The Bon Temps Bros
Gate opens 7pm
Music starts 7.30pm
Saturday 31st October 2026
Pip Payne, Richard Klein and Alan Norman are The Bon Temps Bros.
… A slide guitar, a fiddle, an accordion, and a snare drum. Together they make a big sound – and it’s all about the groove. Acoustically syncopated Cajun blues — hot Louisiana music.
Pip Payne, a regular player and founder of Capital Blues is back with another musical variation. Pip has had many artistic guises over the years which shows not only his versatility, bluesy vocals but also his depth of the music. He plays slide guitar, and plays regularly with Wayne Mason, Pops & The Tempests, the Caramellos, Dean Martinborough, Laura Collins Back Porch Band and more. Originally from Dorking, he now lives in Otaki Beach.
Richard Klein is a high energy singing fiddler born in Orange, New Jersey. In his early teens he discovered folk and roots music through listening to the likes of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and The New Lost City Ramblers. Travelling to Cape Breton Island in mid 1970s sparked the interest for Celtic music that later brought Richard to travel, live, work and busk extensively through Ireland and the British Isles. A chance meeting with a gang of Swedish fiddlers in Shetland in 1978 introduced another important influence in his fiddle style. But it was being properly introduced to Cajun music later that same year in France that had the most profound impact on his music. Resident in Wellington since 1997, Richard is best known for his collaboration with the Le Blanc Brothers Cajun Band (Melbourne) and the geographically challenged Kiwi Americana band T-Bone (set in WOMAD’s line-up for 2027). In 2023 he relinquished his American citizenship. The accent, however, remains and you will find him to be a charming gentleman.
Alan Norman has been a fixture in the Wellington scene for decades. A multi-instrumentalist with a great feel for the groove, he plays with The Warratahs, Rag Poets, Bill Lake’s Slow Bake and Burgin, Kerr & Norman. He’s been part of a number of well-established groups including Smokeshop and The Laura Collins Band.
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Ari Leason
Gate opens 7pm
Music starts 7.30pm
Saturday 28 November 2026
Ari Leason is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Ōtaki known for her soulful blend of indie folk and intimate storytelling which shines through her album ‘Hello Darling’. Honest, vulnerable, and deeply authentic, Ari brings songs shaped by activism, travel, and a coming-of-age journey that resonates long after the last note.
Ari has opened for greats such as Julia Dean, Anika Moa, and Jenny Mitchell, and has played at many folk events too. Come along for a wonderful night.
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Ali Whitton and the Lost Birds
Gate opens 2.30pm
Music starts 3pm
AND
Gate opens 7pm
Music starts 7.30pm
Sunday 6 December 2026
This new band is special!
Ali Whitton is a New Zealand-born, Yorkshire-raised singer-songwriter whose music is deeply influenced by the landscapes of both countries. In April he released his debut album, ‘Between the Forest and the Stars’. The album is characterised by its warm, woody sound and introspective lyrics that explore themes of longing, resilience, and the emotional connection to the Aotearoa natural environment.
Ali is supported by this talented new band, the Lost Birds, comprising of some of Wellington’s finest musicians. Featuring Sean Barker (Wooden Box Band), Penelope Esplin (French for Rabbits), Dave Carter, and Beans Wright. Expect beautiful harmonies, atmospheric folk/country, and a helluva’ lot of fun.
Listen to Ali’s album in full here at Music | Ali Whitton
Videos here: Ali Whitton – YouTube
Insta: Instagram
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WAI.TAI
Gate opens 7pm
Music starts 7.30pm
Saturday 6 March 2027
MĀORI-WORLD FUSION COLLECTIVE “Cross-cultural musical fusion at its best!”
WAI.TAI brings together wahine musicians for a wonderfully diverse programme spanning world fusion, Appalachian, Americana, old-time, Celtic, Middle Eastern and Eastern European influences, with tastes of WOMAD, te reo and English originals, and some reimagined covers. The wahine voices are at the forefront, with beautiful harmonies and an instrumental mix that includes cello, banjo, guitar, ukulele and percussion.
Click here; WAI.TAI showreel for an example of their talent.
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