Stretching Summer Even Further! Sunday Concerts begin again at Nathan Homestead
Manukau City Council’s Leisure Services team is kicking off its free summer outdoor concert series on February 23rd.
Council’s arts staff have planned four free outdoor concerts at the Nathan Homestead (Manurewa). All concerts are free
and run from 4pm to 6pm.
Feel like a lazy summer afternoon surrounded by the sounds of easy listening jazz and lounge music? The first of our
summer concerts on Sunday February 23 feature jazz quartet Time and Place. They play a great mix of styles and musical
arrangements, ensuring your listening, or dancing, pleasure! This year the group is featuring a Latin section, including
solos by guitarist Vernon Katipa who will perform flamenco-flavoured Spanish music.
On Sunday March 2 we welcome AJ Bell, Derek Lind and band who will be presenting ‘Rural Delivery – New Zealand Stories
in Song’. Their selection of New Zealand-grown, folk and country music is a one-of-a-kind musical experience. Original
songs capture the hearts and minds, feasts and troubled time of every day Kiwi folk. Don’t miss out on this exceptional
show.
The third of our summer concerts is on Sunday 9 March, ‘North Meets South’. Northland’s Opera North choir makes a
special trip to Manukau for this wonderful summer outdoor concert. When North meets South is a great concert of popular
contemporary show tunes ranging from well-known Rodgers and Hammerstein productions to Andrew Lloyd Webber numbers. A
highlight will be the duets by Manukau soprano Fiona Ferens and Papatoetoe flautist Alistair Greenwood, who will perform
John Denver’s Perhaps Love and Annie’s Song. Fiona will also perform with the choir and solo with Gershwin’s popular
'Summer Time' (from Porgy and Bess ).
The fourth and last summer concert is on 16 March and features Power Play, a 20 piece band affiliated with the NZ Army.
From Glen Miller to Duke Ellington, and swing tunes Night Train and Zoot Suit Riot, Power Play will take you back to the
hey-day of the big band.
Check out Power Play’s ‘Big Band’ style featuring saxophones, trombones, rhythm section plus vocals. They’ve thrilled
audiences at the Winter Gardens for Auckland City Council and regularly perform to appreciative crowds at the Onehunga
Working Men’s Club.
This concert is sure to end our summer series with a bang!
Operations Manager, Brett Jude says “Council organises these events to help make the arts more accessible to our
community. We’d love everyone to bring their families and a picnic and enjoy two hours of entertainment.
“Remember that our free quarterly Arts in the City catalogue, which includes these concerts and other arts events,
exhibitions, art classes and workshops around the city is available at libraries and art centres,” says Mr Jude.
Bring along your picnic basket and blanket and be entertained! If wet the concerts will be cancelled. Decisions will be
made at 1pm, so contact the Centre on 267 0180 to confirm.