With a soulful voice and an ability to turn his hand to most instruments, this versatile and passionate musician blends smooth soulful jams into playful mesmerising melodies that make you want to come along on the journey.
Manu Francois - The Life and Times from 6pm at The Colombo.
For more info, visit his soundcloud page.
We have a series of songstresses playing for an hour each as the night unfolds at The Colombo. Expect dulcet tones, folk favourites and original scores by some of Christchurch's wonderfully talented solo acts. Join us from 5pm for an aural treat!
Emilie Cherie, photo credit: CatsEYE Photography
Emilie Cherie is an acoustic singer/songwriter based in Christchurch. Drawing influence from jazz, blues and folk, she digs into the groove of her guitar and layers it up with smooth vocals.
Bryony Matthews
Bryony Matthews a Christchurch based singer/songwriter who has developed her signature lyrical folk-pop sound which is known to transport the listener.
Sarena Hurley
Sarena Hurley is a multi-talented musician filled with passion and drive. She is also the front woman of Christchurch groove pop band Polo Sweater. For First Thursdays, this versatile artist will be pairing keyboard with her captivating voice.
Aaron Gash has a love of acoustic sound; specifically the unique intimacy shared between a performer, their instrument and an audience. After picking up guitar 6 years ago to accompany his already established singing voice, Aaron fell in love with playing.
Influenced by a range of rock vocalists from Eddie Vedder to Ben Harper, Dave Grohl or anyone who has a unique voice, Aaron will be channeling 80's and 90's grunge and rock for Welcome to the Jungle. Expect a gentle tug on the heart strings, a wash of memory and an open invitation to sing along if the mood takes you!
As part of First Thursdays: Welcome to the Jungle, we invite you to bring out your inner bogan and join MulletMan on the hunt for Christchurch's air guitar champ!
With prizes up for grabs and food and drink specials to fuel your fingers - this competition promises to be a whole lotta laughs.
To register on the night, head on down to Dragons Den Social Lounge to pick your track. Registration will run from 7-7.45pm.
Competition kicks off at 8pm and will follow international air guitar competition rules, with the leading performers battling head to head.
We'll have a list of classics and wild cards to choose from - from a heady mix of Hendrix to Classic G'nR and mandatory Metallica... Any requests? Get in touch!
If you would like to pre-register: email First Thursdays Chch with your name, song choice and contact number.
Some more info on how we're rolling on the night:
Rules:
- instrument must be invisible
- it can be electric, acoustic or both
- song duration is 60 seconds
- back up bands (real or imaginary) are not allowed
- you may use a real pick or play in a finger picking style
Performers will be judged on:
- Originality
- Ability to be taken over by the music/Passion
- Stage presence/X-factor
- Technical merit/Accuracy
- Airiness
Marks can range from 4.0 to 6.0.
We will have a list of iconic guitar tracks for competitors to choose from on the night. So get your fingers flexing and your stage face ready for Thursday!
Bryony&Thom consists of Bryony Matthews' lyrical folk pop combined with Thom McMenamin's electric guitar, expanding her sound with reverberated soundscapes and uplifting rhythms. The pair have been playing and gigging around Christchurch this year and are getting ready for future recordings.
For a sneak preview of what this dreamy duo have in store for us, check out their bandcamp page.
Look out for them playing live at The Colombo from 7-8pm!
Hailing from Springfield, Canterbury, New Zealand, Sammy Jay Dawson is already a familiar figure in the alt music scene. His new solo project is a departure from Dawson's hard rock projects with bands such as Kentucky Fried Children and Sammy Jay & The Cucumbers.
Returning to the sounds of the Country & Blues of his youth, he will be playing music from his newly released album, Songs from Smoky Mountain, at The Colombo from 6-7pm.
