Friday 6th June 2025

Thomas Loefke

Islands in the North Atlantic, like Tory Island - the Irish island of legend and myth, the Hebridean Islands in the Northwest of Scotland or the wild archipelago of the Faroe Islands situated between the Shetlands and Iceland - these are the places where harpist and photographer Thomas Loefke spends a considerable amount of time every year to compose music. Dramatic coastal landscapes, the wide open space of the Atlantic ocean and the ever changing sky reflect in the pieces of music created there.

The tunes are accompanied by photographs Thomas took during his travels to the islands and by a bunch of amazing stories, a combination which makes this solo program a very entertaining show indeed.

Thomas learnt his trade in Dublin from Ireland's leading harp players - Máire Ní Cháthasaigh, Helen Davies and Áine Ní Dhúill. Since 1984 he has been playing professionally and has won several international prizes, including first prize at the O'Carolan Harp Festival. He regularly tours with Riverdance-violinist Máire Breatnach, with Colorado based cello/guitar duo Acoustic Eidolon, with Faroese fiddle player Angelika Hansen as duo Norðan and as soloist.   

Loefke@t-online.de     www.thomasloefke.eu     www.youtube.com/@thomasloefke

Friday 2nd May 2025

Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard

Passionate Acoustic Music

For three decades Mark Laurent and Brenda Liddiard have been performing together - ‘indie’ musicians

who fly just below the commercial radar, playing grass-roots, mostly un-plugged music throughout New

Zealand, Australia and the UK.

"Mark and Brenda are artists who come from the heart. Their music speaks a universal language

that seems to touch every audience they play to. The atmosphere they create is intimate, warm,

playful and rich with meaning and a wise knowing of shared experience that bathes their audience

with a sense of belonging."

Rex McCann, Author

Mark plays the blues like his life depends on it! His guitar is just about as expressive as his vocals and

confirms the guitar hero status that he earned several decades ago when his professional music career

kicked off in the 1970’s.

“The highlight of the entire evening took place when Mark launched into some blues during which he

played blistering, brilliant acoustic guitar licks, while voice-mimicking lead guitar sounds note for note,

nuance for nuance in a masterful display of technique and taste that stands as one of our clubs most

memorable performances to this day. He almost brought the house down.”

Brendan Hanley, Byron Vista Social Club, Byron Bay, NSW

Brenda Liddiard has a voice born of folk, protest and alt country sentiments. Brenda has been influenced

by English and American acoustic music and found her niche as a songwriter during her involvement

with environmental and anti-nuclear issues in the 70’s and 80’s. Her album, Box of Memories, was a

finalist in the 2013 Tui Awards for Best Folk Album.

Mark and Brenda present an eclectic mix of material that can be ‘pin drop’ delicate, or sound like a full

band! They sometimes pepper their sets with short bursts of poetry and stories of a road well traveled.

“Mark and Brenda are astute and seasoned performers. They are very well known on the acoustic music

scene and between them have recorded. or contributed to, over 30 albums. It is very cool that we can host

musicians of this calibre.”

Mark Raffills, poet, MC, Live @ Little & Local

"Mark's brilliance on guitar is matched by Brenda's instinctive mandolin. Their songs echo issues

which touch the lives of us all – and are sung from the heart. No-one should miss this!”

Roger Giles, The Bunker, Devonport

“This fantastic duo never ceases to amaze me with the diversity of their songs, musicianship and

poetry … sublime guitar and mandolin textures and soulful harmonies.”

Mike Moroney, Dunedin Folk Club

"They sing powerful songs gently and gentle songs with such power”

Rosie Holmes, event & festival organiser

http://www.marklaurent.co.nz http://www.brendaliddiard.co.nz

markandbrenda@kiwilink.co.nz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65tkbu2WThQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_12F5jPFXow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQHMOM1bNis&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=PXay9mOEROo&feature=youtu.be

Friday 4th April 2025

Pomahaka-Tyne

Pomahaka-Tyne are a folk duo who perform traditional and contemporary songs and tunes from North-East England, Scotland, Ireland, America and beyond.
Janet Thomson sings and plays guitar, alongside Helen Douglas who plays the Northumbrian Small Pipes and a variety of whistles. We are named, 'Pomahaka Tyne', after our home-town rivers.

Friday 7th March 2025

Penni Feather

Penni performs across many genres, but folk and acoustic blues are the well-spring she loves to return to. Expect contemporary folk, originals and acoustic blues, maybe some trad – in performances that wrap deceptively simple accompaniment around her heartfelt and wide-ranging vocals.

Penni has been actively involved in the folk scene at various times. She featured on the Auckland Acoustics album with her then trio, Siren, and backing Mahinaarangi Tocker, with whom she also performed. Later she was a fulltime singer in Auckland, then Queenstown, including fronting Auckland band Working Holiday with harmonica maestro Brendan Power.

In the last couple of decades she has guested at Wellington, Hamilton and Aongatete folk festivals (and co-produced a small folk/acoustic festival for several years). She has played at Cafe 121 and opened shows for Annie Crummer, Darren Watson and Midge Marsden. Last year's highlights were solo spots at the Raglan Blues Festival and her one-woman show in the Hamilton Arts Festival. She's looking forward to her first ever visit to East Coast Bays Folk Club!

Penni Feather on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pennifeather/

DIANE PONZIO was born and raised in New York City, honing her performing skills in the clubs and coffeehouses of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. She is a graduate of both the “Fame” school

(The High School of Performing Arts in NYC) and the City University of New York with a degree in Mathematics.

Diane’s songs blend musical motifs of jazz, pop, and folk as a palette for her intelligent and meaningful lyrics. She sings her memorable melodies with a  saxophone-like mezzo and formidable guitar playing.  An accomplished singer-songwriter, Diane has released 10 full length CDs of her original songs.

In  1985 Diane was chosen as the global ambassador for the prestigious Martin Guitar Company to represent them worldwide at promotional events, and there are two Martin guitar models that she designed which bear her name. Diane toured tirelessly for decades in Europe, and relocated from Manhatan to Auckland’s North Shore in 2018.

Accompanying Diane will be Helene Piper on vocals and percussion, and Hank Trenton on upright bass.

Helene, born and raised in Denmark, has a degree in music, and has performed extensively in Europe and South America. She now heads the music program at Belmont Intermediate School on the North Shore.

Hank has already established himself as one of Auckland’s prominent bassists. While touring regularly with several ensembles, he is currently working on a Master’s degree in jazz from Auckland University.

 The trio weaves stories, harmonies and intricate rhythms, to create a powerful performance of words and music. They LOVE playing unplugged here at East Coast Bays, and their performance here will be particularly special, given the acoustics and intimacy of the space.