Urbantramper is a band featuring members of the treeninja kollektiv.

We play, write, perform and record music...We also engage in other creative endeavours...



Lake (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboard), Talei Smith (vocals, percussion, xylophone), Phil Jones (bass, Bvs, keyboard/computer), Andy Hoy (drums/samples) and Matt Enright (trumpet, BVs, percussion).



We have entitled our music: 'Future folk'.

Future - because we are in a state of becoming and our music is an aural representation of unrealised dreams.



Folk - because we write simple songs for everyone to play and sing along to.



Manifesto-in-progress: To try and capture emotions/experiences, that are felt or perceived, and present them in a digestible, aesthetically pleasing format. To stimulate feeling in our listeners; be it that of concurrence with the emotion we attempt to convey, or of reaching a place hitherto not explored. To play, write, perform and record with ardour and respect for our subject, ourselves, our listeners and the artform itself; we acknowledge our responsibility to all...

http://www.urbantramper.com/

When The Good Words were beginning to find their feet, vocalist Nik Jarvie found hers standing on the same stage as two of her musical idols - Warren Maxwell and Lisa Tomlins. After an invitation from Maxwell to record at his studio, The Good Words are preparing to release their debut EP.

Band member Takumi Motokawa found his feet hanging from scaffolding hitting anything pinned down in New Zealand’s premier percussion ensemble Strike. The versatile composer, trained in classical percussion and jazz piano, plays keys for The Good Words. He doesn’t just play the keys he creates spells, his fingers hovering over and dancing across; he has the wizard’s touch. Drummer Nick Hensman found his feet on the bass and hi-hat pedals laying down the groove. When he’s not Good Wording the beat he works with Louis Baker of The Common Ground. Bassist Mike Duffy often finds his feet pointing towards reggae though just as often he stretches out towards jazz.

The Good Words have taken a soul-jazz template, elongated it, daubed in bits of funk, traces of pop and the energy of a rock band to create 21st-Century Diva-Blues. The Good Words live in the moments within songs. They sidestep the obvious comparisons and offer spontaneity in performance. The Good Words actually have good words. The Good Words are good music. 

www.myspace.com/thegoodwords

This Queens Birthday weekend The Cross has you covered!

We've got the usual recovery sessions kicking off at 4pm with DJ Zac in Fact spinning records till 7pm in the Garden Bar. Following him we'll have the awesome line-up of Tunes of I, Zoe Mahal and Phoebe Hurst on the main stage! ANNNDD we've even convinced the queen* to pop in and say hey!

*ok so maybe it won’t actually be the queen, but she’ll be a great impersonator!