A selection of adventurous music ensembles at the cutting edge of New Zealand Jazz. One ticket for all shows!

5pm – Fire Waltz  

Fire Waltz have been workshopping and woodshedding a whole raft of new tunes for this festival, and are ready to singe the hair off your ears with their interpretation of them. Purpose, energy and playfulness, sprinkled with a sense of joy are a guarantee on any gig these guys play.  

Featuring on drums the white heat of Rick Cranson, on piano a blaze of new intensity with Leo Coghini, the brilliant spark of Alistair Isdale on Bass and the always burning passion of Blair Latham on Tenor Saxophone.  

6pm – Bridget Kelly Trio  

Multi-reeds player Bridget Kelly's imaginative playing and creative energy just seems to get stronger and stronger. She's been a consistent figure in Wellington's creative music scene for well over 20 years, and continues to search for new sounds and approaches. She has been a vital contributor to many ensembles including The Troubles, Mean Bones, Dreamville and others. She plays bass clarinet, clarinet, tenor saxophone, flute and a variety of other instruments. 
 
Isaac Smith (double bass) and Andy Wright (drums) are both complete musical over-achievers, with a string of solo projects and groups on electronics as well as their native instruments. Together they form one of the most inventive drums and bass sections you're likely to find anywhere in the world. 

7pm – Farewell Spit 

Taking you on sonic voyages through uncharted waters, Farewell Spit is Jeff Henderson (piano), Daniel Beban (electric guitar), Riki Gooch (drums), Shayne Carter (electric guitar), Tom Callwood (bass) and Anthony Donaldson (percussion). This notorious crew of unchained musicians draw on the volatile elements and legends of deep sea adventures, playing slowly evolving, layered epics which are at once calming and devastating. 
 
“As if The Dead C and The Necks meet on a whaling ship in the Arctic Ocean, are dragged to the depths by a Giant Squid and kidnapped by whistling mermaids”  

8pm – Jonny Marks/Joe Lindsay/Steve Roche/Cory Champion 

A super band of local musical heroes! With vocalist Jonny Marks (The All Seeing Hand, Mean Bines, Flower Orphans), cornetist Steve Roche (Devils Gate Outfit, Thrashing Marlin), vibes master Cory Champion (Borrowed CS, Devils Gate Outfit) & tubular blower Joe Lindsay (Fat Freddy’s Drop) cookin’ up a swarm of hornets, bees, mince and cheese! 

9pm – Fertility Festival  

Renowned for filling Pōneke's stages and streets with up to sixteen musicians at a time during that strangely under-documented era known as the '00s, Fertility Festival's membership includes William John Hooker, Warwick 'Top Shelf' Donald, Isaac 'Fat Bottom' Smith, Gerard 'Basketcase' Crewdson, Blair ‘Sweetcheeks’ Latham, Julian ‘Blowhard’ Taylor, Riki ‘Poochie’ Gooch, Baba Rossa Beban & ETonalE amongst many others roped in for the night. 

An overdose of inspired horn vamps and ritualistic groove mantras conjured to move bodies into wild shapes.  

Available for celebrations and ceremonies, Fertility Festival specialise in performing ancient modern rituals of fertility, health, happiness, death and birth. Fertility Festival are expert “instrument whisperers”, and can breathe new life into your neglected instruments. Fertility Festival are architectural sound energy healers and can heal buildings of sickness, loneliness and neglect. 'Fertility Festival make me so happy!'