Moonbeanz
Upside Ground NZ / Dixie Dolejs (Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland)
Auckland based collaborators, Dixie Dolejs, and Upside Ground NZ (featuring Micheal Young and Bryce Wastney), present Moonbeanz, sharing the pleasure pursuit, ‘how’ and ‘why’, of creating poetry and songs that just might tell the truth, awaken emotions, arouse the senses, and revive your smile.
Dixie, alongside Micheal (performing with Dixie on Weds, 20 March) and Bryce (performing with Dixie on Thurs, 21 March) invite you to experience a heart-warming evening, up close and personal, where they will share their original poetry and songs. In the interconnectedness between the two performers, you may find a little ‘truthiness’ in the fiction they weave.
In 2023 Dixie was a finalist in the World of Music and Dance NZ (WOMAD) World of Words Poetry Slam performing her original poem on stage at WOMAD 2023. Dixie and Micheal were invited to share their original poetry and songs for NZ National Poetry Day.
Dixie and Micheal describe their songs as genre diverse. Their song ‘What It Does’ was a finalist in the 2021 New Zealand Country Music (MLT songwriting) Awards and was performed by Micheal Young to a sold out St James Theatre alongside fellow finalists Tami Neilson, Jenny Mitchell and Marion Burns. ‘What It Does’ toured with uniquely Kiwi Americana folk band ‘Albi and The Wolves’ throughout NZ for Music Month of May, Art on Tour 2022 and again in 2023 in NZ and Australia.
Micheal Young performs their co-written original songs to appreciative audiences in intimate venues in Auckland and at music festivals around NZ. Micheal, an accomplished singer, bonafide musician and recording engineer, has produced 2 Tui Award winning albums. Micheal is bass player and backing vocalist for ‘Albi and the Wolves’ – New Zealand’s uniquely stringed contemporary pumping folk trio (Chris Dent, Pascal Roggin, Micheal Young). He also leads renowned bluegrass band ‘Wires and Wood’ and curates Auckland’s ‘Bunkerhill Unplugged’ showcasing talented singers and songwriters.
Born and raised in Nelson Bryce Wastney is a multi award winning singer/songwriter. Inspired by the song-craft of Cat Stevens and Neil Finn, Bryce’s music naturally traverses the pop-rock, country and folk genres – always soulful whatever the genre, it’s the ideal soundtrack for the traveller and free spirit in us all.
Dixie Dolejs’ creative motivation and energy comes from a series of unexpected life changing events, on a personal and global scale, colliding in a magical way that created a gap within which she found a capacity to squeeze in some previously largely ignored passions. Dixie, a career educator, returned to writing for pleasure after completing a Masters of Education in 2019 and a Creative Writers Hub course in 2020. In 2021/22 Dixie was a recipient of a Creative Communities NZ/ NZ Music Commission ‘Women About Sound’ project led by Sound Engineer Jess Haugh where Dixie was mentored by Liz Stokes of The Beths. Dixie and Micheal’s songs were recorded with professional musicians Micheal Young, Pascal Roggins (AATW), James Armstrong (Mothra), and Kat Armstrong (Kat Theo).
Dixie’s early growing up years in sunny Nelson exposed her to the diverse styles of music that were a central part of Nelson’s artistic culture; Dixie inherited her mother, Ruth Dolejs’ love of attending local live art and musical performances. At home, her father Ed Dolejs sang bedtime stories and a brother practised for his country rock band in the lounge. She now finds herself growing up again, in lively Auckland. In her leisure pleasure time, Dixie Dolejs writes and performs her original poetry, hosts a few singer songwriter events and runs poetry workshops at music festivals.
Dixie and Micheal find creating poetry and song to be nourishing fodder and hope you find joy in the listening…to make us smile.
World Premiere!
