NELSON TASMAN MUSIC SCENE

NELSON TASMAN MUSIC SCENE If you like to watch live music while sitting in the sunshine drinking craft beer then you’ve come to the right place. For the most part, the local scene consists of musicians playing their original tunes in cafes, pubs and small venues across the region from Nelson to Golden Bay.

Nelson Tasman has never been on the tour circuit for the biggest international acts, but it has regularly hosted gigs by local heavyweights such as SIX60, Shihad, Salmonella Dub and Shapeshifter. The region has also produced its fair share of well-known artists like Broods, Sharon O’Neill and Minuit. In past years the region has also played host to festivals like Luminate and Bay Dreams.

Bar in Takaka host artists from Golden Bay and those on

energy and diversity of the live performances on these evenings is often magical. Tim’s Place across from the Otuwhero Estuary hosts touring musicians on a sporadic basis, particularly international and improv-style artists. Hooked, on the Marahau waterfront, also hosts performances, usually in the beer garden during summer in the late afternoon and early evenings.

TOAD Hall has live performances almost every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer which are often booked out. The Moutere Inn hosts gigs all year round and traditional folk nights on Thursdays where everybody is encouraged to join in. Golden Bear on the Mapua Wharf has performances every Sunday afternoon during the summer and also gigs at other times.

As well as other performing arts, the The Playhouse Cafe and Theatre between Mapua and Nelson also hosts some of the better-known touring Holly’s Hat Trick play at TOAD Hall, one of several music venues in Motueka. artists such as the Chills The local music scene is most active during the summer There are a number of venues in Nelson including the The months when you can attend gigs on Friday and Satur- Boathouse Society and a fantastic auditorium at the Nelday nights and at multiple venues on Sunday afternoons. son Centre of Musical Arts largely for classical and similar There isn’t as much live music action during the winter musical styles. You will also find cover bands banging months, but there are still some venues hosting live music. out the rock classics at the bars along Bridge Street in the The Mussel Inn in the tiny village of Onekaka and Roots middle of Nelson. and Shihad’s Jon Toogood. tour from elsewhere in the country, particularly those play- For a taste of the music being written and released by ing reggae, roots and groove-based rock. local recording artists check out the Spotify playlist Nelson Tasman: artists at home. The playlist is an eclectic mix of The Park Cafe in Marahau hosts legendary open-mic hip-hop, rap, country, modern pop, reggae and art-rock, and nights on Thursday evenings during the summer which is a fair reflection of the diversity and quality of the music include performances by local and visiting musicians. The coming out of New Zealand’s creative capital.