FINGERPICKING DELIGHTS VII
Tony Hale welcomes you to another edition of this long-running guitar concert, in which the
best guitar fingerpickers in Christchurch, and sometimes beyond, combine into a versatile
concert with something for all. Covid-19 has wrecked performance schedules so artists are
raring to go tonight.
Adept at many fingerpicking styles, popular headliner Graham Wardrop is back, an artist
who carries an audience with him, tells his life stories and who has built over 30
instruments. He writes, “I have been playing guitar and singing professionally for over fifty
years. Usually a soloist, I have played with countless artists, bands and recently orchestras.
Over the last couple of years ‘Braggins and Wardrop and Dunne’ has been a big focus and
getting three-part harmony has been both a challenge and a joy. A huge highlight of 2022
was playing guitar and singing with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra
Wellington and the Auckland Philharmonia under the baton of maestro Tom Rainey. Finger-
style guitar has been and continues to be my passion and focus.”
Singer-songwriter-fingerpicker Sue Galvin comes aboard for the first time. She has been
playing for folk music audiences for 25 years, in Dunedin bands ‘Themselves’ and ‘Teud’, the
pan Te Waipounamu band ‘Peninsula Envy’, and Christchurch bands ‘Bantam of the Opera’
and ‘Hidden Talent’. A fleeting glimpse of Sue, guitar (and fiddle) in hand (not
simultaneously), can be seen on Aldous Harding’s 2022 video release, Fever. Sue’s own most
popular video features a possum being chased around the Geraldine Academy of
Performance and Arts at a ‘Peninsula Envy’ gig. Sue plays waiata in her morning team
meetings at Hillmorton Hospital, where she works full time as a clinical psychologist.
Tonight, we can look forward to a stage act that presents her wit and unique commentary
on life.
Tony Hale aims his well-fingerpicked folk guitar at a selection of commercial songs with
long-time singing partner Kristina Godfrey. Join with us as we tune into Joni Mitchell, John
Lennon, and Joan Baez, some with open guitar tunings. Tony recently appeared at the Folk
Club with Fiddlesticks but this year has mainly dealt with Covid and continued his passion
for researching Christchurch folk music. Kristina, during lockdown, has written some new
material and post-Covid has been rehearsing retro-Kiwi songs from the 1960s with her trio
‘Saffron Sisters’ (Mary Ruston and Frances Caldwell), shifting house, and recovering from a
broken ankle.
Classical guitarist David Smith makes a welcome return to Fingerpicking Delights. He writes,
“Fortunately, there have been only a few interruptions to the lessons in schools. Also, I've
been able to squeeze in my annual winter visits to the West Coast for workshops focusing on
grade exam preparations. The guitar, being a self-contained solo instrument, has proved to
be a valuable and faithful companion during lockdowns and other periods of isolation. One
rewarding experience was videoing the St. Andrews College annual demonstration concert
where each instrument was recorded individually and then expertly put together like a
jigsaw puzzle.”
Blues singer, guitarist and Fine Arts painter Steph McEwin has appeared at the Folk Club but
is new to this concert. She shares, “Music in this past year has included solo and duo gigs
around town and playing with The Fabulous Blue Beats, which also includes my husband,
as the drummer in the band. I have performed in two great shows alongside the wonderful
Lisa Tui and am excited about prospects of collab shows and concerts moving forwards.
“Music sparked in me as a child listening to my father’s Mahalia Jackson records. From
there, I taught myself guitar and began writing songs when I was 10 years old. My style is
inspired by the great jazz/ blues/ gospel singers and I am working on a show for Dec 4th at
Fat Eddies called Lady Sings the Blues, where I will take the audience on a musical journey,
from Bessie Smith to Billie Eilish, to homage the courage of these great performers and their
influence upon the next generation of singers.”
The concert will be compered by the inimitable Neill Pickard.
Door $15 Members, General Admission $20 and Students $5 with ID
Doors open 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm
VENUE: Irish Society Hall, 29 Domain Terrace, Spreydon
DOOR SALES CASH ONLY: Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break, also bar facilities for cold refreshments throughout the night, Eftpos available for purchases only, no cash-out facility. Folk Club and Irish Society members please bring your membership card for licencing purposes. Non-members sign in at bar
