2026 events are listed below
(either page down or click on specific event for more detail)
Jam sessions and banjo workshops
The jam sessions are run on the second Sunday of the month, year-round. The old-time jam is the first half (2:00-3:30pm) and bluegrass jam the second half (3:30-5:00pm). You can come for one. or the other, or both! The Banjo Workshops (booking essential) are between 3pm and 5pm.
Second Sunday – Old Time and Bluegrass Music Jam Sessions
Second Sunday – Banjo Workshop
Society nights
Society nights are on the fourth Thursday of the month, at the Abandoned Taproom, Petone.
Concerts
23rd July – Laldy
3rd July – Andrew and Kirsten London Set Me Up By The Bar Album Launch
26th June – Charlotte Yates
28th May – Kelburn Viaduct Municipal Ensemble Jug Band
23rd April – Phonic Fever
11th April – Frank John and Erin Manu featuring Rob Greenfield (bass)
26th March – Stan Antonio
8th March – Luthiers Corner
26th February – Zonnis (Can)
14th February – Elias Bartholomeo (Aus)
31st January – Alex Seel and Jon Sanders (UK)
15th January – Jackie Bristow and Barry Saunders
Second Sunday each month – Jam Sessions and Banjo workshop
Banjo Workshop 
Held on the second Sunday afternoon of each month between 2pm and 3:30pm for the Old Time Music jam session and 3:30pm to 5pm for the Bluegrass Music jam session – currently being held at Memelink Artspace, 223 The Esplanade, Petone. The Banjo Workshop is 3pm to 5pm.
Thursday 23rd July 7:30pm – WBS Society night featuring Laldy
Laldy (adverb): “To undertake an action with gusto or great enthusiasm.”
Fiddle player Rachel James 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 South Wellington, they are inspired by Scottish, Irish 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 Swedish tunes and grooves through both New Zealand and international workshops, festivals and sessions. Rachel began her gigging career is 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 fiddle player for Wellington old-time band Barry and the Crumpets, and now co-leading both Laldy and The Hilltop Ceilidh Collective with Donald.
Donald originally 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.
After a successful Spring Tour in 2022, which took them as far north as Whangarei Fringe Festival, as far West as the Mussel Inn, and as rustic as a historic woolshed in the Wairarapa, Laldy are now crafting their debut album.
Playing a selection of sweet songs, modal grooves and trad bangers, Laldy bring to the stage a lively set which weaves together contemporary and traditional folk tunes and songs with original writing and arrangements.
Friday 3rd July 8:00pm – WBS concert featuring the album launch concert for Set Me Up By The Bar, presented by Andrew London and the Swing Voters, on Friday 3rd July 8:00pm
‘Set Me Up By The Bar’, the long-awaited new album from Andrew London and an army of collaborators loosely dubbed the Swing Voters, will be officially launched at the Wellington Bluegrass Society on 3rd July. The band will play all twelve tracks from the new album which includes several of Andrew’s signature satirical offerings about supermarket etiquette, unintentionally falling out with neighbours and the pitfalls of playing in restaurants; some poignant country/folk tunes, and a handful of rollicking western swing-inspired songs that give opportunity for jazz-style improvisation to pianist Wayne Mason, saxophone/clarinet player Oscar Laven and Andrew of course on his trademark 1959 Hofner guitar.
The Swing Voters are a high energy group who allow themselves licence to extend a song as the mood takes them. This is more than obvious on the ‘Set Me Up By The Bar’ album which features no fewer than four saxophonists, namely Nils Olsen, James Tait Jamieson, Brian Omundsen and Oscar Laven. Oscar doubles on clarinet, James on Irish whistle. Kirsten and Ryan hold down the rhythm section, Mason plays keys on several tracks although Andrew contributes piano to the title track. Pedal steel guitarist Bill Bassett contributes some colour to a western swing song, and the ever-ready Neil Billington provides raunchy harmonica to the rocky ‘Shamrock Hotel’. The album will be available on CD, or to stream or download digitally from bandcamp.com.
With his ever-reliable partner Kirsten on bass, and the metronomic Ryan Watson on drums, the band will also play a selection of jazz, blues and swing standards from their 2019 album ’Standard Deviations’. There will be foot-tapping at the very least.
Andrew and Kirsten are delighted to be launching this album at the Wellington Bluegrass Society.
Friday 26th June 8:00pm – Society night – featuring Charlotte Yates
In a professional musical career of nearly three decades, Charlotte Yates has worn a number of hats, both literally and figuratively. She was part of the comic-musical trio When The Cat’s Been Spayed, with their fruit-festooned headgear and high-camp renditions of Kiwiana classics such as ‘Taumarunui On the Main Trunk Line’. She still has all her teeth, both eyes and most of her hair.
She conceived and directed the large-scale recording and stage projects Baxter, Tuwhare, Ihimaera and Mansfield, based around the works of four of this country’s major literary figures. She has managed festivals and worked in different roles as an arts professional.
Yet looking back, writing and performing original material has been the thread that runs through her work. “I never thought, ‘I’m going to be a singer-songwriter for the rest of my life’,” says Yates. “I didn’t have the grand master plan”. However in 2017 she released her seventh solo album Then The Stars Start Singing and last year she released Winter’s Eye, a seven-track EP. Both will be available for purchase.
For this show, Charlotte was joined by Jo Moir of Hobnail – vocals, fiddle.
Thursday 28th May 2026 – Society Night – featuring the Kelburn Viaduct Municipal Ensemble Jug Band
When Neil Worboys chanced upon jug band music in the 1960s, his life was turned upside down and has never been the same. In 1968, on seeing Napier’s “10% Supermarket Discount Band” at the renowned Wellington coffee bar Chez Paree, he vowed and declared to “get his own jug band together”. Since then Neil has been involved in quite a few jug bands – Stupid Cat Requiem, Bulldogs Allstar Goodtime Band, The Hot Mumbles Jug Band, The Electric Jug Band, The Whakapunaki Favourites, The Ear Boggles and the Pillock Brothers, to name just a few.
The Kelburn Viaduct Municipal Ensemble Jug Band had its genesis in 2013 when Pip Payne, Neil Worboys, Bill Wood, Maurice Priestley and Steve Carlyle banded together with the avowed intention of playing jug band music, as this had played an important part in the development of their individual DNAs and a vital source of inspiration for everything musical.
Their repertoire is a mix of original songs, which intentionally and vaguely follows the styles of Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and other inspirational pioneers of blues and jug band music, along with cover versions of the above-mentioned heroes.
The band spent 2014 and 2015 playing a number of Wellington venues, followed by the Wellington Folk Festival and several out of town Jazz n Blues Festivals. Their first album Stomp Around the Floor was recorded live one rainy Saturday afternoon in late 2015, followed by a stomping CD release party at the Kelburn Village Pub. The end of 2015 saw Pip Payne replaced by Carol Bean. The band maintained and built their fan base through to 2020 by adding gigs at key venues. They released their second CD and online EP album Round Your Door, featuring all original compositions, on Friday 31 July 2020 at the Wellington Bluegrass Society.
When Steve left in late 2020 they recruited Peter Gregory – bass player extraordinaire, to play tea chest bass and multi-instrumentalist Barry Carter to sing and play washboard. The re-worked six-piece band continued to perform around the capital city with irregular forays into the hinterland to play at festivals and rural pubs. 2024 saw the departure of Maurice and Peter and the arrival of Derek Burfield, who brought his jug band experience having started in Palmerston North in the 1970s with Railway Pie playing jug and upright bass.
The KVMEJB continue to build and refine their repertoire and audiences can look forward to hearing a mix of traditional and contemporary songs from Lead Belly, Skip James, Tom Waits, Maria Muldaur and Mississippi John Hurt, as well as chosen originals.
Thursday 23rd April 2026 – Society Night – featuring Phonic Fever
Phonic Fever are Anne O’Donnell – ukulele and harp, Geoff Pearce – flatpick and fingerpick guitar also cahon, and Charles Greenlees, also known as Charles Harter – guitar, mandolin, and fiddle on the more energetic numbers. They came together through Geoff’s partner and Anne, who both work at a Hutt Physiotherapy practice, who were having a Christmas function and Geoff attended, brought his guitar to provide entertainment. Charles, who is Anne’s partner, also took his guitar to provide entertainment. This was the first time Charles and Geoff met, and following this they got together and worked out a few tunes and kindled a musical friendship.
The band grew from there, working out songs and developing a repertoire. A few musicians came and went through the process. Once their music began to develop, Anne also joined the band, stuck with them throughout and the three are the current lineup.
Their repertoire is entirely original songs. Charles is the principal songwriter with Anne strongly collaborating, and Charles working out melodies. Geoff has written a few songs too. They sing in three part harmonies and use a variety of styles of music including ragtime, blues and swing. They make every song individual and stand alone. Their songs are often tongue in cheek, but can include social commentary as in “I would love to be loved”, which looks at the daunting prospect of joining an internet dating site. Some can border on the educational including “The Gut”, “A Good Night’s Sleep” and “The Bluegrass Boys”. Their songs have an element of infectious fun, tempered by occasional serious undertones in unexpected places.
The last three years have been very creative for the band, who not only have an entirely original repertoire, but have also created many videos, viewable via their Youtube channel, which you can find by searching for “Phonic Fever”.
Saturday 11th April 2026 – Concert – Frank John and Erin Manu featuring Rob Greenfield (bass)
Originally from Amsterdam, Frank John brings his technical brilliance to this New Plymouth-based duo, and his Taranaki-born wife Erin Manu provides driving rhythm guitar and has a reputation for her unique style on banjo – described as having ‘a kinda swagger’ – by Albi from Albi and The Wolves.
Whether it’s a sizzling acoustic instrumental or the soulful delivery of a ballad, they capture the essence of guitar and song through the variations of the acoustic genres – folk, blues, country, swing and classical – all wrapped into a neat Kiwi-Dutch package. They perform some hidden gems, well known standards and their own compositions.
Frank and Erin have recorded a compilation of some of their original instrumentals, which will be released this year on CD and online. Each composition is finely crafted and features Rob Greenfield (bass), Ryan John (guitar), Jude Douglas (violin), Liz Merton (violin) and Cindy Muggeridge (keyboard).
For this concert, Frank and Erin will be joined by Robert Greenfield (bass).
In addition, all musicians who recorded on the CD will be performing during this concert.
“Erin has a voice like a crema-rich latte” – Auckland Folk Festival fan
“Beautifully concise guitar playing, tasty harmonies, well-crafted originals and brilliant covers” – Chris Penman
Thursday 26th March 7:30pm – Society Night – Stan Antonio
Phoebe Smith and Alex Howie grew up attending folk festivals and have played around Wellington as part of various folk groups. They dabble in the realms of Americana, folk, and bluegrass, and have recently been writing music together. Their influences include classic artists such as Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, more contemporary artists such as Adrianne Lenker, and Aotearoa artists like Marlon Williams and Nadia Reid. They aspire to use the banjo as a force for good in this world, alongside close harmonies and acoustic guitar.
Sunday 8th March 7:30pm – Concert – Luthiers Corner
It was the early 70s and two young men, more than ten thousand kilometres apart, were being influenced by the folk music and the associated musical instruments that became so popular at the time. They are Peter Madill and Jack MacKenzie, who became very involved in both the music and the construction and repair of instruments that were used therein. As it turned out, their respective universes were not only parallel but converging.
Advance to the 2019 Wellington Folk Festival, where Peter and Jack first met and became aware of each other’s music and the potential that existed between them. Both had committed to displaying their luthiery work at the festival. However, both were also taking part in the Festival as performers, Peter with the Madillionaires and Jack with the Downunderdogs.
Following that Festival, a relationship between them developed through their guitar building. Peter, being the more established and experienced of the two was kind and generous and began helping Jack develop his skills. Sticky problems were solved through collaboration and Peter’s formal woodworking skills were shared with each visit.
Then a relationship of respect and admiration developed along with the guitar building, and both had an interest in each other’s music. They decided to try a short stage performance, which took place at the last Mid-Winter Holler, which took place in late February 2023. Their music was very well received. As a result of encouragement and suggestion, an experimental concert at the Wellington Bluegrass Society then resulted.
Although they have a different approach to music, the common thread of the folk music tradition allows an intuitive understanding of the music. Because of this, adaptation to each other’s repertoire followed naturally. This music is underpinned by their combined repertoires, harmony vocals, solid flat picking and the possibility of an appearance of the pedal steel guitar that Jack has been teaching himself to play. It will be an interesting and rewarding evening, steeped in a combined rich history of decades of involvement in this art, complete with unique stories and a perspective born of the pursuit of both luthiery and music.
Thursday 26th February 7:30pm – Concert – Zonnis (Can)
Zonnis are from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Their music is fun, upbeat, heartfelt and creative, and having performed many hundreds of gigs across Canada, and some internationally, they now looking forward to bringing their music to New Zealand.
Adam discovered in his early 20s that all he ever wanted to do was play guitar. He bought his first six-string whilst backpacking through Vietnam and taught himself to play, inspired by other musicians he met along the way. Finding his calling as a songwriter soon followed, and he has since penned countless songs in various genres.
Growing up in the sleepy town of 1980s Kelowna, BC, Andrea dreamed of travelling the world. Discovering her voice at an early age, she quickly became enthralled with the opportunities that music afforded her, with invitations to perform at local and regional events, followed by band trips and then a move to Victoria to pursue an education in opera and
musical theatre. Discovering her passion for songwriting, she switched gears towards writing rock, funk and pop songs, which opened new doors for performance and touring. Her natural expressive character tends toward dynamic and emotive lyrics, and a strong message of personal empowerment.
Married musical duo Zonnis have been entertaining audiences for over a decade. Hitting the heart, Andrea’s powerful vocals and wise words combine with Adam’s gritty humour, driving guitar and poignant songwriting, Zonnis delivers original folk-Inspired roots rock cabaret with a dash of lighthearted social commentary.
https://www.zonnismusic.com
Saturday 14th February 8:00pm – Concert – Elias Bartholomeo (Aus)
Elias Bartholomeo is a Solo fingerstyle guitar player hailing from Sydney, Australia. On many occasions, Elias has been titled as one of the top acoustic guitarists around Australia today with his playing being described as “Walking a tightrope between many genres all at once!” with a fearless and energetic approach to his live performances.
Elias embarked on his musical journey at the tender age of four, under the guidance of his grandfather. Immersed in the sounds of The Beach Boys, Jerry Reed, The Shadows, Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel, Elias was inspired to emulate their mastery. Despite being self-taught and unable to read music, he honed his craft through ear training and collaboration with fellow musicians.
At sixteen years old, Elias had the opportunity to live out his dream and perform alongside Tommy Emmanuel in the Maui Cultural Arts Centre, Hawaii – an experience that further fuelled his passion for music. Over the years, he has had the privilege of collaborating with numerous musicians from across the globe, enriching his musical repertoire.
Over the last few years, Elias has toured extensively around Australia, New Zealand and USA. Elias has been has been building a strong profile in the live music and Guitar communities, playing at festivals, theatres and halls as a solo show and collaborating with other great musicians near and far.
In 2020, Elias was recognised as a graduate of the Talent Development Project, marking a significant milestone in his musical career. He has since been carving out his path as a solo artist in Australia, culminating in the release of his debut EP Give to Keep in early 2021 and recording parts of his collaboration project According To History at Sony Music Australia.
His musical journey has led him to crossroads, where in Hawaii, Elias met a fellow Australian guitar player, who has become a driving force in his development as a player. Having done their first show together whilst Elias was still in school, then forming the duo Elias and JJ and released a series of EPs According To History and have performed shows around New South Wales Australia including opening for Daryl Braithwaite at Wests, Tamworth.
Elias is a proud owner of the business Sounds of Country who are associated with brands including AER amplifiers, Ernie Ball strings, Kyser capos, Paige capos and Maton guitars. With his solidifying status as a rising star in the music industry, his dedication to his craft and unwavering passion for music continue to propel him towards greater heights.
Saturday 31st January 8:00pm – Concert – Alex Seel and Jon Sanders (UK)
“Make no mistake, the audience raved about the sheer scope of musical interplay and different genres… Sanders with his jazz-tinged Irish, Arabesque and world music solos, brought the sonorous experience of compositions from the British song-writer’s new album with almost unbelievable changes in tempo, accompanied masterfully by Seel’s impressive guitar… The audience loved Seel’s folk, pop and blues influenced songs and duos with Sanders”
– RheinZeit, Germany
Music has led Alex Seel from Devon to London to Ireland and back to London again. Through his wanderings, Alex has picked up a finely crafted, rootsy songwriting style with thought provoking lyrics and a flare for acoustic guitar finger picking. His influences range from blues, pop and the British folk revival guitarists, but his sound is all his own. He has a growing reputation as a solo performer, having performed around the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Spain.
Jon Sanders is recognised as a virtuoso bouzouki player, tenor ukulele player, drop D and DADGAD guitarist and an internationally acclaimed composer. His compositions draw on elements of jazz, gypsy, funk, Arabic, Latino and Celtic styles, somewhat reminiscent of Sylvain Luc, Pierre Bensusan, Antonio Forcione and James Hill – yet instantly different.
Both were based in Dingle in Kerry, but in different scenes. But only later on started playing in the UK first at the Didsbury Festival, then did couple of other festivals and it went down really well… the chemistry of the duo, complementing each other with symbiotic dynamism, with sensitivity in each other’s music. Both are long time professional musicians. Jon has been performing in NZ for 20 years; however, this is Alex’s first time in NZ.
Thursday 15th January – Concert – Jackie Bristow and Barry Saunders
Jackie Bristow was brought up in Gore, honed her craft in the pubs and clubs of Sydney, Australia and now lives in Nashville Tennessee, USA. Jackie has released five critically acclaimed studio albums and spent the last few years opening for Chris Isaak, Boz Skaggs, Bonnie Raitt and Tommy Emmanuel, as well as headlining her own shows.
Joined by Barry Saunders, A genuine Kiwi music hero, and singer and principal songwriter for the legendary country band The Warratahs. Barry has also had a parallel solo career spanning six albums, along with collaborations with Sam Hunt and Delaney Davidson.
Jackie’s life was turned around in 2020 whilst visiting New Zealand, when the Covid-19 lockdown hit. Unable to return to her home in Nashville, she “made the best of the crazy world” of that time by focusing her creative energy in new directions. A silver lining saw Jackie connecting with Barry Saunders and an amazing friendship and music partnership was made. Jackie and Barry went on to perform shows around New Zealand and releasing their debut single collaboration Good Miles to Go in 2024.
“We’re two seasoned songwriters who have teamed up as we love singing together and our voices and songs work so well together.
“We combine our catalogues of songs. We perform as a duo, with two acoustic guitars and two voices, harmonies, harp, including some solo performances and stories.