THURSDAY 17TH MAY 12-4PM - ONE CHURCH, GLOUCESTER PLACE
12.30pm – TEEKS
1.30pm – Yukon Era
2.30pm – Delaney Davidson
3.30pm – Louis Baker
This May four bands and artists from New Zealand will be making their way to the south of England to perform at the annual music festival, The Great Escape. This year Louis Baker, Delaney Davidson, Yukon Era and Teeks will be making the trip appearing at their own showcases as well as the ‘NZ @ The Great Escape’ day party which will be taking place on Thursday 18h of May, 12pm – 4pm at One Church, Gloucester Place.
TEEKS (real name Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi) grew up surrounded by music and performance with strong Kapa Haka influences. His debut EP The Grapefruit Skies, recorded both in New York and in New Zealand, makes a powerful statement that boldly introduces a young artist, who is unequivocally one of Aotearoa’s next great talents. Steeped in old-school soul and shimmering with golden moments that capture TEEKS’ strength of youth, the songs that make up The Grapefruit Skies are no short of stunning - from its velvety smooth lead single ‘If Only’ to the simmering soulful ‘Wash Over Me’. TEEKS is represented by 13 Artists.
“Once you hear his voice, it's so ridiculously good all you have is clichés to reach for: Jaw-dropping. Goosebumps. Velvety. Heavenly.” - Frances Morton, Noisey, VICE
YUKON ERA: These indie post-punkers occupy a unique, small territory; they’re young enough to have avoided succumbing to industry weariness or scene categorisation, yet old enough to have spent money on a decent amplifier. They occupy a space in time where Metz are a click away from Black Sabbath, where you can mention Mac DeMarco & Metallica in the same breath and no one gives you a funny look. And you can hear it. As soon as the playful vocals of Christian Dimick lull you into an “indie throwback” mood, the band deftly changes tack, using rhythm & dynamics as integral songwriting tools to create something both fervently modern, and stubbornly classic.
Forming in June 2015, already the boys have caught the attention of The New Zealand Herald, Impose Mag, Vice's Noisey, Under The Radar and Radio New Zealand, and have supported international acts such as The Cult, The Reubens, Mac Demarco, Viet Cong, and Mini Mansions. After releasing two EP’s, the boys are set to release their debut full-length album, recorded at Red Bull Studios in Auckland, in 2018.
DELANEY DAVIDSON: From Lyttleton, Christchurch. Over a series of solo albums including his latest, Shining Day (released April 20 on UK label, Glass redux) and over thirteen years of tirelessly delivering compelling live performances around the world, Delaney has presented his often jarring yet beautiful songs that some would call “Country-Noir” or “Gothic Americana” and established himself as one of the most distinctive figures in the NZ musical landscape. Reveling in the darker side of things, Davidson’s lyrical content dredges up classic murder ballads, songs with a deep insight into the human condition, and hypnotic trance takes on old blues classics. All liberally laced with an abiding sympathy for human quirks, failure, foibles and triumphs. His rumpled stage persona combines an unconventional and unforgettable voice with a wry and twisted sense of humor.
“Sublime, raw and original” - Blues and Soul Magazine
LOUIS BAKER: The soulful singer-songwriter works with the bare essentials and crafting his work with a deep artistic integrity. He has gathered a loyal following that spans the world over and in 2013 he was selected to attend the prestigious annual Red Bull Music Academy in New York. He then went on to London and recorded his self-titled EP which debuted at #3 on the NZ Album Chart, and was a top five finalist for the 2014 APRA Silver Scroll Award for his song Back On My Feet. With that and four new singles under his belt, Baker has independently built up over 9 million Spotify streams from fans across the world alike and performed at festivals across the world, including Field Days, Sziget Festival, Sonar Festival, Berlin Festival, The Great Escape, and Splendor in the Grass, building an appetite for bigger crowds as well as more intimate spaces.
“Many soul singers might wishfully compare themselves to Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding, but for Louis Baker, the comparison is truly deserved” – Lydia Jenkin, New Zealand Herald.
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/playlist/nz-the-great-escape-2018/pl.u-qxylEeDu2AVRdky
Additional London Showcases:
Yukon Era
Monday 21st May Venue: The Old Blue Last 8.00pm
TEEKS
Wednesday 23rd May Venue: St Pancras Old Church 7.30pm
Delaney Davidson
Thursday 24th May Venue: Servants Jazz Quarters 7.30pm
Louis Baker
Thursday 24th May Venue: The Islington 8.00pm
More information on the New Zealand artists performing The Great Escape 2018 can be found at the artist’s websites.