Wellington Film festival - We Recommend...

God! Where to start? We're about a third way through the programme & EVERYTHING so far looks like a must see. Kudos to Mr Gosden & his team this year.

Disclaimer: Our opinions are not infallible, we saw a promisingly enthralling documentary a few years ago called Hybrid... and it was literally watching corn grow... interspersed with the most boring home movie commentary... we'll try to shield you from its ilk...

Then again, we have seen some wonderful films that did not sound at all promising in the programme.

So... in no particular order... liberally quoting without acknowledgment from the programme... what we'd see if we had unlimited time & money. You have our 100% guarantee that you will like these movies... or we will call you a dumbass.

Hidden: Big French comedy crowd pleaser. Because it's French, it's "Art" right? This will be good. Also, it has two of the most ubiquitous, and charismatic French stars, Daniel Auteuil & Juliette Binoche.

Howl's Moving Castle: Japanese Anime maestro Miyazaki Hayao takes on Dianne Wynne Jones children's novel. Will be eye poppingly family friendly.

Rize: For fans of (and anyone curious about) Krumping... a hip-hop dance subculture.

The Child: Young man considers selling his baby on the black market. Expect harrowing thrills, heart-break & heart-warming (guessing here), and superb acting.

The Lost World: Pre-King Kong stop motion dinosaur effects based on the Arthur Conan Doyle novel. Only fragments of this have existed since shortly after it was first released (long story). But this restored version is nearly intact, as it first screened. With a live music original score from pianist Jan Preston & saxophonist Peter Boyd.

The 5000 Fingers of Dr T: We've actually seen this... freaky-assed movie about a boy who hates his piano teacher. Screenplay by Dr Seuss. Pretty much what you'd imagine & more. Um... if ever there were a movie to legalise cannabis for....

Bombon - El Perro: Heartwarming story about a curmudgeon & his dog.

Little Sky: Heartwarming & heart-breaking story about a guy... and someone else's toddler (not in a dodgy sense, if you get my drift).

Rolling Family: Heartwa... OK, we'll stop saying that. Extended family & their campervan.

The World: Beijing global-theme park & the denizens within. ...go-getters, gangsters, social climbers and sleazeballs. But hey, that's show-business.

36,quai des Orfevres: Daniel Auteuil & Gerard Depardieu (what sort of film festival would it be without these two?) as veteran cops vying for the same promotion.

The Ax: Black comedy about an unemployed corporate type who sees a niche in eliminating (literally) his competition.

A Common Thread: Chick flick involving hand-weaving & embroidery. Expect it to be heartwa... and visually sumptuous.

The Intruder: Claire Denis latest. French Art-house at it's finest. Expect to be perplexed about what's going on (yes, this IS a recommendation!)

Kings & Queen: French... tragicomedy, couldn't make much sense of the programme notes in the quick scan I performed, but has Catherine Deneuve. So it must be good.

Look at Me: Contemporary French cinema at its best. Who are we to argue? Young opera singer tries toescape the shadow of her superstar novelist father. Probably very, very amusing.

2046: Two of our favourite beautiful people, Tony Leung & Maggie Cheung (yes, they have both made movies with other people) in Wong Kar Wai's latest (If we read this correctly, this is the sequel to his In the Mood for Love which also featured these two). Also has hotties Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, Carina Lau. Lucky Tony... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Election: Mega-violent triad movie.

Hari Om: Light & lively Indian road movie. Looks great.

Tony Takitani: Adaptation of Haruki Murakami's short story. Apparently "stylised" isn't a strong enough word...

3-Iron: We've read about this... from the director of the beautiful Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring. A drifter breaks into houses, makes himself at home, and then repairs the appliances & generally makes things better than they were when he entered. Then he comes across an unhappy wife in one of them...

Life is a Miracle: A circus, a love-sick donkey, and a home made bear. Sounds like a John Irving novel. But it's actually mad-cap sounding antics in war torn Bosnia. Really.

The Sea Inside: This year's Best Foreign Film Oscar winner. The true story of a Spanish quadraplegic who fought the Spanish government for the right to end his life. Not nearly as gruelling as it sounds...

The Wayward Cloud: At last! The Art-house sleaze! The story of a Taipei porn star which doesn't sound very titillating.

9 Songs: More Art-house sleaze! Michael Winterbottom's controversial feature about a love affair. Controversial for the hardcore sex... but apparently it's tender, heart-warming & all in the best possible taste.

The Queen of Sheba's Pearls: UK/Swedish sweet, comic hymn to post WWII Englishness. A beautiful, mysterious foreigner (swedish) enters the lives of an English family & she's the dead ringer of their dead mother.

Yes: Sally Potter's latest. Has Joan Allen in it as a molecular scientist so it must be good.

Palindromes: More Todd Solondz weirdness about the terminally uncool in American suburbia.

Undertow: Contemporary Southern Gothic movie thriller. We can't resist them.

4: Right from the programme here: "The feral and the heavy metallic vie for dominance in this extraordinary assault on the senses, the year's most transfixingly baffling movie - which among other things, purports to reveal the meaninglessness of the number 4..." No need to read any more, We are SO there! Although we quite like "a howling orgy of decrepitude and decay" also.

Homegrown - Works on Film & Homegrown - Works on Video: I mean... you HAVE to don't you? Besides, these are always fascinating & entertaining.

Kekexili - Mountain Patrol: Superbly photographed ecological manhunt movie.

Look Both Ways: Very funny sounding Ocker comedy about an eternal pessimist.

Me and You and Everyone We Know: We've read (good things) about this one too - true indie feature about relationships.

My Summer of Love: And this one too. UK comedy drama about infatuation. Sports great performances from its young cast, apparently.

Whisky: The first Uruguayan sock factory movie you have probably ever seen.

Fiction Artists: One of those clever & hilarious compilations of clips from old movies, this time showing Hollywood's depiction of the tortured artist.

Banana in a Nutshell: We only heard the term "Banana" recently. And now here's a film about one.

Double dare: A documentary about Xena's stunt double, Zoe Bell. and veteran stuntwoman, Jeannie Epper.

Enron - The Smartest Guys In The Room: Yeah right.

Sedition: The suppression of dissent in NZ. Could be an eye opener.

The Man from Laramie: We've seen this too. The greatest movie star ever, James Stewart, searches for the man who killed his borther in this lush western directed by Anthony Mann. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

East of Eden & Rebel Without a Cause: Ever wondered if james Dean could live up to the post-death hype? Wonder no more... check out the lesser known Nick Ray films too, they're all going to be great.

Kung Fu Hustle: "Like a gonzo fusion of Tarantino & Tex Avery" (Looney Toon maestro). Ultraviolence. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

High Tension: As the title suggests. A white knuckle ride about a girl & her chainsaw. "One film you won't want to take home to meet mum".

Inside Deep Throat: Documentary sleaze, so that's alright then!. It's not about Watergate.

Overnight: Documentary morality tale about a blowhard who blew his big chance in Hollywood. You won't feel sorry for him.

Because the Wellingtonists are such avid musos, we'll also be going to ALL the musical documentaries... and there are several, including: Sorceress of the New Piano; Touch the Sound; A Labyrinth of Time; Fallen Angel - Gram Parsons; Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues; The devil and Daniel Johnston; DIG!; Brasileirinho; and Be Here To Love Me - A Film About Townes Van Zandt.

And that's it! There are many more that we missed that you might quite like (in fact, enthusiastic word of mouth always follows several films we decide not to bother with), so do check out the programme, and/or the website.

LOOP Hiring now

We at Wellingtonist Towers are forever on the hunt for the latest cool and wonderful jobs and if it's the music industry you're after then this has to be it. LOOP Recordings Aot(ear)oa is Wellingtons top independent recording label and they're hiring:

LOOP is looking to recruit an additional member to join the team. Reporting to the GM, this role is responsible for all accounting and royalty management. You'll be part of a small office team and will be involved in many aspects of operations including dealing with artists and clients. The successful candidate should have prior accounts experience, excellent presentation and a professional manner.

There is some flexibility with hours however the role will initially be approximately 4 days per week with the possibility of working from home.

To submit your application in strict confidence, please apply to: michael@loop.co.nz

Go for it!
And don't forget to drop into the interview where you saw the job advertised.

More on LOOP
Since mid-2001 LOOP has released over 30 albums and has distribution in British, European and Australian markets. LOOP has also produced a number of compilations sampling the best of Aotearoa's audio culture, including unsigned artists, independent acts and output from Aotearoa's best underground labels.

Where to watch the All Blacks

If you didn't fly down to Christchurch for the first test, don't have tickets to the Wellington game (Saturday 2nd July) or can't be doing with all those Aucklanders for the final test (Saturday 9th July) then how about these options.

Courtenay Place, "Party Zone"
Courtenay Place will be closed to traffic and transformed into an entertainment zone throughout the test match weekend, 1st - 3rd July. There will be live music and free performances.

Friday: 8pm-midnight

• Deva Mahal
• Ghostplane
• Whopper Chopper Sound System

Saturday: noon-midnight

• Game live on big screen!
• Buskers all day
• RNZAF Jazz Band
• Wellington Pipe Band
• Whopper Chopper Sound System
• Batucada Band
• plus OdESSA
• The Reveals
• Aviator ... and more!

Road Closures
To accommodate the large crowds expected in the city and to ensure pedestrian safety, there will be several other streets closed as well - from 7.00pm Friday 1st July to 8.00am Sunday 3rd July - leave the car at home, use public transport instead.

• Courtenay Place (Taranaki Street to Cambridge Terrace)
• Tory Street (Wakefield Street to Tennyson Street)
• Blair Street (all)
• Allen Street (partial closure)

All businesses within the closure zone will be open for business as usual.


Michael Fowler Centre - FREE
Missed out on tickets to the Lions Wellington test? Don't despair - get yourself tickets to the Big Screen Blackout - a free family event organised by Wellington City Council - and enjoy the test match live on the big screen.

Doors open at 5pm and the fun kicks off at 5.30pm at the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday 2 July. Everyone through the doors between 5-6pm can enter to win four test match tickets. The winners will be announced at around 6.15pm and then chauffeured to Westpac Stadium in time for kick-off.

Entertainment includes Frankie Stevens as MC, and the Rollicks - a Rolling Stones tribute band to amuse the adults, and free face-painting and performers to amuse the kids. To help get people into test match fever the Michael Fowler Centre will be decked out in All Blacks colours and fun stadium foods, such as hot dogs, chips and popcorn will be available for purchase.

"We want to create a real sense of atmosphere as close to the Stadium experience as possible," says City Council Event Co-ordinator Melody Scales. "We're encouraging people to dress in black and be ready to cheer on our boys."

Because the Big Screen Blackout is a family function no alcohol will be sold or allowed into the venue.

Free tickets are available at Ticketek (Michael Fowler Centre outlet only) from Monday 20th June. There is a limit of four tickets per person. Phone bookings will not be accepted. Around 2000 tickets are available.

"We're expecting tickets to go fast," says Ms Scales. "So people need to get a wriggle on if they don't want to miss out."


Bars in town
We at Wellingtonist Towers have been visiting a different bar for each of the provincial games - all in the service of our loyal readers you understand. Standout bars so far have been:

• The Malthouse
• The Black Harp
  
• Shed 22 (Brewery Bar)
• Bar Edward's, Newtown
  

We urge you all to pass on your recommendations by leaving a comment to this posting.

Be aware that some bars have entry restrictions and the Barmy Army have nominated Loaded Hog, Black Harp and Hotel Bristol as their "HQs".


Reading cinema
The following is taken from their 'flyer' at the front desk (Courtenay Central, Wellington) - minimum 10 tickets per group.

Option One - $8 per ticket
Deluxe mainstream seat / Foods and bar facilities by arrangement

Option Two - $20 per ticket
Regency Laz-Z-Boy Seat / Access to soft drink and popcorn self-service area / Food and bar facilities available

Available for the three tests with the Tri-Nations home games to be confirmed. More test dates possible - please enquire about screening other similar events. Contacts: John or Moana on 04-801 4602


At your own place - FREE
If you find the prospect of being surrounded by thousands of rugby fans all trying to get a view of the game there's always your own place. Sky will have the game live with TV3 showing the excellent delayed coverage free-to-air.

Invite ya mates (maybe a few Poms for added spice), get the pizzas in the oven, pop open the beer/wine/OJ and settle back into the most comfortable chair in town - your own.

The early Friday test build-up

We're nearly through the Lions tour with just a few more days to go and back to normality for us all.

The camper vans are piling up from the South, the bars are hanging Welsh/Irish/English and even Scottish flags and the events coordinators are panicking with the final details. We're even bumping into Lions fans hailing from our school days!

You will have settled on a place to either view the game or avoid the madness.

Of course the media will be in full force and we've just heard that Tony Veitch and Radio Sport will be broadcasting live from the Backbencher this Friday in preparation.

Demonstrate your passion for the All Blacks with either the national anthem, haka or All Black chant to win double tickets to the Bledisloe game in Auckland on 3rd September including return flights and accommodation.

Show starts at 6am and runs to 9am.

A flag for our time

A weekend trip to the outer reaches of Wellingtonist coverage ended with a cracking visit to Pataka at Porirua and in particular the comprehensive and thought provoking 'Symbols of Sovereignty' series.

Outlining the extraordinary evolution of flags in New Zealand this a series of five exhibitions all with a flag theme:

• JACK OR BLACK - A New Flag For The Nation?
  until 21st August. Exploring the debate that surrounds the issue of whether or not New Zealand should change its flag. This topical exhibition reaches into the heart of the issue by voicing the feelings of ‘ordinary’ New Zealanders.
  Vote for your favourite from the examples or add your own design to that of others.
  
  
• NIU TIRENI - Paul Thompson
  until 21st August. Flags based on the signs and symbols of nineteenth century Maori flags then photographed in full flight.
  
  
• FLAGWORKS
  until 11th September. Celebrating the iconic use of flag imagery in contemporary New Zealand art.
  
  
• PROTEST AND CELEBRATION
  until 11th September. Images by some of New Zealand's leading documentary photographers depicting flags being used in protest and celebration.
  
  
• HISTORY UNFURLED
  until 16th October. Evolution of flags throughout New Zealand’s short history

This is a topic that has generated a little heat within Welligntonist Towers and here's a few other links we've found that have assisted us in our discssions:

• http://www.nzflag.com/
• http://www.mch.govt.nz/nzflag/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_New_Zealand
  
• http://www.nzflaginstitute.com/
• http://www.thebigidea.co.nz/article.php?sid=1867
• http://www.ausflag.com.au/

Fix it!

Yes, just like Bob the Builder and Winston Peters, the Wellington City Council is asking the question: Can we fix it?

And apparently, the answer is "yes we can". The Council has recently introduced a Fix It page to their (already excellent) website, where you can let the Council now of any problems in your neighbourhood that need attending to.

So if there's a pothole that needs to fixing on your street, the local stormwater drain is blocked up, or someone's nicked the Butt Street sign from up Brooklyn way (again), then fill out the form, hit the submit button, and wait for the Council to spring into action.

romp pomp a stomp

Dorothy the Dinosaur and friends will be hitting the St James on Friday 22nd July. A goodly number of the Wellingtonist kids went to the Wiggles recently, and no doubt will be wanting to attend this gig too. As Wellingtonist friend Martha says:

Anyone who missed the Wiggles - stop crying!

Dorothy is coming with her own band of merry revellers. I will be there, having missed the last 2 Wiggles concerts. There will be no Anthony, but Captain Feathersword will feature.

You can book at our favourite site here.

We've attempted to hide the glossy flyer that came in the mail from the St James, but to no avail. We have the feeling we'll probably be attending too.

Wellington from space

Can just about make out the Wellingtonist Towers...

Google Maps

A preview of coming attractions.... soon!

That's a clever quote from Hitchcock's Rear Window...

But that's irrelevant right now...

Coming soon (only just scored the brochure, so bear with us)... I'll give you my legendary (unaffiliated with any sponsors - so far...) Film Festival rundown.

What's hot, what's good (they're all good), what's heart-warming, what's art-house, what's sleaze, what's art-house sleaze, what's mega-violent, what's mega-violent art-house sleaze (our favourite), and what's family friendly... etc.

Can't speak for the other Wellingtonists, but I'm always a documentary fan, but can you believe it? I haven't yet seen any of the documentary films from last year's festival yet. This is because my wife isn't a documentary fan (sigh). This is also the busiest time of the year for me at work, and I've gone from taking 2 weeks off work every festival, and seeing 20-30 films... to pretty much taking an afternoon off & only seeing a handful.

That's all irrelevant too. Unless someone would like to offer me a more civilised job.

So... as mentioned... coming soon... etc.

Wellington boy done good

Well, Titahi Bay boy, but close enough for us.

Michael Campbell has pulled off one of New Zealand's greatest sporting achievements ever, by winning this year's US Golf Open (held at Pinehurst, North Carolina). It's only the second time a kiwi has won one of the four big majors, and it's been a long wait between drinks since Sir Bob Charles win at the 1963 British Open.

Those of us here at Wellingtonist towers who have some interest in our compatriots offshore sporting endeavours were glued to the TV screen all morning, as the 'Maori Tiger', resplendent in his koru-laden Kia Kaha golf-shirt, held off a strong charge by the original Tiger (Woods) himself. Our boy's nerves held, Tiger fell by the wayside, and Michael had the luxury of making a bogey on the final hole to take the trophy, and the US$1M (and some) prize money.

Nice one.

Fireworks in Petone

Here we are recommending you to head North up the motorway for the second time in as many weeks, but we suspect the mid-winter fireworks display to be held off the Petone beach tomorrow night (Sat 18 June), will be well worth it.

According to the official press release over at the Hutt City Council website, the best places to catch the show (which starts at 7.30pm) are the entire Petone Foreshore from Seaview through to the Korokoro Gateway, the Western Hills (including Khandallah, Newlands, Horokiwi, Korokoro and Maungaraki), and, for those of you with boat, Wellington Harbour.

Or, you know, you could just sit in the traffic jam on the motorway from about 5.30pm (which is why, we suspect, the Council is also recommending you catch a train or bus to the event).

(Photo courtesy of Taniwha - actually one of this year's Chinese New Year's Fireworks)

Young and Hungry

The latest Young and Hungry season gets underway this week at Bats, with three new plays being staged by crews of (mostly) young and aspiring thespians.

This play - The Many Faces of Kelly J Loko - particularly caught the eye. From the blurb...

Laptops, i-pods, chat rooms and text messaging - welcome to the world of Kelly J Loko. Watch as young Kelly discovers that people aren't always what they seem to be in the age of the 'invisible friend' and 'Big Brother'.

Can Kelly learn to establish herself in the physical world as well as she can in the virtual? Or will she get lost in cyber space forever?

Seemed to strike a chord, deep down somewhere, for some reason.

The three plays run one after the other, starting at 6.30pm (Kelly J Loko), 8pm (Exchange) and 9.30pm (Collective Agreement). You don't have to sit through them all in one sitting though - a season pass is available for those who want to take their time (or, perhaps, who want to pop back for a second helping).

Cabaret

Last night, unwinding from a hard week, we stopped by the new Cabaret outfit adjoining Chow on Tory Street to check out the entertainment. It's a lovely space - the decor is wonderfully elegant: dark wooden tables, wood louvres, beautiful carpet and remarkable lightshades. There's a warm red backdrop to the stage where I saw Hot Swiss Mistress play a late set to an appreciative crowd.

Cabaret is dinner ("three course banquet style") and a show every night at 7pm, with a late show on the weekends. The resident talent includes Shaken Not Stirred, CA$H, The Hannah Griffen Quartet, the Ola Trio and more. Highly recommended outfit Bonanza play next Saturday's show and Grand Prix and the Raskolnikovs are lined up in the next week or two in the late slot. And there's two for the price of one cocktails on Wednesdays. Mmm.

The New Cool

The New Cool - an exhibition that celebrates the achievements of some of New Zealand's small but successful creative companies - started this week at the Dowse Art Gallery out in the Hutt, and, having seen a wee sneak preview last weekend, as the final preparations were being put together, we can highly recommend getting along for a looksee. We'll be headed along again, if not just to marvel at the larger-than-life Misery doll (similar to that pictured right) that stands at the entrance to one of the exhibition rooms.

The exhibition is all about recognising some of the success of what, in many cases, are just the results of people doing what they love to do best. The companies showcased include Wellington's Loop Aot(ear)oa Recordings, Sidhe Interactive and Sticky Pictures, as well as businesses from further afield like Misery, Dawn Raid and Insidious Fix.

The show runs to the 30th of August.

Rugby fans in town

It's come to our notice that some bars (Vespa and Jet Bar to date) have barred punters wearing rugby jerseys. We'd like to take this opportunity to both warn fans, particularly out-of-towners, AND to express how much we think this sucks.

When the Barmy Army and the rest of the followers hit Wellington we are expecting the service industry to open it's doors with their normal huge, "Come on in, have an awesome time".

We trust these were isolated incidents, not a policy and will not happen again.

It won't, will it Wellington bars?

If, as happened to our sports correspondent on the visit to Christchurch, a bar stops you from entering for the only reason that you're wearing a rugby jersey (of any colour) then simply move on. There are plenty of other bars in Wellington, don't let the snooty ones get to ya.

Also, if you suffer from a rugby-jersey-barring incident let us know and we'll name-and-shame those concerned.

Matariki

Matariki, the period of the year when the Pleiades cluster of stars lifts itself up from below the horizon, and which (for some tribes, at least) heralds in the Maori New Year, is in full swing.

The appearance of Matariki in the sky is considered vital. If the stars in the cluster are clear and bright, it is thought the year ahead will be warm and productive. If they appear hazy and shimmering, a cold winter is in store, and all activities during the period of Matariki must take this into account.

We had a good view of the stars from Wellingtonist Towers last night (working late and hard into the night, as always), and from those guidelines, we're definitely in for a warm productive year.

There's a few things going on about Wellington to celebrate the event. Te Papa has the most action, with a Matariki Dinner (17 June), a free concert by Moana and the Tribe at The Marae today (9 June) from 8pm, and a whole heap of other musical, storytelling and cultural events.

Carter Observatory is getting in on the act too, joining forces with Te Papa to present a 'Discover Matariki' guided tour that starts at Te Papa for some background info, and then heads up to the Observatory for a half hour planetarium presentation that should make spotting the stars for yourself a lot easier.

Rose Pruning Day - Botanic Gardens, June 12

Budding rose enthusiasts might want to mark June 12 in their diaries. It is Rose Pruning Day at the Botanic Gardens.

Internationally acclaimed (probably) rose experts will be on hand giving public demonstrations, advice, and answering all your thorny questions...

If your passion is for Modern Bush & Climbers, you are invited to assemble at the fountain in the Lady Norwood Rose Garden (where else?) at 1pm.

If Old Fashioned Roses are more your thing, be at the Anderson Park Memorial (not far from the fountain) at 2pm.

No word yet as to when Rose will be arriving. We'll keep you posted.

World Of WearableArt - models needed

The awesome World Of WearableArts is after more models for the September/October shows.

We at Wellingtonist Towers rushed to the computers to sign-up only to discover that the young 'uns are eligible. The oldies still expect to see them parading their particular brand of funky stuff down the catwalk representing all that's hip about the Wellingtonist!

To apply to audition as a model, you can either pre-register by completing the application form or simply show up at the Open Audition at the Michael Fowler Centre at 10am on Sunday 19th June.

They are looking for both male & female adult models between the ages of 15 and 28 years, over 172cm tall. No experience is necessary. This is not strictly a catwalk experience, it's performance to showcase stunning pieces of WearableArt from all over the world.

And don't ask for money as the model positions are voluntary roles.

If you can't/won't/shouldn't be involved on the catwalk then we urge you all to either snag some tickets to the shows (going, going ....) or check out their on-line shop for some cool and funky items.

And don't forget the Nelson-based museum.

Al "Pub Landlord" Murray

Buy, beg or steal a ticket as we have it on excellent notice that this guy (Al Murray) is the best comedian seen in many a year.

A few of the Wellingtonistas are going ... you should too.

The Opera House: Thursday 30th June & Friday 1st July


The low-down from the Ticketek site:

All hail to the ale!
It's the 'Best of British' Curtain-raiser of Comedy
AL MURRAY - THE PUB LANDLORD
Downunder

Is there anyone better qualified to keep the Lions 'Barmy Army' in line than award winning British comedian, AL MURRAY - THE PUB LANDLORD?

Described by the 'Mail on Sunday' in the UK as "the very apex of LIVE British comedy" - AL MURRAY arrives on June 22 to lighten the mood during the last 2 weeks of the Lions Tour including live shows in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland prior to the tests.

MURRAY's 'PUB LANDLORD' is hailed as one of the most successful comedy characters to grace the stages of Britain winning the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1999 and nominations for the OLIVIER AWARD for BEST LIVE ENTERTAINER in the Westend in 2000 and 2002.

THE PUB LANDORD has performed for the Queen, has his own TV series, and has completed a number of sell-out tours of the UK and seasons in the Westend of London.

Now he is heading downunder to pour a few pints for the lads and entertain audiences in New Zealand with his award winning brand of humour.

"The Landlord in full flow is the apex of live British comedy." Mark Wareham, the mail on sunday

"I laughed so much, lager came out of my nose." Stephen Armstrong, the sunday times

"Murray serves no half measure"
"Murray's persona is a hilarious pressure valve on the beer keg of political correctness."Patrick Marmion the evening standard

When the Wind Blows

Meridian Energy have announced plans for a new wind farm at and around Quartz Hill, near Makara. With around 70 turbines planned for the farm, and each one of those three times bigger than the one on Brooklyn, there's the potential for 210 megawatts of power to be produced - enough for 100000 households, or, more simply, all of Wellington and the Hutt.

While the Makara community seems poised to fight the plan, we here at the Wellingtonist seem to be veering to the side of 'bring it on!'. The farm will make Wellington energy self-sufficient, it turns one of our perceived negatives (bloody wind!) into a fantastic positive, and $100m will spent locally during construction.

As much as some people might feel the scenery is being destroyed by the monster wind machines, other people will likewise think they're something they might want to go and see. They are, after all, quite pretty. Really. And seventy skyscraper tall turbines going at full tilt in a decent Wellington gale will look amazing.

Red sky at night...

We here at Wellingtonist Towers were absolutely kicking ourselves yesterday evening when we realised that not a single one of us had bought in a camera to capture the absolutely incredible colours that accompanied last night's sunset. A long arch cloud covered the city, but, as the sun dipped down below the edge of the cloud away to the west just after 5pm, the entire city lit up in a beautiful red haze.

Luckily for us, Wellingtonian Flickr legend Taniwha was lurking around Willis Street at the time, and got a fantastic series of photos that can be seen here.

UPDATE: Jemsweb got some good pix too.