Gloom busters in town for NZ busking fests
22 Jan 2009
Top New Zealand entertainers will strut their stuff alongside some of the world’s best street acts during coming weeks as two major busking festivals come to town.
The down-under busking fests - Christchurch’s World Buskers Festival and Auckland’s International Buskers Festival - are guaranteed to bring some ‘cheap’ laughs for anyone looking to forget global economic woes.
Billed as "the gloom-busting festival", the curtain lifted today (22 January - 1 February) on the 16th Eureka Trust World Buskers Festival in the South Island city of Christchurch. When this 10-day laugh fest is over, the gloom busters will head north to Auckland for the 9th International Buskers Festival (4 - 8 February).
Christchurch - Eureka Trust World Buskers Festival
The annual Christchurch festival attracts musicians, artists and acrobats from throughout the world. This year it includes performers from Argentina, Israel, US, Japan, UK, Canada and Australia.
The festival will feature 47 acts in more than 450 street and stage shows and 550 hours of world class entertainment.
Upbeat atmosphere
The line-up includes circus, street and comedy acts with some of the world’s top jugglers, contortionists, unicyclists, clowns, musicians, aerialists, living statues, sideshow artists and acrobats performing day and night.
Organisers say the Eureka Trust World Buskers Festival is renowned for its upbeat atmosphere and has become one of the largest and most popular festival of its type in the world.
High fliers
Festival director Jodi Wright has "hand-selected" the line-up for the 2009 event and says she’s chosen only the best street performers from around the globe to take part in the event.
"Each year the festival is different and I think people are going to absolutely love the acts we've chosen this time around. We've got some real high-fliers whose acts have to be seen to be believed," she says.
Unusual line-up
More unusual acts include a podiatric sandwich maker, the world’s smallest banjo circus orchestra, funny freak Sam Wills, Australia's Mr Fish, Guinness World Record holder 'Yo Yo Guy', and Israeli aerialists 'Cirque No Problem'.
New Zealand performers include Jamie Bowen, Steve Wrigley, Te Radar, Michele A'Court, Ben Hurley and Sam Wills, winner of the People's Choice award at last year's festival.
16th Eureka Trust World Buskers Festival
Auckland International Buskers Festival
The 9th Auckland International Buskers Festival has also attracted performers from around the world including acrobats, jugglers, magicians, contortionists and comedians.
From Wednesday, 4 February to Sunday, 8 February (over New Zealand’s Waitangi holiday weekend), Auckland’s CBD will become a live stage for more than 100 street shows at Aotea Square, Vulcan Lane, Princes Wharf, Downtown and the Viaduct.
As well as daily shows there will be night performances in Market Square offering free entertainment for diners in the popular Viaduct Harbour.
Quality performers
Acts due to perform in Auckland include: Bendy Em (Australia), The Circus Fireman (Australia), Brothers From Nowhere (USA / New Zealand), Magic Brian (USA), Dave Chameleon (UK), Mickey J (Australia), Ganja The Great (Australia), Andy Zap (UK), Slim Pickings (Australia), Nick Nickolas (UK), and pavement artist Debbie Robinson (UK).
Auckland Festival manager Pam Glaser says this year’s event has a quality international line up that will provide an exciting and lively atmosphere to entertain city goers.
9th Auckland International Buskers Festival
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