THE GROOVE BOOK REPORT

There's less than a week to go until the Verb Readers & Writers Festival for 2022.  Get excited about the line-up as Wellington once again comes alive with literature.  The Festival begins on 2 November and runs until 6 November.  There are over 70 events and 160+ writers involved in this celebration of stories, ideas, books and writing in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Verb Readers & Writers Festival’s theme of 'radical possibility' means experiences that will invigorate, entertain and inspire you as we near the end of this 2022.  Below are some highlights:  Thursday 3 November After an incredible opening night at Toi Te Kupu (a free celebration of poetry from across Aotearoa on Wednesday 2 November), come to Naumi Hotel for The Radical Possibility of Craft featuring Hinemoa Elder, Coco Solid, Vincent O’Sullivan, Sam Duckor-Jones, Kate Mildenhall (Aus) and Nathan Joe all speaking on what craft means for them. Hosted by Jo Randerson. Friday 4 November Take the d...

It's only two weeks to go until  Verb Readers & Writers Festival  begins!  Below we share more insights into our dynamic offering of conversation, performance and ideas. And we remind you about our action-packed  LitCrawl  on Saturday 5 November... 26 events, one night. Here is a curated list of events featuring some of Aotearoa's greatest literary talent: bursting with ideas to feed your mind, body and soul! The Possibilities of Return: Laurence Fearnley with Pip Adam, Sat 5 Nov, 10am. Laurence Fearnley is an award-winning novelist. Her novel  The Hut Builder  won the fiction category of the 2011 NZ Post Book Awards. In 2014 her novel  Reach  was longlisted for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, and, in 2008,  Edwin and Matilda  was runner-up in the fiction category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. She was named a New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate in 2019. In November Laurence travels to us from Dunedin to speak with...

  ‘It looks so cool. I can’t wait to devour it.’  — Jack White, The White Stripes ‘With his gratifying archive, Matt Goody details one of the most successful eras in the history of rock music – Flying Nun Records, formed in 1981 by Roger Shepherd in a Christchurch record shop. Shepherd and his brilliant cohorts served up the legendary output of not only kingpins like The Clean, The Chills and Tall Dwarfs, but also captured the best from favourites of mine like Able Tasmans, Bird Nest Roys, Look Blue Go Purple and The Verlaines. Goody provides the most comprehensive presentation yet of Flying Nun’s rise from Shepherd’s notepad to international underground rock sovereignty – and a vital part of one nation’s collective art history.’ — Bob Nastanovich, Pavement A richly illustrated Flying Nun discography – all the records from ‘Tally Ho!’ to Bird-Dog. Founded in 1981 by Roger Shepherd, Flying Nun Records unleashed an extraordinary wave of New Zealand music on listeners in Aotearoa...

Nick Bollinger is on record as saying  his life  changed at the age of five, when he heard the Beatles’ recording of ‘Twist and Shout’. He went on to become a bass player and a member of many bands, such as Rough Justice, Ducks, Pelicans,  and Living Daylights as well as  Wellington’s iconic Windy City Strugglers. After working as a postie and training as a teacher Nicks musical obsession found full fruition as a record reviewer and rock journalist. Contributing to the likes of  New Zealand Listener , Mojo, Rhythms, International Arts Manager, Rip It Up, The New Zealand Herald and many other national and international publications. Since 2001 he has presented the music review programme The Sampler for New Zealand’s National Radio. Nick was also the curator for Sound Design, Kiwi Style an exhibition of New Zealand record cover design, which toured the country from 2002 to 2004. Nick has  written several books including  his fabulous coming ...

Every year Verb Wellington has a big, beautiful party to celebrates books, reading, ideas, information and conversation. Over several days they gather, roam and talk together. Writers and artists from all over the world and Aotearoa share their ideas and their stories with curious readers. The next festival is scheduled for 3 - 6 November 2022 and will be a special one! LitCrawl Wellington is always the centrepiece of our party with 26 events in one Saturday night, with over 160 artists, and 26 of Wellington’s indie businesses and public spaces. The programme is up and ready check it out  https://www.verbwellington.nz/festival-2022