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2022 events are listed below 

(either page down or click on specific event for more detail)
Events cancelled due to Covid-19 Alert Level venue restrictions are indicated below

Second Sunday ‘odd’ months – Old Time Jam Session and clawhammer banjo workshop
Second Sunday ‘even’ months – Bluegrass Jam Session and bluegrass banjo workshop
(January 2022  jam session and banjo workshop cancelled – Covid-19)

9th December – Wandering Thyme
3rd December – the Carol Bean Band and Twango Deluxe
18th November – Laldy
14th October – Don Franks
17th September – Turkey The Bird
16th September – Cotton Daisy Backstep
27th August – Dave Murphy
19th August – Peter Madill
13th August – Across the Great Divide
30th July – The Downunderdogs
15th July – a Blackboard Concert
17th June – The Melling Station Boys
11th June – Jenny Mitchell
28th May – Jo Sheffield
20th May – Vic Manuel and Ruby Solly
14th May – We Mavericks
23rd April – Jackie Bristow
8th April – Vic Manuel and Ruby Solly (C Covid-19)
18th March – the Port Hillbillies (C Covid-19)
12th March – Album Launch and Concert – Jo Sheffield (C Covid-19)
18th February – Society Night (C Covid-19)
21st January – Society Night (C Covid-19)



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Second Sunday each ‘odd’ month – Old Time Music Jam Session and clawhammer banjo workshop



This is a new venture for the WBS, having come together after years in the making.

It will be held on the second Sunday afternoon of each ‘odd’ month (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept,Nov) between 2pm and 4pm at the Petone Community Centre.

Over many years the WBS has organised Old-time banjo camps, then Old-time music camps and many Old-time instrument and Bluegrass workshops. There has been a calling for jam sessions to also be held.

Embrace this opportunity and the jam session will flourish accordingly.  For this year, Bluegrass jam sessions are on “even” months, and Old-time Music jam sessions are on “odd” months.

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Second Sunday each ‘even’ month – Bluegrass Music Jam Session and bluegrass banjo workshop



This is a new venture for the WBS, having come together after years in the making.

It will be held on the second Sunday afternoon of each ‘even’ (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec) month between 2pm and 4pm at the Petone Community Centre.

Over many years the WBS has organised Old-time banjo camps, then Old-time music camps and many Old-time instrument and Bluegrass workshops. There has been a calling for jam sessions to also be held.

Embrace this opportunity and the jam session will flourish accordingly.  For this year, Bluegrass jam sessions are on “even” months, and Old-time Music jam sessions are on “odd” months.

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Friday 9th December – society night – Wandering Thyme


Wandering Thyme are an Americana folk family band. Originally from Oregon USA, they now call Wellington home. Bob Brasted and Rene Minz have been playing and singing together for over forty years and hosting family folk jams since before Cara was born. Cara grew up with the rhythms and harmonies of folk music, started learning violin in her early teens and was exposed to playing many styles of music by ear.

The band started as a duo when Bob and Rene neared retirement and had more time to share their original songs and enthusiasm for folk music. Now a trio, Cara adds rich vocal harmonies and fantastic fiddling.

Their repertoire frequently covers themes of family, wanderings, and their love of nature. Wandering Thyme’s performances have been described as “getting a warm family hug”. True to their roots of folk jams, tapping, humming and singing along are all encouraged.

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Saturday 3rd December – concert – the Carol Bean Band and Twango Deluxe

THE CAROL BEAN BAND

Carol Bean has been a popular fixture on the Wellington music scene for many years, playing solo, in duos and various band incarnations, including Blue Highways. Mt Misery String Band. Clean Getaway and now the Carol Bean Band. This lineup have been playing together since 2020, beginning with an all acoustic gig at the Wellington Bluegrass Society by Carol, Costa Botes and Andreas Lepper. The addition of George Packard on double bass has allowed some interesting and sophisticated flavours to enter the mix. The sound of the band can be described as a crossroads where four different styles merge together, then continue as one. They play a mix of Americana, blues and country, with a heavy helping of original songs, stylish instrumental breaks and groovy rhythms.

Carol Bean grew up in California and was influenced by the West Coast music of the 60s. She hung out at McCabe’s Music, where she took guitar lessons from Dave Cohen and Ry Cooder. With Ry’s help she bought herself an old Martin 0021, which she has carted around the world ever since, and it is still her go-to guitar.

Costa Botes is perhaps better known as a film-maker (Forgotten Silver, The Last Dogs of Winter, Angie, When The Cows Come Home), but since his early teens has rarely gone a day or two without a guitar in his hands. His reverb unit is set to stun.

Andreas Lepper has been performing and recording as a percussionist extraordinaire, mainly around Cook Strait, since his arrival from Europe in 1982. Many genres have affected him especially Caribbean, South American, and Balkan rhythms.

George Packard‘s first improvisational experiences were playing the ukulele along with records by the Rolling Stones, John Mayall and The Band. With little market for improvisational ukulele, he took up the double bass. In his music career of over fourty years he has played with many Wellington groups, and toured nationally and internationally.

TWANGO DELUXE

Twango Deluxe evolved out of Chris Prowse and Costa Botes’ shared affection for twangy 60s electric guitar music. The truth is, it grew like a mad doctor’s experiment. Having reached the limit of what two guitar players could cook up between them, it was a natural progression to recruit a crack rhythm section and turn up the heat. Luckily Nick Bollinger answered the call and with his genuine 60s Fender bass, he fit right in. He was followed soon after by percussion maestro Andreas Lepper, who joined enthusiastically to create a joyful sound. The band are excited to share their arrangements of diverse classic tunes with a live audience. Expect a heaped helping of cool spy themes, reverb drenched surf numbers and other retro favourites, all given a twangy, deluxe treatment that’ll have everyone tapping their toes and clicking their fingers like the coolest of cool cats. It’ll be a sonic journey back to a time when men liked their Martinis shaken, not stirred, women wore white gloves (and whiter go-go boots), and everyone wondered how the unfolding space race would play out. Very well, as it turned out.

Nick Bollinger has played electric and upright bass in numerous bands including Rough Justice, The Pelicans, Big Fiddle and for more than three decades, The Windy City Strugglers.

Chris Prowse is a Tui Music Award winner and known for his albums about Aotearoa’s social history – The 1951 waterfront lockout and the rouseabout Shiner Slattery. His latest album Sweet The Bleep is a regression to his other musical love – guitar music.

The other two members of Twango Deluxe are Costa and Andreas, who form half of the Carol Bean band.   It’s just possible that both bands might combine for a finishing number or two. Time will tell!

(photos by Sharyn Young)

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Friday 18th November – society night – Laldy

Laldy (adverb): “To undertake an action with gusto or great enthusiasm.”

Fiddle player Rachel Evans and multi-instrumentalist Donald James combine forces for one mission: to play folk and gie i’ laldy. With Welsh and Scottish roots and a base in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, they are inspired by Celtic and Scandinavian music traditions as they wind their way across the seas.

Rachel was born in Wales and grew up in the unlikely Celtic enclave of Whangarei, where as a teen she became intrigued by the sound of Scottish fiddle. Constantly curious and committed to lifelong learning, she has explored Irish, old-time, bluegrass and Scandinavian tunes and grooves through both New Zealand and international festivals, workshops and sessions. Rachel began her gigging career as a small child with her Mum’s circle dance band. Playing live music for dance is a theme that has woven through her contributions to Vic Folk ceilidh bands, as a lively fiddle player for Wellington old-time band Barry and the Crumpets and now with Laldy.

Donald hails from the rolling braes of the Scottish Borders and cut his songwriter’s teeth in the open mic scene of Edinburgh. Mentored and inspired by his multi-instrumentalist uncle, Donald spent his 20s lending his rhythm and grooves to friends’ bands, recording projects and playing for ceilidhs. An avid wanderer, he travelled the world with his guitar and mandolin before arriving in New Zealand in 2013. Donald found his way into the Wellington folk scene through open mics, the Welsh Dragon Irish Sessions and as the cajon player for Barry and the Crumpets, where he and Rachel met.

Laldy brings to the stage a set which weaves together contemporary and traditional folk tunes and songs with original writing and arrangement. Playing a selection of sweet songs, modal grooves and trad bangers, Laldy are a fresh offering to the New Zealand folk scene.

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Friday 14th October – society night – Don Franks


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Don Franks is a Wellington based musician who likes jazz, rock and country music. Currently lead guitarist for indie pop band Rue Barb, Don also plays solo. He’s performed at restaurants, race meetings, hotels, concerts, weddings, funerals, festivals, prisons, protest rallies and the Bluegrass Society.
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Saturday 17th September – concert – Turkey The Bird


Hailing from New Plymouth, the folk trio Turkey The Bird will remind you of the famous Margarita cocktail infused with a hint of Simon and Garfunkel, two ounces of Mumford and Sons, a splash of banjo and served on ice, all on a hot sunny day.

Andre Manella had always dreamed of starting a folk trio that predominantly focused on vocal harmonies and featuring two guitars and a banjo. When Andre put the idea forward to friends Sol Bear Coulton and Adrian Whelan, they were instantly keen. They had been friends for some time, so they naturally fitted together as a band.

Once they had a couple of songs written, they figured their sound was pretty quirky, so were looking for a band name that reflected that quirkiness. They thought birds are pretty quirky animals, so had to find the best fitting bird for their band and decided it had to be a turkey. They knew of a band called “Portugal the Man” and thought it would be cute if they were “Turkey The Bird”.

They feature catchy folk songs with stunning rich melodies and effortless smooth lyrics. Songs that tell uplifting stories about love and life. This uplifting band will hit you with beautiful three part harmonies and rocksteady rhythms.

The bearded trio features Andre Manella, from Switzerland on guitar, bass and percussion; Adrian Whelan, from Ireland on guitar, mandolin, bass and spoons and Sol Bear Coulton, the token kiwi on banjo and slide guitar.

“Cruise along and let the harmonies wash over you like the warm waves of the Bahamas”
“Injects hoedown-showdown fun, fun, fun and the harmonies shine like diamonds”

– Paul Cook, Joyzine UK

I am not going to lie, this is my new favourite band of 2021
– Chris Chick, Muzic.net.nz

That’s Turkey The Bird, great band, just love them
– Jesse Mulligan RNZ

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Friday 16th September – society night – Cotton Daisy Backstep


Cotton Daisy Backstep perform the old hillbilly music of the Appalachian Mountains, evoking that old 78 bacon-frying sound that no book-learning can give you. They sing the songs of the pioneers, shotgun toting moonshiners and tub-thumping dance tunes.

Helena Faust’s enduring commitment to old-time music developed during her ten years in West Virginia, steeped in the local traditions and performing with the award-winning band The Raincrows. She learned banjo from her father Luke Faust in New Jersey and travelled around West Virginia with her then husband Jimmy Triplett, visiting the old timers in some of the most remote places of the region, collecting tunes and songs from their long held memories. She performed and taught banjo and Appalachian ballad singing at festivals and events across West Virginia and North Carolina.

Helena moved back to NZ in 2003. The group began to form in 2014 when Helena assembled a band that included Andy Fitzgibbon, a touring fiddler from the US. Since then Cotton Daisy Backstep evolved and have been playing cafes, folk clubs, festivals and square dances around the Wellington area appearing at events such as CupaDupa, Newtown Festival, Wellington Gardens Magic, and Wellington Folk Festival.

On guitar, Philip Muollo has nailed old-timey guitar and has tight rhythms and tasteful bass runs that fatten the sound and add drive. Helena plays melodic clawhammer banjo and saws off some rollicking dance tunes on the fiddle as well as haunting fiddle accompanied ballads, delivering mountain forged vocals with heart and soul. Bill Vella hails from the thick fogs of the Lower Hutt and boots the band along on thumping bass. Katie Te Anie adds her effortless plaintive strains from her years of experience as a tight harmony singer. The band may be joined by Kelly Gilson, Appalachian flatfoot dancer from Asheville North Carolina and Ed Abraham not-to-be-missed dancing with spoons, rounding out the cultural experience.

Expect tub-thumping dance tunes, sizzling harmonies, haunting ballads of the pioneers and old gospels. Carter Family and Doc Watson songs are the staples of their repertoire as well as material Helena learned from her father, and original songs.

Cotton Daisy Backstep are the quintessential Old-Timey band not to be missed!
– Ebony Lamb

It’s the best of Appalachia with all the heart and soul of New Zealand, a real treat to the ears, so good you can’t sit down
– Kim Bonnington

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Saturday 27th August – concert – Dave Murphy

Dave Murphy’s finger style guitar continues to delight audiences wherever he plays. He is equally at home with the gentle blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the more driving blues of Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson.

With over forty years performing experience, Dave has performed the length and breadth of NZ as well as in England, Europe, the USA and Australia. He has performed with Marg Layton, Darren Watson, Ted Clarke and international artists including Champion Jack Dupree, Robert Lockwood Jnr, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Eugene Powell, James “Son” Thomas and Willie Foster

Dave’s profile has gone from strength to strength. He recorded his debut album “Yes That’s Me” at Braeburn Recording Studio, which was an entirely solo recording, alongside a DVD, initiated and produced by Carol Bean, directed and edited by Costa Botes, which featured at the NZ International Film Festival in 2008.

More recently Dave has been performing with Janet Muggeridge, which has influenced his music to explore a wider realm of the Americana genre. His repertoire now includes Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson and George Jones.

“The blues is a music made by people who have struggled, have hard and true stories to tell and do so in a voice that is compelling. Dave Murphy, 35 years a journeyman on New Zealand’s blues highway, is one of those characters and this captures him at his essence: unadorned, honest and live as he records his long overdue debut album.”
– Graham Reid www.elsewhere.co.nz

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Friday 19th August – society night – Peter Madill


Brief bio

Peter Madill, renowned luthier and musician, has been playing and singing since the late 60s, starting in the Dunedin folk scene, then moving to Auckland in the 1970s. He has performed with a number of successful bands over the years including Gentle Annie and Late Harvest. He has been a member of The Madillionaires since the band began in around 2014, although being resident in the South Island for a time meant he couldn’t make it to every gig. Now living in Levin, Peter has once again joined the lineup on a more permanent basis.

Extended bio – a good winter read, for those who are keen

Peter Madill began making guitars over 50 years ago in Dunedin. There was no mentor and no books back then. He taught himself using the invaluable skills he learned while doing a cabinet-making apprenticeship in the 1960s. In addition he was a prominent folk musician, who generally had a guitar in his hands. Peter was working at the DIC menswear department by day and making guitars at his flat across the road at night, occasionally all night and through the weekends.

In 1973 Peter moved to Auckland and inherited a violin repair business which had been in existence since the 1930s. He renamed it The Stringed Instrument Company, which became a haven for musicians wanting anything from small repairs to major commissions. He made guitars for the original Split Ends, when their band name was spelt that way, a 12-string acoustic for Phil Judd, and electric guitars for Mike Chunn and Wally Wilkinson. He also made electric guitars for Harvey Mann and Eddie Hansen from Living Force, and many others.

But it wasn’t just guitars. Bruce Woodley from The Seekers still uses a Madill mandolin. And when the early music movement flourished in Auckland, Peter was asked to make rebecs – a three-stringed instrument dating back to the 15th century – viols, and a lute. The lute was the most difficult instrument he ever made. He believes it is now somewhere in America. In 1987 the share market crash caused the the company needed to become exclusively a violin repair business, so Peter pulled out. However he continued making instruments privately and has done to this day.

Cath Newhook was Peter’s apprentice during the early days of The Stringed Instrument Company. Cath played fiddle and in the early 1980s Cath Newhook, Peter and Cath Woodman were offered a series of gigs in Alaska. Cath Woodman didn’t want to go, so Martha Louise stepped in. Martha had a fashion studio in the same building and with the new lineup, they wanted a name. Cath was looking at a road map for Hawkes Bay and found out about the Gentle Annie route. They were quite taken by the name, only to research further and find there was a tributary of the Shotover river with the same name, also one called Roaring Meg, then to find out these were names of Ladys of the night from the goldrush era. However despite this, the name appealed and was adopted by the band.

They toured through Alaska for three months including Portland, where Martha came from. They also appeared on the made for television country music programme “That’s Country for one series back in the early 1980s. Peter was also a member of the band Late Harvest.

Some years later Peter and his new wife Diane decided to sell up and move to Dunedin. Their house was then used in the NZ television production Outrageous Fortune. After a period in Dunedin, they moved to Levin near Wellington, where they currently live, which was a relief as he was also part of The Madillionaires, the family band based in Wellington that spans three generations of Madills which started around 2014.

For this evening Peter will be ‘flying solo’ with just a little accompaniment from friends and family. A fan and player of acoustic folk, country, and Americana, Peter will share some of his favourite songs and songwriters with the audience at the Wellington Bluegrass Society. Peter will also bring a selection of his had made instruments and you can bet whoever joins him on stage will be playing a Madill instrument, where possible.

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Saturday 13th August – concert – Across the Great Divide


From soulful Celtic airs, wild jigs and reels, to Americana and Swedish compositions, Across the Great Divide bring a new fusion of artists and instruments not normally gracing the same stage.

This evocative and vibrant sound honours both traditional and contemporary transatlantic music and features resonator guitar, clarsach, guitar and soprano sax creating an inspiring journey on their ‘uncommon ground’.

Over time they not only got to understand the background and idiosyncrasies of each other’s music styles but took on the many challenges of seriously working musically together. Tony Burt learning jigs, reels and all manner of arrangement on resonator guitar as Karen Jones adding distinctive Celtic guitar style rhythms and chordal arrangements to Americana influenced tunes. Tony’s solid background in film and music composition added an original flavour as his tunes became integral to their repertoire. And Hanna Wiskari-Griffiths adds an exquisite soprano sax and Scandinavian folk influence.

Fusing elements of traditional and contemporary Scottish, Celtic, Swedish and Americana, they have created a beautifully unique and often ethereal sound which combines haunting melodies, mesmerising songs, and dance embracing jigs and reels to transcend the sands of time.

Across the Great Divide have a core belief that music is a unifying force celebrating the diversity and fellowship of people from across the world. Join Karen Jones, Tony Burt and Hanna Wiskari-Griffiths as they explore musical diversity with a unique expression that reflects their love and respect for the music.

For this concert, they will be joined by special guest Richard Klein .

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Saturday 30th July – album launch and concert – The Downunderdogs


The Downunderdogs are delighted to announce the launch of their first CD!

Live at the Bottom of the Planet features eight originals and five covers of time-honoured Americana classics, with first-class flatpicking, stellar songwriting and heavenly harmonies.

Like their music, Jack MacKenzie and Peter and Cathy Dyer are American born and bred. They’ve been to a range of music festivals and venues in the USA and seen many of their heroes performing live. This is something that many of us can only dream of doing.

Jack’s flat-picking is inspired by Doc Watson and is featured throughout the CD, including his instrumentals “Waterfall” and “Mac’s Reel/Rangitikei Polka”. He has picked with Doc and a host of other stars at McCabe’s Music—the legendary venue Jack managed and performed at in Los Angeles from 1971 to 1980. Otherwise he keeps busy building his own line of Simian Ridge guitars.

Peter plays rhythm guitar and loves singing and yodelling Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers. The CD includes two of his best known compositions, “Go Ahead and Cry” and “The Immigrants Song.”

After years of listening to Peter and Jack play, Cathy finally added the big double bass and chimed in for three-part harmonies.

The Downunderdogs have featured at Wellington Folk Festival, Kiwigrass Festival, and the Auckland Bluegrass Club, as well as the Wellington Bluegrass Society.

“You’ve heard us live, now you can listen to us at home, in the car, whenever and wherever you like!”

For this concert, the Dowunderdogs will be joined by special guest Cara Brasted on fiddle.

photo courtesy of Gerard Hudson

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Friday 15th July – society night – a Blackboard Concert


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The previously scheduled Society Night featuring Don Milne will be rescheduled for a later date. For this Friday, there will be a Blackboard Concert.

A blackboard concert is an evening of floorspots, i.e. where anyone can come along and perform two numbers – bluegrass, old time, country or Americana.

Each act must come up with a special name for the night – one they haven’t used before, and not your own personal name. If anyone is unable to come up with a name, the audience will be consulted for suggestions.

Note:
1. Two numbers per act
2. bluegrass, old time, country or Americana
3. every act must come up with a name, one they haven’t used before

now free for anyone performing a floor spot! Followed by a jam session. Bring your instruments and join in!
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Friday 17th June – society night – The Melling Station Boys


The Melling Station Boys started life in the days without television, so had a pure and simple existence. Life was sweet. Entertainment meant going to the pictures and seeing greats including Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines and This Is New Zealand. However during the mid 60s, with the introduction of television, life changed abruptly. There were many programmes during the afternoon and early evenings. It didn’t matter they were in black and white, nor there was only one channel, as let’s face it, when you don’t have any channels and are then presented with a channel, life is great!

There were a spread of programmes being broadcast, some local, some from good old Mother England, and some from America. The local and American programmes were of most interest, whereas Hilda Odgen and the briny of the Onedin Line were completely depressing. The Boys were really taken by Bonanza and The Beverly Hillbillies, then along came I Dream Of Jeannie, who the Boys fell in love with. There were The Flintstones, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres with Arnold the Pig. The American TV programmes were rife with great music. However the Boys were heartbroken when Larry Hagman married Jeannie. How could she fall for such a slouch? Perhaps they were resigned to solitude and reading Arthur Hailey, Gerard Durrell and Wilbur Smith.

Some years following, they wanted to set up a rhythm and blues tribute band to the Rolling Stones. They were going to call themselves House Your Father. However before their first gig, someone politely suggested to them that tribute bands are only formed once the actual band have ceased, or retired, not when they are in their heyday.

This got The Boys wondering what other avenues they could pursue. They remembered all the wonderful music from the 60s sitcoms. Also the local shows, including one they distantly remembered called The Country Touch. They realised their childhood heroes were in fact the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. Perhaps this realisation resulted from a subliminal influence, as in the early years of TV being introduced in to NZ, it was so unique that no-one worried about having the TV running during the dinner hour, the time when The Country Touch was being broadcast. So The Boys decided to follow that lead and became a bluegrass band.

Now that was about six years ago. Bringing the story ahead to last year, where The Boys decided to adopt a Western look and demeanour. They had built up to a performance at the WBS in 2021, only to be stood up by covid, upon which their gig was cancelled. During the associated lockdown, they had nothing to do. Considering they were wearing masks flat out, They though about doing some publicity photos where they staged a few bank holdups in their outfits, only to find the banks were closed through the covid lockdown, so that wouldn’t work. Frustrated, they put their minds and spare time to other causes. They set about creating a cure for covid. This took some time. However the resulting concoction failed to cure covid, utterly and completely. But as a side effect, they found it cured cancer! Also it cured diphtheria, hooping cough, scarlet fever, racing heart, hooked jaw, unruly hair, claw foot and many other ailments. They started selling it at country markets, fairs and shows. It became so popular that it took off like bush fire. They named their prized concoction “Snake Jam”.

For this special night, The Boys will come fully dressed in their Wild West Gentry outfits, and just like the Model T Ford, The Boys come dressed in any colour, providing it is black.

Zsa Zsa Garbor:
“I like bluegrass, it is very glamorous”

Ena Sharples(very strong frown):
“I don’t like bluegrass”
Hilda Odgen:
“Oh I, chuck”
Stan Odgen:
“I quite like bluegrass”
Ena Sharples fumes, upsetting her hair net

Jeannie:
“Larry, can I play your banjo?”

Arnold The Pig:
“Snort!”

Fred Flintstone:
“Yabba Dabba Do!”

E&OE

There will be three prizes:

1. Best dressed Wild West man
(Melling Station Boys are not eligible)

2. Best dressed Wild West woman
(Melling Station Boys are definitely not eligible)

3. Best bling
get your flashiest bling and come accessorised!

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Saturday 11th June – concert – Jenny Mitchell

Multi award winning artist Jenny Mitchell is returning to the Wellington Bluegrass Society for her debut with local bassist Aaron Stewart and Auckland’s prolific violist Jess Hindin. Jenny’s music defies easy categorisation but if you admire music by genre-defying artists from Emmylou Harris to Kasey Chambers and Jason Isbell, you are going to love her.

As seen on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp, Jenny recently joined forces with the esteemed Tami Neilson to release the stirring ‘Trouble Finds a Girl’, a powerful and direct response to sexual misconduct within the music industry. More recently, Jenny released the song ‘Lucy,’ a viola infused track that explores the battle of comparison and gratitude – inspired by the iconic Lucille Ball.

Mitchell made her stage debut at four with her country-music loving father Ron at the local country music club in Gore near Invercargill in New Zealand’s south. At fourteen she placed third in national TV show New Zealand’s Got Talent, a formative experience which taught her how to stand up for herself and to believe in the songs she was writing.

The richness of Jenny’s life experiences is reflected in the variety of topics she addresses in her songs. Mitchell is a writer with important things to say, and brave enough to say them.

The richness of Jenny’s life experiences is reflected in the variety of topics she addresses in her songs. Mitchell is a writer with important things to say, and brave enough to say them.

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Saturday 28th May – Album Launch and Concert – Jo Sheffield


(originally scheduled for 12th March 2022)

Jo Sheffield came to New Zealand from the UK in 2005. A visit to the Levin Folk Club in 2012 encouraged Jo to perform in front of an audience for the first time in over 30 years. Since then her passion for acoustic music has been re-ignited and she takes every opportunity to play and listen whenever and wherever she can. From her very tentative start nine years ago, Jo says she is finally overcoming her performance nerves and starting to enjoy playing live.

She loves hearing how an audience reacts when she sings a song for the first time and is so excited to be launching her first CD Gypsy Mind and performing at Wellington Bluegrass Society.

It has been such a privilege recording at Tony Burt’s Kettlewink Studio and hearing these songs evolve from a germ of an idea to a real song. The songs have come to life with Tony and the other incredible musicians who play on different tracks.”

The album is a collection of eleven originals written during 2019 and 2020, which chart the twists and turns of Jo’s life and adventures over the years. The title track was inspired by the idea of letting the inner child out to play and following intuition to lead us to where we are meant to be. Other songs are inspired by some of the amazing people and places that have influenced her, and there is even a love song for her guitar. Jo describes her style as contemporary folk, sometimes with a twist of blues.

She loves collaborating with other musicians and plays guitar, mandolin and a little bit of banjo. Combining a passion for travel, Jo travelled to Ireland in 2018 with former singing partner Helen McLeane and well-known Taranaki friend and fiddle player Krissy Jackson, taking the opportunity to play at sessions and festivals. Since 2019, Jo has been part of The Ea-Gals, who are a six piece all girl Eagles Tribute Band.

Those attending the night will hear plenty of variety, from contemporary acoustic originals and covers ranging from Americana to more traditional folk styles.

The lineup of musicians will include:

Cindy Muggeridge – accordion
Jenny Kilpatrick – bass and vocals
Jude Madill – fiddle and vocals
Marian Price-Carter – sax and clarinet
Nicky Hooker – vocals and guitar
Tony Burt – resonator guitar

In addition, I expect to have Phil Hope playing on a couple of my newer songs, written after those included on the album“.

(photo courtesy of Gerard Hudson)

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Friday 20th May – society night – Vic Manuel and Ruby Solly

(originally scheduled for the 8th of April)

Ruby Solly (Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Waitaha) is a musician, writer, and music therapist living in Poneke. Her first book Toku Papa is currently longlisted for the Ockham Book Awards and she has recently released Feather Spines, an album of harp, cello, vocal and taonga puoro music, with her band Tamira Puoro with Michelle Velvin. Ruby has played with artists inclufing Yo-Yo Ma, Whirimako Black and Trinity Roots. She is currently completing a PhD in public health looking at the use of taonga puoro in hauora Maori.

Vic Manuel has been writing and performing songs for over 40 years in many different lineups. He has recorded five albums and many demos and in the 80s won best song writer at the Dolfin awards, far north New South Wales, Australia. He has been living in Wellington for the last five years.

Ruby and Vic play a selection of Vic’s songs with cello ,guitar, ukulele and vocals.

(photo courtesy of Liz Whyte)

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Saturday 14th May – concert – We Mavericks


They’re folk that resemble everything else: bringing captivating originals, entertaining stories and incredible energy, they pack punches but have songs to heal your scars.

Featuring a foot-stomping Kiwi girl and an Australian country boy, We Mavericks make music that is more than the sum of its parts. Lindsay Martin’s masterful strings and vocals meets Victoria Vigenser’s mesmerising voice, with driving rhythms and a connection you have to hear to believe.

Their songs are born from Vigenser and Martin’s shared and somewhat unusual exploration of the harder subjects in life, especially the relationships with self, with others, with memories and with hope. They’re rich in vocal harmony, hooked melodies and beautifully dexterous string work.

A certain trademark tightness and their strangely gritty, evocative performances have seen them on a steep and fast rise to festivals and shows in both home countries. Nominated Best Folk Artist in the 2022 Aotearoa NZ Music Awards, nominated 2021 Australian Folk Music Awards Artists of the Year, Best Duo/Group/Ensemble and recipients of the 2020 Troubadour Foundation Award, We Mavericks’ organic blend of lyrical pop and acoustic folk vibes has echoes of soulful Americana and Celtic roots amongst the harmonies.

Finally returning to NZ with their keenly-awaited duo debut album Grief’s a Gardener, they bring connected and grounding original songs that can melt even the hardest of hearts.

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Saturday 23rd April – concert – Jackie Bristow


The lure of the road has always been a defining motivation for singer-songwriter Jackie Bristow.
She took her first musical steps in Gore, in the South Island, honed her craft in the pubs and clubs of Sydney, Australia, and found her voice in the United States, where she has continued to enhance her reputation as a soulful, seductive independent recording artist and dynamic live performer.

Like Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin and Bonnie Raitt, Jackie has created a body of work that will endure, finely shaded songs that are at once personal and universal, recording with her long-time musical partner, Australian-born guitarist and producer Mark Punch.

American Songwriter hailed Jackie as “crafting some of the most beautiful, compelling Americana today”.

Her wanderlust informed her writing on four previous albums – Thirsty (2002), Crazy Love (2007), Freedom (2010) and Shot of Gold (2015) – and again on her latest, Outsider, which was released on March 4, 2022.

Whilst building on the strengths of her previous albums, Outsider finds Bristow drawing inspiration from the music of the American South — particularly the myriad sounds of her adopted home, Nashville.

“Nashville feels like a melting pot in a hub of creativity,” says Jackie. “Being exposed to such great American music has really inspired me.”

Jackie put the finishing touches to Outsider whilst staying in New Zealand after its first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. While in her homeland she has been “making the best of the crazy world” by focusing her creative energy in new directions.

A planned New Zealand Back to the Roots tour in 2021 fell by the wayside because of Covid restrictions, so Jackie used the time to develop a new youth songwriting programme called SongCatcher. The first programme yielded a single in November 2021, It’s Christmas, written and recorded by Jackie B and the Mini Band, a group of youngsters from the Queenstown area.

“Life changes,” Jackie says. “When one door closes another opens. You can’t sit and dwell on the setbacks. You’ve got to believe in yourself and keep moving forward.”

This unwavering positivity and global outlook have served her well in an industry where there are more hard knocks than greatest hits, enabling her to form lasting relationships with a wide range of influential personalities.

Her exquisite songcraft and compelling live performances have seen her share the bill and a personal connection with many of the world’s musical elite, including Bonnie Raitt, Boz Skaggs, Chris Isaak, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Miller Band, Foreigner, Art Garfunkel, Phoebe Snow and John Waite.

And, always, the road calls.

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Friday 8th April – society night – Vic Manuel and Ruby Solly – Cancelled

This scheduled April Society Night was cancelled and moved to 20th May 2022.

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Friday 18th March – society night – the Port Hillbillies – Cancelled


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Saturday 12th March – album launch and concert – Jo Sheffield – Cancelled


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(photo courtesy of Gerard Hudson)
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This album release and concert was cancelled and moved to 28th May 2022.
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Friday 18th February – society night – Cancelled Covid-19

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Friday 21st January – society night – Cancelled Covid-19

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