Category Archives: Media coverage

Courtenay Place Block Party 2024

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A bit of a run-through for New Year’s Eve

Wellington Batucada at the Courtenay Place Block Party 2024 - photo by AliG

We’ve been invited to perform at the Courtenay Carnival on New Year’s Eve, and this gig was something of a rehearsal – a first run-through for the organisers, who are new to the game of event management. We were asked to take part in the day’s events.

It was a freezing cold day, which meant that our lovely Green Room at Lulu was very much appreciated (and what a beautiful venue!).

When it was our time to perform, we headed down Allen Street and got into position to play. I had taken off my lovely warm Batucada hoodie to play the gig, and I was seriously regretting having done so. Summer weather it was not.
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FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Netherlands vs Spain

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A quarter-final in shades of orange (and a bit of red)

Batucada team photo at the FIFA Women's World Cup, Spain vs the Netherlands - photo by AliG

Following the huge success of our Batucada-led fan parade for the Netherlands team a couple of weeks ago, the Dutch Embassy asked us to do it all again for their quarter-final clash with Spain. Of course we said yes! What fun!

It was a beautiful sunny day, and the sky was the most intense midwinter blue you’ve ever seen. It was hot! And the crowds of fans carrying orange flags ready to parade along the waterfront were, if anything, even larger than last time.

Once again we made it onto the ONE News bulletin (go us!) and a quite magnificent time was had by all.
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FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Netherlands vs USA

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An orange extravaganza

Wellington Batucada at FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 - Netherlands vs USA. Photo by Alison Green.

It’s quite tricky finding orange clothing. It’s just not that popular a colour these days (oh to be back in the 1970s!) – but I really think it should be making a comeback, because it’s quite spectacular – especially en masse. As you will see from the photos.

The reason we needed orange gear – not a colour generally associated with our Batucada uniform – is that we were invited by the Dutch Embassy to lead their fan parade from the Shed 6 Fanzone to the Stadium. The game was a BIG ONE – featuring the two finalists from the last Women’s World Cup – Netherlands vs USA. Of course we said yes – how could we not? How exciting!
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All Blacks vs Ireland half time performance 2022

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With an audience of 37,000 that we could see, and a few more at home that we couldn’t…

Wellington Batucada performing at half time, All Blacks vs Ireland 2022

It’s the middle of winter. It’s very cold. We’re playing at night. I’m wearing two vests, two t-shirts, two pairs of leggings and a long skirt underneath my summer Batucada uniform.

But what total fun! A brilliant experience, and well worth braving the cold for (and we were super-hot!).

Wellington Batucada team photo after the All Blacks gig

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Re-opening of St James Theatre 2022

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Celebrating the restoration of a Wellington cultural institution

We were thrilled to be invited to take part in the celebrations for the re-opening of the St James Theatre in the centre of Wellington. It’s been closed for three years getting earthquake strengthened, so it was brilliant to be included in the wide range of performance groups taking part.

Wellington Batucada dancers parading through the streets of Wellington

We began with a small group of drummers and dancers parading through town towards the St James, meeting up with parades of other performance groups approaching from all directions to kick off the celebrations.

Throughout the evening, many of Wellington’s rich and varied treasure trove of singers, dancers and performance groups of all kinds entertained the crowds outside the theatre. Wellington Batucada was honoured to be chosen to provide the final show of the evening.

Wellington Batucada drummers on stage outside the St James

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Unite against COVID – filming a TV ad

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Marching up and down again, performing for a great cause

Wellington Batucada drummers and dancers, filming Ka kite COVID TV ad. Photo by AliG.

It’s always the same when you do any sort of filming – it always starts later than planned, and there’s always heaps of waiting around. Fortunately for us, our good friends at El Barrio had provided part of their bar as our official Green Room, which meant that we had somewhere to store our stuff, get ready, hang out, socialise, and maybe even have a beer or two. What could be better?

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Cubasonic: a mass musical disruption coming to the capital

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The biggest mass performance we’ve ever done!

Batucada dancers at CubaDupa 2018

Wellington Batucada is absolutely thrilled to have been invited by Wellington composer John Psathas to take part in Cubasonic – his original score for over 500 musicians written especially for this year’s CubaDupa.

We’ve been learning and rehearsing our part in this epic piece since November and we’re really excited to be involved. The score is nothing like anything we’ve ever played before, which makes it fascinating and an excellent challenge to get our heads around.

John Psathas and CubaDupa director Gerry Paul were interviewed on Radio New Zealand this week. Have a listen and get excited about what’s to come – it’s gonna be huge!

Cubasonic: a mass musical disruption coming to the capital

A mass musical disruption is coming to the Capital as part of the CubaDupa festival next month.

500 muscians will line Cuba Street from one end to the other and perform an original score by Wellington composer John Psathas.

Add in a sound system across multiple city blocks and a locally-invented Tesla coil that can be played like a keyboard and shoots lightning into its surrounding and you’ve got Cubasonic.

Lynn’s guests are John Psathas and CubaDupa director Gerry Paul. CubaDupa is on March 28 and 29 in Wellington.
RNZ, Nine To Noon, 7 February 2020

The Menagerie Variety Show

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Fun and frolics on-stage at the Opera House

Wellington Batucada’s Menagerie performance – the official video. Video by The Menagerie Variety Show 2018.

Practising our active bitch faces for serious dancing (2) - photo by Sarah JaneThe last time we were on-stage at the Opera House was for the DANZdance20 gig back in 2013 – so it’s been a while.

25 drummers and 10 dancers from Batucada took to the stage for The Menagerie Variety Show – invited as the “intermission entertainment” – and a brilliant time was had by all.

It was a long day – beginning with a stage walk-through at 3pm. It’s always reassuring to be able to experience the stage and plan how you’re going to get on and off before you do a big gig like this one – and producer extraordinaire Rachel Rouge and her team made sure that every one of the multiple acts in this fabulous Variety Show were able to do just that.

The Opera House is such a beautiful old building – a perfectly grand and decorative old-fashioned theatre – with a veritable rabbit warren of dressing rooms on multiple levels behind the scenes. When you reach the bottom of the many flights of stairs from your dressing room you step through the door from the light-filled stairwell into a dimly-lit and cavernous backstage area. It’s another world.
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100 Days to the Paralympics

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Wellington Batucada teaches paralympians how to samba

Wellington Batucada at Paralympics New Zealand's '100 Days To Go' event at Te Papa - dancers, paralympians and schoolkids - photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images for Paralympics New ZealandA small and select group from Wellington Batucada helped celebrate 100 Days to the Paralympics at Te Papa. Great fun was had by all.

We started filtering through the doors of Te Papa around 11:30 and waited for the rest of the band to arrive. As we waited, the Brazilian Embassy delegation arrived and, as always, Eduardo (the ambassador) showed his charm and general cool dude tendencies by stopping by to say hello to his adopted community samba group. Continue reading