New Zealand

[Greedybogle]

I'm going to be in New Zealand for 3-5 months over the coming winter (summer there, I guess). I'm going for other reasons, but I was wondering if I couldn't do a little work while I was there.

So: does anyone know anything about the pitch in New Zealand? Anything from local culture to legal concerns etc? Anything would be helpful.

[nick nickolas]

Wellington..Manners Mall and Cuba Mall you can work pretty much every day...
Auckland..QE2 Sq and Aotea Sq ( Market on Fri/Sat )
Christchurch Cashel St Mall every day and Arts Center at weekends
Plus pretty much all the little towns...Roturua, Nelson etc..

As far as I know there is no need for any permits anywhere ( Though I think Roturua has some restrictions )

Nick

[Dan Tastik]

Email me when you get your dates and locations.

[Kim]

Wellington has a permit system... you just turn up to the city council and read their little pamphlet about the rules... then sign the permit and you're done... 5 minutes and free.

If you use 'danger' props (fire, knives etc..) you're s'possed to be 'peer reviewed' - to check that you're not "dangerous"... that can take a day or so to hook you up with one of the 'reviewers' and then the paperwork...

Technically, I'm one of the reviewers, but I'm not there much. and I wouldn't trust me anyway.....

They have nice men with overalls wandering around offering 'community assistance' and checking buskers for permits, so you might as well go get one.

I went and applied for the 'danger' permit myself last year... I told them what I wanted, they said someone would ring me...and never heard from them again.

-kim

[Happy Pig]

Probably the best regular pitch in the country is Christchurch Arts center.

Let me know when/if you make it to Wellington, chances are i'll be around somewhere and I'll be happy to show the pitches.

[Dan Tastik]

Ha! Sure it is...

[Happy Pig]

Name a better one then.

[nick nickolas]

Whangarei !! <img src="graemlins/haha.gif" border="0" alt="[ha ha]" /> !!

[martin ewen]

Cuba mall you can work 7 days a week.
The arts center used to be the best pitch in the country and now, while some might look at the crowds and be happy to squeeze in between the trams and the arts and crafts (and possibly still the odd retainer)
There once was a time when the space at the back of the academy theatre (same area the buskers fest uses, back of the Dux)
Was entirely performance driven, no fruit stall, no other purpose but for people to chill out and watch whatever shows were blowing through or whatever locals were honing their stuff before heading out into the world.
It was a cultural place, stuff happened there and there was variety and always a willing audience.
Then one weekend, without warning, stalls were dumped on it and it died.
I had worked all over the world and had arrived home (ch-ch) and was quite proud we had a place that at least allowed the form of street theatre to exist in its own little venue. The audiences liked it but sadly i and others were marginalised. I wrote a letter to the editor and got a reply that was the usual, 'Oh no really we consider street theatre an integral part of the arts center...now fuck off and play in the traffic! We have nic nac's to sell, real imported 3rd world products, THATS culture."
So while the christchurch arts center may well be held in good regard by people who can pull a crowd on a footpath and think thats just spiffy, do bear in mind that the only reason your on the footpath is because the whole place is owned by a trust and as such is technically private land that your not really welcome on. (except for the buskers festival which is an event rather than a constant part of the community)
Funnily enough i think the very year they killed that stage was the year the circus school started up...Duh

[Stretch]

is it possible to do a circle show in front of the cathedral in CHCH?
Near where the wizard? preaches?

[Kim]

I agree with Nick... Whangarei is the spot, and here´s the proof.

http://www.kimpotter.co.nz/nightshow.jpg

Kim

[ 06-06-2003: Message edited by: Kim ]</p>

[Kim]

OK... so now to be ACTUALLY helpful.

The Chch Arts centre pitch is small but it can work ok... it´s a foot path like Martin said, and nowhere near as good as the old one, but you can work it all year.

The Cathedral and Cashel/City Mall are pretty thin. Cathedral is probably possible, but the whole city centre has been sucked dry of it´s population by the suburban shopping malls...

Wellington - manners and cuba malls.
On a nice day, there´s enough people wandering around the harbour, and there are a bunch of nice spots near frank kitts park. It´s a long build though.

But definitely, for a big hat and supportive crowd - Whangarei

[Dan Tastik]

So to add on what Kim and Martin have already said but from the perspective of total christchurch street scum.

Arts centre weekends. 2 circle pitches one of which is unworkable unless you are desperate in which case it is unworkable + reeking of starving street performer. the other pitch gets 3 shows a day. if you're lucky there will only be two other street performers there. The draw is at 10. The draw will not be redone just because you are late and international...

Cashel mall sundays is unworkable as all the shops are closed and the only people there are glue sniffers and teenagers. On Saturday you can have a crack at it if you're feeling ambitious. Personally i'd go for outside Whitcouls.
mark/marcus/marky mark/martin/whatever the hell he calls himself does weekdays there occasionally. Sometimes it works. Go for late afternoon.

The square is workable especially if you have an amp. Consider getting a permit from the council. they're free. This will be invaluable when the market holders in the square try to chase you away.

It may just be a footpath but it's a footpath i know. I quite enjoy it. Sometimes people that watch my show do as well.

oh yeah and who do i talk to to get to do Whangarei coz holy shit that looks like a kickass time!

[ 06-06-2003: Message edited by: Dan Tastik ]</p>

[Happy Pig]

Why is it we alway's seem to rag on our own pitches.
I agree with all of Dan's comments (including the inquirey about whangerai) But I'll also add, during winter you can actually get a show in Chch.

Wellington while theoreticlly possible all year round any day of the week. You have to pick your day's carefully during winter, there is about an hour of sunshine (assuming it comes out at all) in Cuba mall. I have seen big crowds during summer but over winter unless you really need to and feel like a long build on a cold street be overseas... or possibly whangerai.

[Byron Bertram]

Hey guys what about Auckland at the former America's Cup village. It's filled with rich yaughters(I know I spelled that wrong) and tourists. I did a really nice show there last year on a January weekday evening, infront of the information center after it closed.

[martin_ronda]

I'm probably going to NZ this winter between sept and march, what would be the best months??

I'm Brazilian/ German and I would probably go with a tourist visa, can I have a problem with that???

I wanna surf as well so any information on the subject would be nice!

Since I'm going to spend almost 2.000 euros on the ticket to go I really hope it works welll. :eek:

Any information is apreciated!

[Juggalicious]

May head to New Zealand around December time... what's an update on the workable spots? - also is it better (speaking of customs) - is it best just to buy an amp/ microphone after I get there?

[MagiCol]

All the above posts are probably still sound advice even 5 years later.
Buskers will sense from the pedestrian flow on public streets and possible pitch sites how worthwhile it will be to busk at a place. Look for other buskers - they will proabably be locals who have sorted out the good spots. Work in with them or before/after them or along the sidewalk 25-50 metres.
The trouble with permits is that if you arrive in a town on a Friday night, the local Council offices are closed over the weekend, so you can't get a permit during that time anyway. So if you're a transient, I'd say just busk and see what happens. An amplifier show will attract attention and if you're noisy you may be shut down.

In New Zealand in the cities big and small shopping malls are where cars and shoppers tend to congregate, but the carparks and buildings are private property so you should have permission. The Westfield group in Auckland dont allow buskers in them - I've asked at two of them this year and been refused.

What I know, working from the northern part of the North Island southwards.
This is relative to a sidewalk show, not a full circle:
170km north of Auckland city is Whangarei city population about 80,000. You're supposed to have a permit, but most buskers [including me] don't. In the central business district:
7am - 10.30 am Open-air markets start about 7 am and are busy until about 10.30am. Plenty of people, you'd have to ask on the day about performing there, and probably have to pay for your site.
10 - 1 pm in Central Business District is a public street mall in Cameron Street. I usually work some Saturday's there [morning shoppers] from around 10am-2 pm. Until 12.30pm or so its families with young children and teenagers hanging around. About 1 pm the dymanmics change and its mostly teenagers who often dont put anything in the hat. I usually leave at 2 pm latest.

Auckland - a sprawling city of 1 million people. You're supposed to have a permit, but who's going to ask you for it? Downtown on the wharf: The Viaduct area. Over the harbour bridge, Takapuna area has a triangular shopping centre.
Hamilton, about 100 km south of Auckland - in the middle of the city has a couple of private-property malls, one across the narrow street from the other, on a side street off the main street. There's room for a one-man show just to the side of one street doorway. Most people are too intent on getting from one mall to the other to stop.
Wanganui - small city of about 40,000. You're supposed to have a permit and Ive had a couple, but I reckon I should have just busked without one. On the footpath at Majestic Square in central downdown is about as good as good as it gets in town during Mon-Saturday. The mall called Trafalgar Square Shopping Centre on private property a couple of blocks to the side - the Operations Manager welcomed me to busk inside there. There's the central River Traders market on Saturday mornings - $10 for the site.
Palmerston North. Maybe 120,000 population. I've been told twice by a council spokesperson that you don't need a permit to busk there!! Yippee! It's central area is the large open area called The Square. Pedestrian traffic is along its sides. In one corner, on Church Street, is a private property Strand/Mall. Stand outside it on the footpath to busk. Its a traffic-noisey site for music, though. Across the pedestrian crossing about 30 metres, towards the old Post Office building, I found a sidewalk location for a one-man stand. Off of another corner of The Square is Broadway. About 75 metres out on that, is the entrance to another private-property mall with Picture Theaters. On the sidewalk is room for a 1-2 person site.
About half an hour's drive further south towards Wellington is a one-main-street town called Levin. I haven't busked there, so I'd say just give it a try on the main street.

[Figo]

i think that the problem a lot of people find with new zealand is the lack of population and like kim says the number of out of town malls has really hit hard in some of the citys.

i've been to new zealand for my winter for the last few years and probably won't go this year due to the lack of shows available in the bigger citys.

auckland is workable and now that the square has been freed up might become the best pitch in the country. wellington cuba mall and the soon to be bus route manners mall and down by the pier is great on a good day. christchurch is getting less and less workable due to the number of students the circus school is churning out it is very hard to get a show during the week let alone at weekends when there are only 4 or 5 shows over the 2 days i agree with martin that the arts centre has been basically raped of it's potential by the markets who have put so many restriction on shows.

i will probably be going to oz this year there is far more potential for shows and the currency isn't crippling when i return.

[Magic Brian]

May head to New Zealand around December time... what's an update on the workable spots? - also is it better (speaking of customs) - is it best just to buy an amp/ microphone after I get there?

It might be best to bring and amp and leave the battery behind. I know from personal experience and stories from others traveling through NZ and OZ that they are taking batteries out of amps at the airport and saying you cannot fly with them.

[nick nickolas]

hey brian,,,

they took my battery from Dublin to Aussie as well, did Dublin to Holland return no problems, then Dubbas to OZ they took it,,,,,!!!!!!!!!!

I think it depends on the guy you get,,,,


N

[kokoP]

May head to New Zealand around December time... what's an update on the workable spots? - also is it better (speaking of customs) - is it best just to buy an amp/ microphone after I get there?

Hi Juggalicious.

I live in Nelson (top of the South island) as others have said Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch are well covered.
Nelson in the summer is ripe for good busking, no permits needed, the saturday flea market is huge and should really work for a good busker.

There are lots of events and tourists about in nelson over summer.
Let me know if you travel through this way (free board)

Cheers

Jimu:jester: