HAPPY

Rackets, No Aloha & Terror Of The Deep

Alternative/pop 9 pm $5

On Friday 25 March, Rackets hit up Wellington to play some cool songs/get out their MANGINAS with their buds No Aloha & Terror Of The Deep. Only $5 for three bands, that's only $1.6666666667 per band! Holy Guacamole! That's a bargain and a half ladies and gentlemen.

No Aloha Myspace

Wellington's NO ALOHA are on the verge of releasing a series of #1 Smash Hits, and have decided to stir up the North Island this April on an extra special tour. Joining them across these shows will be 42-date tour monsters RACKETS. People, prepare for the ‘proverbial’ to hit the fan harder, spread further and get more targets. Hopefully it will be chunky.

Originally from Christchurch the threesome started as a twosome in 2004 as Chris Young (guitar / vocals) and David Coffey (drums), until hooking up with Mike Ellis (bass/vocals), whose addition to the copulating resulted in the exuberant guitar pop dynamos INSURGENTS. Their debut album, All The Stupid Smiling Faces, got serious praise from as high up as The New Zealand Herald, but their relationship quickly became long distance with the inclusion of other projects BOYFRIEND (AK) and HYACINTH GIRL (UK).

But oh, how the river longs for the sea - last year the trio, unable to resist each other no longer, came back with new songs, new energy, and an appropriate new moniker: NO ALOHA.

Describing their music as: “Like meeting the girl of your dreams but realising halfway through she’s actually a he, but a real awesome he - so you just go with it.” These grungy transgressors have been recording banging new tunes with Tim ‘Diamond’ Shann in Wellington, which you can listen to here... http://noaloha.bandcamp.com/ or alternatively we have attached a zip file with the tracks, artwork and tour poster.

Farmer Maori And The Maori Farmers

Maori Reggae Music 9 pm $5

Jaime 'Farmer Maori' Reihana - vox, guitar, maori trumpet

Eddie 'Satchmo' O'Conner - saxamaphone

Al 'A-lister' Newton - gat/bass

Lawrence 'low-talker' Walker - Organ

Nat 'Schmall hands' Newton - Bongos

Aarona - Drums

For more info and to listen

City Oh Sigh E.P. Release 7th April

City Oh Sigh with Timothy Blackman 8 pm $5

City Oh Sigh Is a trio of classically - trained musicians that carefully crafts soulful songs, capturing audiences with their softness and beauty. The band combines unique instrumentation with subtle elements of folk and minimalist pop to emerge with a sound that is both difficult to categorize yet warmly familiar.

To celebrate the release of Like A Light, on Home Alone Music on the 4th of April, City Oh Sigh will be playing at Happy with support from Timothy Blackman.

City Oh Sigh on myspace

Claire Terry Trio, Rosy Tin Teacaddy, Lawnmaster

Claire Terry Trio, Rosy Tin Tea Caddy, Lawnmaster 8 pm $10

The Claire Terry Trio are based in Wellington and play folky, acoustic, indie, alt country type music.

Claire started playing solo many moons ago then stopped to have a wee sprog and make pretty jewels and opened up a pretty shop called Madame Fancy Pants. She started playing again in 2008, bought a fancy new taylor guitar to help her on her way to good music making.

At the end of 2009 Claire and Dan Yeabsley (Twinset, Wellington International ukulele orchestra, The Eggs) started tinkering on songs together and soon after decided Paul Hoskin (Twinset, The Eggs, The Yardbirds) would be the perfect beat keeping fit for the trio.

And now? writing more songs, playing and recording!

Listen to the Claire Terry Trio on myspace

Rosy Tin Tea caddy

Rosy Tin Teacaddy are Billy Earl and Betty Grey. Since 2007 the duo have been wooing discerning music lovers with their indie-folk sing-alongs.

Based in Wellington, the wry lyrical flavour of Rosy Tin Teacaddy is proving popular with live audiences. The group has shared the stage with Jose Gonzalez, Iron and Wine, Chris Knox, Jess Chambers, Teacups, Ragamuffin Children, Matt Langley, The Broken Heartbreakers, and Tim Guy.

Rosy Tin Teacaddy on Facebook

Lawnmaster

Masterful pop music from Ken Double and his likely lads

Lawnmaster on myspace

Emily Fairlight, Achilles Botes & Other Guests

8 pm $10

Former host of the Folk 'n' Cunt show on the now extinct Munt FM, Emily Fairlight, plays for the first time since recording her debut album. Armed with her guitar (Ignatius) and voice, her dark folk sounds have been described as haunting and original. She's also invited a very special to join her for a song or two - John Halvorsen (formerly of The Gordons, Bailter Space and The Sceptics). Also performing on the night is opening act, Achilles Botes (of Ghostplane), performing his solo writings accompanied by his keyboard player from ghostplane.

Both these artists have been hermitted away in the realms of recording-land for some time so get along to see a night of new songs with a fresh energy.

Idiot Prayer, God Bows To Math, Kittenbank

Saturday 2nd April Doors 9 pm $10

Dunedin sonic rock three piece Idiot Prayer depart their beloved South Island haunt for the first time this coming April to showcase their debut five track EP. Thwarted by the elements playing outside of Dunedin in 2010, Idiot Prayer have been keen to display their wares further afield ever since.

The tour will be in support of Idiot Prayer’s debut five track EP, Falconer, available on CD and download from Muzai Records and on vinyl from Monkey Killer Records, available at the shows. The song 100 Ducks is the second single to be released from the EP.

“Imagine if HDU, Mountaineater, Headless Chickens and Dimmer all got together for a jam and you’re there.” – Vicki Anderson, The Press

“As abrasively toned as the bone cutting chill of mid-winter Dunedin, South Island trio Idiot Prayer fashion an elastically pictorial mixture of conventionally structured post rock and free form improv noise arrangements.” Martyn Pepperell, Rip It Up

Idiot Prayer on Facebook

Sunday Jazz with The Troubles

Every Sunday at Happy from 8.30 Free Entry

The Troubles are Lucien Johnson, Sax, John Rae, Drums, Daniel Yeabsley, Sax, Patrick Bleakley, Bass, plus guests.

They play John and Lucien's own compositions, Jazz standards, and Ipmrovisations.

Every fortnight the band is joined by a string section. This could be your lucky night.

Fear Is The Enemy featuring Karen Hunter

From Chile, UK and NZ; Fear is the Enemy bring ‘folk-core’ to Aotearoa.

Fear is the Enemy are four intrepid musical explorers who will be touring New Zealand this summer. From Chile, Germany and NZ, FITE have blended together sounds from the three continents, creating an original style they refer to as ‘folk-core’.

Philosopher Marcelo Lopez and his brother, nylon string guitarist Luis, formed progressive rock band Postuma in Santiago, Chile in 2007. After the release of their debut album Desapego, the brothers left Chile to explore the world on an O.E that began in New Zealand in April 2010. The Lopez brothers chose New Zealand, believing they would find a deep inner renovation of their cultural environment and a new source of creativity here. They also wanted to meet musicians to explore new collaborative sounds.

Starting their Kiwi experience as horticultural workers (picking kiwifruit) the brothers began writing songs in English. These songs channelled a wild energy, strengthened and expanded by all of the people it touched. The brothers’ prophecy began to acquire shape, when they meet musician Karen Hunter, at an open mic night jam on Ponsonby Rd in Auckland and then with the addition of a talented german violinist Nikita Sieber, the band was completed and is now touring the country playing a strikingly fresh blend of world music.

As active participants in what they believe is a groundswell of deep change occurring throughout western societies like New Zealand, the band understand the power of music and its potential to instigate change.

With beginnings in open mic nights and arts centres, subsequent invitations have them now bringing people, parties and gigs to life. Lyrics, music and passionate voices combine to energise their performances with a vibrant life force that is both contagious and a little bit frightening. To quote the band, ”We bring peace with a sword, bro”.

Using guitars, percussion and voices, Fear is the Enemy captures the essence of the Lopez brothers’ journey from South American heavy rock to acoustic folk-core.

Sonorous Circle Double Night Extravaganza

Thursday March 10th i.ryoko, Siamese, Bleachboys, The Convoy

Friday March 11 Alphabethead, Glass Vaults, Seth Frightening, Golden Dawn

Doors from 8 pm $5 per night or $8 for both.

Sonorous Circle is a growing collective of passionate individuals here to support what we know to be good; to aid and encourage the creation and dissemination of exciting and sincere music and art in whatever form it may come.

For more info on the bands, check www.sonorouscircle.com

Jeff Henderson The Dead Ringers

Founder and past manager of Happy Bar Jeff Henderson is back playing at Happy every Tuesday night in March.

This week it's The Dead Ringers - Jeff Henderson, Gerard Crewdson, Anthony Donladson and special Guest Stev Roche.
The Dead Ringers

Jeff is an integral part of the New Zealand improvised music scene. He is one of the true master saxophonists (and a dab hand at other instruments). Jeff has been responsible for fostering Wellington underground music and bringing many amazing musicians into the country. Jeff has played with Marilyn Crispell, Evan Parker, Han Bennink, William Parker and other giants over the years.

Listen to Jeff play

Ocean Floor US Monday 7th March

Happy is proud to host American folk band The Ocean Floor who are visiting our fair shores this summer all the way from Portland, Oregon.

Featuring violin, clarinet, string bass, harmonica and four part vocal harmonies, The Ocean Floor is undoubtedly going to be one of those whimsical, emotively engaging live artists, or in other words, not to be missed.... read a review

They will be joined by Wet Wings, and City Oh Sigh in support.

$10 Doors open 8 pm

First Happy week in March

Friday night's comedy show has sold out, but there's plenty of other ace gigs to check out at Happy this week. Plus a special Momnday night show from Ocean's Floor

Saturday 5th March

Brains, Seth Frightening, Mammal Airlines, Lontalius $10, Doors 9.30

Every Sunday:

SUNDAY JAZZ with 'The Troubles' featuring: John Rae, Daniel Yeabsley, Lucien Johnson, & guests. Sunday from 8:30pm. FREE ENTRY. This is the best live jazz you can see in Wellington. Until Sonny Rollins gets here that is.

Monday 07/03

the Ocean Floor, Wet Wings, City Oh Sigh $10 Doors 8pm

Coming up:

Saturday 12/03 Folk Core from Fear is The Enemy ”We bring peace with a sword, bro”.

Thursday 17/03 Emily Pee will be releasing her new album.

Friday 18/03 Full Moon Fiasco

Friday 25/03 No Aloha

High Places (US) with Glass Vaults

Happy are totally thrilled to be presenting: High Places (USA) with Glass Vaults on Saturday February 5th.

Tickets from utr.co.nz and on the door.

High Places is Mary Pearson and Rob Barber, NY natives bringing an exquisite corpse approach to dream-pop. Utilising folk percussion instruments, guitar duets turned into treated samples, and percussive lines created from the manipulation of household objects. Their sound is evocative of walking through a rainforest, although imagine the trees equipped with organic subwoofers and Mary Pearson's vocals floating through the foliage. Their latest: 'High Places vs. Mankind' (Thrill Jockey) sees them "tackling the complex, gigantic subject of being human and what it’s like to interact with other human beings." Guitars feature more prominently, and the subject matter moves from the ethereal to the more elemental; relationships, overcoming addiction, aging and death. However, these more sombre tones are still couched in the trademark layers of beats, samples, and found instrumentation that make High Places so engaging.

The Thing - this Thursday (Jan 20th)

General mind blowing ear boggling musician mats Gustafsson is touring NZ with his incredible trio The Thing! FROm SCANDINAVIA the great Extreme energy free jazz punk cosmic mind altering power trio

THE THING!

Featuring saxophonist of the century

mats Gustafsson from Sweden, with norways finest: ingebrigt haken flaten on double bass and the extraordinary paal nilssen-love on drums.

thurs 20 jan

THE thing plus local support

happy - 118 tory st - te aro

doors 8pm $10

plus - workshop with the thing! Come and meet, talk and play with The Thing! wellington - freds - fri 21 jan - 12pm

Mats Gustafsson is Sweden’s and one of Europe’s biggest names on the free music scene. Through groups like Gush, AALY trio and Peter Brötzmann`s Chicago Tentet, he has established himself as a very powerful saxophonist, and has reinvented the way of playing the saxophone. Gustafsson has collaborated with many of the most adventurous musicians in the universe including Sonic Youth, Yamatsuka Eye (the Boredoms), Otomo Yoshihide, Evan Parker, Barry Guy, Paul Lovens and Hamid Drake.

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Paal Nilssen-Love have become known as Norway`s heaviest rhythm-section. Their long time collaboration bagan in 1992 and they perform together in many groups including School Days with Ken Vandermark, Scorch trio with Raoul Björkenheim, and the Swedish/Norwegian jazz-group Atomic.

The Thing also performs with Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, Otomo Yoshihide, Jim O`Rourke, Thurston Moore and Cato Salsa Experience.

Only once in a great while does a group of musicians come along with an inherent discipline that dares to question the realm between the known and the unknown. Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten and Paal Nilssen-Love of the Scandinavian Power Trio, "The Thing," provide a language so determined in its musical complexity, boundaries literally and figuratively disappear.

Each one of these extraordinary musicians has redefined their own given instrument with an exceptional ability to transform life into art with burning clarity.

If you miss this rare opportunity to hear some of the hottest musicians in the world you are a dick!

Presented by Vitamin S and the Frederick St Sound and Light Exploration Society