Bringing these two favourites from Lyttelton to the Folk Club stage for a night of fab music, mixed with levity and laughs.
ADAM MCGRATH
Adam McGrath is a folk singer and yarn spinner stationed wherever he can get a key!
He is the winner of the 2024 Aotearoa/New Zealand Folk Artist of the Year Award at the Aotearoa/New Zealand music awards. Described by RNZ as a “National Treasure” and the Herald as “NZ’s toughest minded songwriter”, Adam is more widely known as lead singer and songwriter with one of New Zealand’s most loved roots/country bands The Eastern. He spends 8 months a year on the road between NZ, Australia, Europe and parts beyond. With The Eastern and solo he has shared stages with and opened for Fleetwood Mac, Steve Earle, Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes and many more. His song ‘Hope and Wire’ was the inspiration behind Gaylene Preston’s TV series of the same name, and he is known for his service orientated approach to music in the years since.
His songs have gathered a clutch of good reviews in NZ and overseas, he’s been nominated for a couple of serious music awards (including the Apra Silver Scroll), and Barry Saunders from The Warratahs simply described him as “The Truth”.
Described as “maybe part folk singer, part preacher, part boxer, and part rodeo clown he is however all heart”. Raucous, tender, roof and spirit raising a McGrath show goes straight for the spirit level in all of us, looking deep for the good parts and hoping to reach all the thoughtful bits that matter.
A people’s player, he works his ass off for any audience he finds himself in front of. Through yarns, ballads and barnstormers, he goes looking most nights of the year for that deep well of magic that threads through the humble folk song.
LiNDON PUFFiN
‘A fisherman trapped in a musician's body’. Lindon Puffin first rose to prominence way back in the 90’s as the manic frontman of an outrageous glam rock band called The Puffins. After the make-up & costumes melted away, he became sidetracked hosting radio & tv for a few years before returning to his roots as a solo folk punk troubadour. Following the release of his first solo album, ‘Stuff Like That’ in 2003, he embarked on a punishingly endless tour of NZ as captured in the tragicomedy film Figure 8000 and screened on TV3 and Sky’ TVs Documentary Channel.
With record company support, Puffin’s next album 2007’s ‘Show Pony’ garnered nationwide radio play and led to tour supports with Billy Bragg, Tenacious D, Dave Dobbyn, but most importantly, his ole mates The Eastern! The stars appeared to be aligning. Dobbyn’s manager had taken him on. There was even a ‘budget’ and a producer in a big studio for his third album, Hope Holiday. While shooting the video for the first single ‘Outta Reach’ in Lyttelton, the terrible February quake hit & priorities evolved very quickly.
With the album climbing the charts, Puffin should’ve been touring hard & riding high; however, all that seemed insignificant so instead he joined forces with The Eastern,
Marlon Williams, and
Delaney Davidson to form The Harbour Union. A new album was recorded and an incredible spirit & and fundraising tour followed. Meanwhile, Puffin’s own album fell out of the top ten; he parted ways with his manager, moved back to Lyttelton, and began building a house for his young whānau.
Raising kids & restoring boats became the new priority while Puffin’s musical journey relocated to the bar-lands where he continues to make an ‘honest’ living playing other peoples songs from a dimly lit corner. Every now & then, though, his long-suffering comrade Adam McGrath will drag him out of the shadows to play a festival here or a free gig there. Most recently, Puffin produced McGrath’s award-winning debut solo album ‘Dear Companions’ and has been making noises about getting back on the horse & recording a new album tentatively titled ‘Wind Against Tide’. With a backlog of songs to match his expanding dadbod, there is hope! As evidence, here’s the chorus from an almost completed new song called Drinking Tears…
"I’m a loved & hated, medicated, armour plated ole fool,
I’ve been drinking tears long before it was cool.
I’m a make believer, heart on sleever, quiet achiever until,
The sun comes up and there’s no more blood to spill"
You may also like the following events from Christchurch Folk Music Club:
- This Sunday, 10th August, 09:30 am, Seymour Stocks with Just Janie and Tim Shaw in Christchurch
- Next Sunday, 17th August, 09:30 am, The Daves in Christchurch
- This month, 24th August, 09:30 am, A Folky Night of Comedy, Music, and Shenanigans! in Christchurch
Also check out other
Music events in Christchurch,
Entertainment events in Christchurch,
Trips & Adventurous Activities in Christchurch.
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