A slightly later date, worth waiting for!
Oh how we love Newtown Fair.
You get there super-early (wearing your band uniform, most likely), spend an hour or a few meandering through the streets looking at all the stalls and buying stuff, eating yummy food from everywhere in the world, and answering many questions from people about when the band will be playing. Everyone looks forward to the Batucada parade, it seems.
This year’s gig was delayed for a month due to a short lockdown in Auckland in early March, but it really didn’t matter at all. The weather was still beautiful, the crowds were out in force, and we all had a most excellent time. I think we played for nearly 2 hours, all-up – including the parade, a mashup with Sam Manzanza and the Afrobeat band at the Constable Street stage, and then more parading and dancing and drumming after that. Completely exhausted but happy by the end.
Our resident videographer Tom Etuata wasn’t available to film us this year, but his lovely buddy Antonio was, so we got video – which Tom has very kindly edited for us. Yay! I love this video because it’s got HEAPS of up-close-and-awesome footage of the drummers (of which I am one). We don’t always get to see much of ourselves on film because it can be quite hard to get the shots, so this video makes me very happy. Thanks Antonio and Tom!
Wellington Batucada drummers and dancers at Newtown Fair 2021.
Videographer Antonio Hernández, edited by Tom Etuata.
…and here’s the mashup:
Wellington Batucada drummers and dancers at Newtown Fair 2021. Mashup with Sam Manzanza and the Afrobeat band.
Video by Sam Manzanza.
Photo gallery
Photos by Bruce Mackay, Chris McKeowan, Kelly Etuata and Miri Naad. Click on any thumbnail to see the larger version:
