West Auckland The Place To Be For Music Lovers This May

This May, the historic wine cellar at West Auckland’s Corban Estate Arts Centre will be transformed into a vibrant pop-up music venue for The Trusts Live!, a five-night celebration of local talent, hosted by The Trusts for NZ Music Month.

Each Saturday night in May, the wine cellar will host a different genre, bringing together an incredible line-up of local artists across funk, soul, electronic, hip hop, R&B, and indie, all performed in the uniquely intimate setting of this historic West Auckland space.

Each ticket purchased makes a genuine difference to the local creative community, with 100% of sales and all bar profits going directly to Crescendo, the free local music programme dedicated to supporting and nurturing young West Auckland musicians.

Embodying this year’s NZ Music Month’s theme, Our Sounds, Our Spaces, the gigs put a spotlight on West Auckland’s homegrown musicians. Headlining the line-up is multi-award-winning artist REI, neo-soul star MOHI, Velveteen Shakes, tei., Goodspace and Makaira Berry. The Trusts are also proud to shine a light on the emerging artists and sound engineers from Crescendo who make up the supporting acts and tech staff as part of their professional development through the programme.

Allan Pollard, CEO of The Trusts, says the initiative is about more than just a great night out. "The five Saturday nights are really a celebration of the creative talent flowing through West Auckland. We’ve seen first-hand the impact Crescendo has on our local rangatahi through our support of their audio internships, so we wanted to host an event that really honours that connection. NZ Music Month has always been about uplifting Kiwi talent, and we’re keen to do that in West Auckland and give our community a chance to join the fun."

The connection between the artists and the community runs deep. Headliners REI and Makaira Berry recently collaborated on the track ‘Hawaiki Hou’, produced and recorded at Crescendo’s studios with help from the audio interns. Additionally, headliner Velveteen Shakes worked with Crescendo mentor and legendary producer David Atai earlier in his career, showcasing the circular nature of the West Auckland music scene.

Crescendo CEO, Cat Percy, says the team were buzzing when The Trusts approached them with the idea.

"Our rangatahi and grads are so stoked to be part of this. It’s one thing to practice in a studio, but having the chance to stand on stage at the Corban Estate with a professional rig and a crowd is a huge confidence boost. It also involves our audio and content grads, who are working the event alongside the performers. It’s an amazing opportunity for them to see their future in the industry."

The line-up

• Saturday 2 May: Velveteen Shakes is bringing their infectious funk energy to the wine cellar, supported by Crescendo artists Honey Moala and Petaia.
• Saturday 9 May: Makaira Berry and MOHI bring smooth, soulful sounds rooted in Māori and Pasifika traditions in this double header. Supported by Crescendo artists Rebecca Rice, and Harmony Day.
• Saturday 16 May: tei. brings layered soundscapes and a serious atmosphere, supported by Crescendo artists AKL MADZ and Sancy Prabhakar for an intimate electronic experience.
• Saturday 23 May: REI, one of New Zealand’s most exciting voices in hip hop, takes the stage alongside Crescendo artists XPLSV and Ringmor.
• Saturday 30 May: Goodspace is bringing their indie sound to the wine cellar, alongside Crescendo artists Maria Clara and Katie-Lee, an evening of 100% local live Music.

Event details

• Where: The Wine Cellar, Corban Estate Arts Centre, Henderson.
• When: Every Saturday in May, starting at 7:00pm.
• Tickets: $15.00, available on Eventfinda.

For more information, visit The Trusts Live! at Corban Estate

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