara Ads-Tamatea, formerly of Katchafire. L.A.B pumps out the reggae sounds amplified by electronic, rock and funk influences – and the concert's bound to...

What a comeback! Kiwi legands Split Enz having been rocking Christchurch, New Zealand, and the world for decades, and they're back to the top of the album charts in 2020. A remixed and remastered anniversary release of Split Enz’s legendary album TRUE COLOURS has reached the #1 position on the Official New Zealand Top40 Album Chart today - 40 years after the album’s initial release in 1980. This was the album that launched global hit 'I Got You', written by Neil Finn, as well as 'I Hope I Never' and 'Poor Boy'. TRUE COLOURS spent 76 weeks on the Official New Zealand Album Chart, and it was internationally successful too – it was #1 in Australia for 10 weeks, and reached the Top 40 Album Charts in the UK, USA and Canada. Split Enz’s Eddie Rayner has worked with the band's individual 24 track recordings and crafted new mixes for each...

Art expo in a hair salon? Yes, please. Mod’s Hair is becoming part-gallery with the addition of artist Heather Straka’s powerful photographic series, Dissected Parlour. The images have caused a stir since their installation at the Aikmans Road salon in Merivale last Sunday. In the first work, named Teamwork (part II), five women pose awkwardly, as if in a fashion shoot, clutching Molotov cocktails and oxy-acetylene cutting torches, as if they’re about to create chaos. Inside the salon, more of Straka’s evocative work adorns the walls. Unafraid of confronting racist and sexist stereotypes, Straka’s created a deep body of compelling and controversial work during her career in New Zealand and overseas. She’s always prescient and wittily observant, walking a tightrope across the cultural pulse of contentious matters, questioning tradition and challenging stereotypes. Julianne Liebeck, director of Mod’s Hair in New Zealand and Australia, triggered this thought-provoking collaboration in its unusual setting....

Looking for the inside scoop on Winter 2020 on your local ski fields? Cityscape has done the hard yards to compile the ultimate guide to skiing and snowboarding in Canterbury and Otago this year. The 2020 ski season is up and running, and Cantabrians are flocking to the local fields in droves. Mt Hutt has has been rocking an amazing atmophere (and often a full carpark) since it opened, and Porters has had some great snow on its groomed tracks. Broken River and Mt Lyford have opened, letting us all in on a bit of of that friendly club field magic. Unfortunately, there hasn't been enough snow yet to open Mt Cheesman, Temple Basin, Craigieburn or Hamner Springs Ski Field, but keep patiently doing your snow dance - you never know what the weather gods could bring. With a little bit of a drive, you'll find Mt Dobson, Roundhill and Ohau...

Up your gourmet game with this recipe from international award-winning chef Andrew Brown. Serves 4-6. SHOPPING LIST 600gm salmon fillet (skin on preferable)2 cups quinoa3 cups water6 red radishes (thinly sliced)1 cup watercress½ cup celery (thinly sliced)1 Granny Smith (thinly sliced)½ small radicchio (ripped)1 fennel bulb (thinly sliced)2 lemons (juice and finely grated zest)50ml extra virgin olive oilSalt and fresh ground pepper to taste MAKING IT HAPPEN Rinse quinoa, and bring to the boil with water. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Run under cold water to cool, strain and add to mixing bowl. Heat small amount of cooking oil to a medium-high heat in a heavy-based frying pan. Place salmon skin down and cook two-thirds through before turning off heat, turning the salmon and cooking for 2-3 minutes. Remove and let cool, reserving any salmon oil from the pan. Add lemon juice, olive oil, reserved salmon oil (cooled) to quinoa and season to taste. Add remaining ingredients (except salmon) and gently mix to combine the...

This kurī, or Polynesian dog, carved from kānuka wood may be small but it is highly significant. It was found in Moncks Cave, Redcliffs, and dates from the early period of Māori settlement in Waitaha (Canterbury), between 600 and 700 years ago. It may have been worn hung around the neck as a pendant. The kurī figure is remarkable because it’s Aotearoa New Zealand’s only known carving of a pre-European dog. The ancestors of Māori brought kurī with them from Polynesia. They were kept as pets and used for hunting. After Pākehā arrived, kurī interbred with European breeds and were effectively extinct by the mid to late 19th Century. You can see the kurī in Canterbury Museum’s Iwi Tawhito Gallery. canterburymuseum.com

Christchurch bistro Earl and Lyttelton tapas bar Civil & Naval have been announced as finalists in the 2020 Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover, alongside 10 other eateries from around the country. Each entrant created a toastie that met strict criteria: filling between two slices of bread, able to be eaten by hand, and containing cheese and McClure’s Pickles. Between the 80 of them, they served up a phenomenal 20,000 cheese toasties in July. Civil & Naval’s toastie is called The ¼ Pack is Back. It’s full of Civil fried chicken with McClure's Garlic & Dill Pickles, Frank's hot slaw, mashed potato bread and golden ale gravy. Earl’s entry, the Toastie Muff'aletta, contains shaved salamis & meats, ‘nduja butter, McClure’s Garlic & Dill Pickles, olive, provolone, buffalo mozzarella, winter pesto and house crisps in a milk bun. The other finalists are a mixture of established cafés, hole-in-the-wall hideaways, tapas bars and container...

Partygoers and campers heading up to Wanaka for Rhythm & Alps this year will be treated to an all-star Kiwi lineup, from the freshest talent to the country’s most famous rockers. This year will mark a decade of Rhythm & Alps festivals at Cardrona Valley. The three-day, four-stage festival will be three days of music, camping, fun, friends and whanau from December 29 to 31, wrapping up after midnight on New Year’s Eve. South Island smash hit Six60 will headline, supported by some of Aotearoa’s preeminent performers including Shihad and Fat Freddy’s Drop as well as international pop superstar Benee. This year’s festival will also feature a special section called Wāhine Toa Log Cabin Club Take Over, featuring Amandamania, Cee She, Doolittle, Mama Da Funk, Mel Hey Lady and Miss B. Other artists include The Phoenix Foundation, Chaos in the CBD, Coco Solid, Wax Mustang, The Swan Sisters, Rubi Du, Beat...

From his boutique clothing store in The Tannery, Benji, aka ‘The Jeans Whisperer’, dispenses expert advice and on-trend fashion. He tells Cityscape about a few of his favourite things and what’s coming in denim for AW20. How did you get from London to running EnCompass in Christchurch? I left London to pursue a passion for the clothing industry as my ambitions were not being fulfilled. London is a fashion capital but it is saturated, with very little room for start-up businesses. Once I came to Christchurch I worked in retail for a while and could see an opening in the market for a more diverse offering. A good friend and now mentor planted the seed and suggested I should run my own store. After thinking about it carefully with my family I decided to persevere and EnCompass was created. When did you get to be known as ‘The Jeans Whisperer’? On...

Loud, crass and unapologetically honest, personal trainer and fitness guru James Smith is heading to New Zealand in 2021 for a speaking tour. Delivered with a uniquely irreverent approach, this controversial yet erudite and authentic presentation tackles toxic myths surrounding the ‘normal life’ and our quest for happiness and fulfilment. Known for his outspoken and offbeat style, James Smith will pass on concepts to rearrange your thinking, break through your limits, and change your life. As you might suspect, James is not your typical life coach, and he is not here to solve your problems, but with an erudite mix of hard truths and tough love, teach you how to reset your thought processes and help you find your own success. “I'm incredibly excited to be hitting the road in Australia and New Zealand,” James says. “In a world where people are so caught up with how they look, they can...