Amanda Palmer has a complicated history in New Zealand. Now she's back...

The American singer, songwriter, musician, and performance artist is playing Queenstown, Wellington and Auckland this month with a new album called 'New Zealand Survival Songs.'

She's been all over the media for the past three years yet whenever I mention her name it usually elicits  a puzzled “who?”. She is someone who has played at the Lincoln Centre, who writes guest opinion pieces for the New York Times, gives TED talks and tours the world, yet apparently remains relatively obscure.

She used to have a duo called The Dresden Dolls who described themselves as “Brechtian punk cabaret”. She played keys and ukulele and sang while Brian Viglione drummed.

On February 22 2011 she was at Napier airport ready to fly to Christchurch for a solo show. Then a text came; it was the second earthquake. 185 people died and the venue she was due to play was gone.

Nearly a decade later her 2020 tour was just finishing when New Zealand went into Covid lockdown. She and her husband, renowned British author Neil Gaiman - they have since divorced – and their 4-year-old son stayed, first in Havelock North, then Waiheke, with a split and then reunion after Neil controversially broke lockdown rules and travelled to Scotland.

While here she wrote the songs that became her 'New Zealand Survival Songs'. There are five of them: three are over eight minutes and one, a live track, encompasses two short songs and some very entertaining storytelling. Julia Dean sings, as does Aura Torkington.

It is simply wonderful: funny, intimate, irreverent, honest, heartbreaking, thoughtful... it's a quick reminder of how good Amanda is. I can't recommend it highly enough. You may not make her shows, but you can catch an Auckland hour live on YouTube. Search 'Amanda Palmer at the Thirteenth Floor'.

Photo: Amanda Palmer. Photo: Duncan Innes.

Before I go, let's glance towards Auckland Anniversary Weekend, when a bunch of stuff happens in the great outdoors. Lemme run you through a few options...

Saturday 27 there's a Twilight Concert at Kaitkati's Haiku Reserve, country rock from the Brendon Ham Band along with guest fiddler, the brilliant Marian Burns, currently a Kiwi ex-pat in Nashville, who has played everywhere from the Grand Ole Opry to the Eiffel Tower. To sweeten the deal, local Sophie Gibson is playing support.

Same day in the other direction is Whakatane's Jazz In The Park concert, this year featuring Big Tasty (Auckland), Miho’s Jazz Orchestra (Auckland) and EBOPers Jazz Band. It all happens in the Rose Gardens, always a splendid afternoon.

Meanwhile, Summer Thieves showcase their unique blend of indie rock, reggae and folk at the Waihi Beach Hotel in support of new album 'Cigarettes In Space' and, in town, it's the first day of that fantastic reggae celebration, the One Love Festival. That continues on Sunday 28 when Kokomo, Mike Garner and Robbie Laven also bring blues and more to the Te Puna Quarry Park amphitheatre. Happy anniversary!

Hear Winston's latest playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VpCo9JxCVC5bfG8bNVowd?si=5159280ab0434789 Embed Playlist