bringing bluegrass music news from all over downunder
The Pipi Pickers are back in Dunedin this month recording their new album. The album will be available for sale later in the year.
The band has spent 8 days in the studio and will be performing a set of songs from the new album at the New Edinburgh Folk Club on Saturday, 22 April.
The New Edinburgh Folk Club perfomance will be the bands last for a while as they their winter break. Keep an eye out for them come Spring.
The Pipi Pickers have announced that they will be heading to the Auckland Anniversary Weekend at the Auckland Folk Festival in Kumeu. The Pipis will be there with their notorious Pipi Pickin’ Parlour.
All are welcome for a pick or just to chill out with the super friendly bunch of pickers.
As always, they will be at the Leigh and Matakana markets on a regular basis. Check their website if you’re going to be in the area.
Elsewhere the Pipis will be playing 24-25 February 2017 at Aongatete Folk Festival. Tauranga/Katikati. This is yet another first time festival for the Pipi Pickers.
Pipi Pickers to play MountainGrass and Foggy Mountain Bluegrass Festival.
One of New Zealand’s finest bluegrass bands is heading across the ditch once again to take in a few festivals. Their scheduled to play the Foggy Mountain Bluegrass Festival, MountainGrass here in Australia and Whare Flat Folk Festival and Aongatete Folk Festival in New Zealand.
In addition to the above festival dates the band is set to play the Matakana Market on October 1st, November 5th, December 3rd).
The Pipi’s will also be playing at the Kawau Boating Club’s season opening party on Saturday, October 22nd – Bluegrass, boats and burgers gotta be a winner.
The Pipi Pickers have two more performances in New Zealand and one festival in Australia left for this year.
This is the third year of the revamped Harrietville Festival, now called MountainGrass, and Laurie Lewis and her band from the USA are headlining.
November 29th: The Pipi Pickers be back at their local, the Leigh Sawmill Café to finish out the year with a bang. Come for the beer, stay for the bluegrass.
Wirrina Bluegrass & Acoustic Roots festival organisers are getting ready for another fine September weekend in South Australia. There are some changes this year, with a new venue and different stage & program arrangement.
This years overseas guest artists the Pipi Pickers, who are based in Auckland and are making their first visit to South Australia.
The Pipi Pickers are Nat Torkington on banjo, Barry Torkington on guitar, Jenine Abarbanel on bass, Garry Bigwood on mandolin.
Some other highlights this year:
Andrew Clermont is back to run the main stage sound; he will also be appearing on the program with a mystery trio of something acoustically wonderful…
This year’s festival also features a lineup of local acoustic bands, some new to the festival and some old favourites returning. Bluegrass, Old Timey and all sorts of other traditional acoustic styles.
More guest artists from interstate – watch the website for updates on our other guest bands.
Workshops in the Woolshed. More information coming over the next month or so … we have some great workshops on offer.
Thinking of volunteering? We could really use a few more volunteers this year – there are lots of tasks to keep the festival running. Please email us if you’re willing to help in return for your ticket!
About accommodation this year:
If you’re camping or bringing a caravan/motorhome/trailer, please support the Wirrina Cove Holiday Park and stay on site. They are offering special rates for holders of festival tickets, valid for the festival weekend. If you want to extend your stay, they are open all year round as a great get-away-from-it-all regular caravan park. Contact Ben or Holly at the caravan park on (08) 8598 3125. They also have great cabins on site but these book out early.
If you like something a little more luxurious, and would like to stay off-site and come daily for the festival activities, please contact the Yankalilla Visitor Information Centre on 08 8558 0240 and they will advise you on local accommodation options including motels and B&Bs.
It was a warm, slightly damp afternoon in Leigh, New Zealand, when the doors of the Sawmill Café were thrown open to welcome an enthusiastic crowd of local fans and those who had traveled some distance to join The Pipi Pickers in celebrating their first CD at the “As Is, Where Is” CD launch party.
The vibe was expectant, yet casual in a New Zealand summer Sunday afternoon kind of way, and the warmth in which greetings were exchanged between band members and the guests that were streaming into the venue hallmarks the seven long years of building a local fan base before finally releasing their album “As Is, Where Is”.
Two fantastic sets ensued, including songs from their album and songs from their standard repertoire. The Pipi Pickers invited Micheal Young, from Studio 27A, who produced their album, to come and join them for “Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring,” Czech fiddler Slávka Franclíková burned up the stage as she and the Pipis belted out “Ralph’s Banjo Special” and songwriter Heather Robin Carrigan chimed in with backing harmonies on “Turn the Page Again” and her original “Southern Buster,” both of which are on the album. A request from the audience resulted in her taking the stage to play her original song “Worth The Wait,” with the Pipi Pickers backing her up. The crowd clearly enjoyed the performance, laughter and applause were plentiful and the venue was packed from beginning to end.
The Pipi Pickers, with Jenine Abarbanel (Lead Vocals, Bass), Nat Torkington (Banjo), Barry Torkington (Guitar) and Garry Bigwood (Mandolin, Guitar, Harmony Vocals), have put in many hours of performing in New Zealand, Australia and the United States, to work up the “gel” that makes their performances a stand out. Jenine Abarbanel, multitasks beautifully, singing lead, keeping the banter flowing, playing great driving bass, all while looking gorgeous! Nat Torkington, in the opinion of many, is one of the finest banjo pickers to come out of New Zealand and it’s his playing that anchors the group’s intensity. Barry Torkington is a great rhythm and flat pick guitarist and it was his passion for Bluegrass from an early age that brought the band into being. Garry Bigwood on mandolin and guitar, lends light and colour to the The Pipi Pickers’ distinctive sound with smooth and melodic licks.
The Pipi Picker’s first album “As Is, Where Is” was produced by Micheal Young of Studio 27A and is a collection of some great covers of both traditional and not so traditional songs. It also features an original Pipi Pickers instrumental collaboration, and a song from New Zealand songwriter Heather Robin Carrigan. Pipi Picker fans will also be pleased to know the band has included their version of Gloria Gaynor’s hit “I Will Survive” on the album, which has been a crowd favourite at concerts and festivals internationally.
Want a copy of “As Is, Where Is”? Their website – www.pipipickers.com says that digital downloads are available through Bandcamp or you can order a physical copy direct from the band for $15 plus shipping.
The Pipi Pickers:
Micheal Young may be contacted at: studio27A@gmail.com.
The Strzelecki Stringbusters will be hosting New Zealand’s premier bluegrass band, The Pipi Pickers, at the Yinnar Community Hotel on Wednesday 1st May this year.
The Pipi Pickers are in Australia for their third tour in as many years. They are renowned for their tight vocal harmonies and impressive instrumental skills, and are Festival favourites in New Zealand.
The Pipe Pickers are the latest in a continuing roster of high-end national & international acoustic roots acts to perform at Yinnar as guests of The Stringbusters, where the motto for performers is: ‘arrive as a guest, leave as a friend’.
Show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $10 at the door, dinner bookings essential on 5163 1263. For further details, contact John Werner on 0400 964 941.