This week on B-Side stories, host Martin Andrews chats with Jon Coddington, marionette maestro and barista extraordinaire. Jon’s Pulp Fiction marionette show, “Puppet Fiction” recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was the No.1 rated free day show of the festival. Jon discusses the origins of his marionette work, what it was like in Edinburgh and closes the show with his best Christopher Walken impression!
We recently welcomed Benjamin Johnson into the studio from , Wellington.
I have to say that weekly we (as B-Side Stories hosts) are regularly inspired by our guests, but both Mike and I left the studio on Tuesday evening absolutely buzzing from talking to Benjamin. I have since excitedly told everybody I’ve come into contact with today – all about and how it works, and how easy it is to volunteer. What was most compelling was Benjamin’s statements on community ownership of the project and his view of how these small acts of generosity, be it time, money, surpluss food, or skills – they all help create better communities, which in turn create a better New Zealand. If you’re not hooked on listening to the interview already, checkout what Benjamin had to say below.
“It was a small act of generosity, but if every single day, people acted in those sorts of ways, imagine the communities we would be a part of; they’d be so beautiful. What I love about The Free Store – it’s a small, little thing, but I guess it’s a picture of what we hope to see on a bigger scale throughout our communities in New Zealand where people respect each other, care for each other, and are generous with each other, and hopefully – the world will be better because of it.”
Checkout the interview here:
And for more info on The Free Store, checkout:
is a 5 piece high-energy gypsy-flavours ensemble hailing from Wellington. They are also just about to celebrate the release of their first album Phantasticus Acousticus at this Friday.The lineup combines the fearless fiddling skills of Ana Christie and Alex Hills, matched by the awesome forces of Michael Kingston and Rick Shaw on guitar, all wrapped up in the powerful bass of Jacqui Nyman.
For more info on the album release at Old St. Pauls
and the band http://www.phantasticus.co.nz/
In this interview we chat with the Kiwi innovators behind a wasp-killing bait, an Iwi-led restoration project from Tolaga Bay and a new-generation native lizard monitoring system from Wellington based . They have each been awarded $25,000 from a grant to recognize their contribution to innovation in conservation.
The awards, now in their second year are a celebration of Kiwi innovators whose ideas look set to make a real difference in the fight to protect our special places and wildlife.
http://www.wwf.org.nz/what_we_do/community_funding/innovation/
http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/2003261-135/award-for-iwi-led-tolaga-project
Last week Mike invited Nina from Generation Zero and Alex from WWF in to B-Side Stories to tell us why they’re joining forces in the build up to the People’s Climate March on Saturday 28th November.
Listen to the interview below:
Wellington singer-songwriter Miles Calder has recently landed back on our shores after a year away living and writing in New York. He joins us in the studio to discuss his forthcoming album due out in April next year, his time in New York, his approach to writing, and he also plays live in the studio.
Listen to the interview below:
And for more information on Miles and his band the Rumours, check out their facebook page below.
B-Side Stories host Martin Andrews attends the monthly Kava Club meeting “Chop Suey Hui”. The Kava Club is a community of Pasifika & Maori creatives collaborating, connecting, supporting and networking from 17 Tory St. Each month they meet to eat and drink together with guest speakers discussing a pre organised topic. This months topic was “shhh… it’s a secret” with speakers discussing the celtic origins of Halloween, the Mexican Day of the Dead and the secrets of the Freemasons among other things.