NAWR #53

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - 18:00
The Bunkhouse
Park Street, Swansea SA1 3DJ
£7

HALF / TIME

RHYS TRIMBLE

PEIRIANT

 

HALF / TIME

Through post-punk waiata (songs) which utilise te reo Māori, HALF/TIME addresses themes of decolonisation and bicultural or ‘half-caste’ experience of contemporary Aotearoa.

HALF/TIME is a Māori centered post-punk band from Aotearoa (New Zealand) featuring Wairehu Grant on guitar and vocals, Cee on bass and Ciara Bernstein on drums. Performing emotionally
charged songs addressing decolonisation, structural racism and cultural resilience, they combine lyrics in English and te reo Māori, taking on a bicultural experience through the lens of contemporary
Aotearoa. Following on from their self-titled EP in 2021, their upcoming EP, ‘Scary Stories To Tell When You’re Dark’ is set for release in April 2023. Just in time to share their latest body of work while
on tour in the United Kingdom.

Wairehu Grant (Ngāti Maniapoto) is also postgraduate researcher based in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) Aotearoa (New Zealand). Having been involved in Aotearoa’s DIY music communities since 2014, his
PhD research is centered on the ideological crossovers of te ao Māori and punk culture. Ciara Bernstein is owner of The Vault - an all ages venue, recording space and practice space in Central
Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). She is also instrumental to Girls Rock! / To The Front Tāmaki, recently becoming one of their kaitiaki (guardians). Ciara has played in more than a dozen bands over the eight
years, giving her the opportunity to tour extensively in the US, Australia, South Africa and across her home country. Cee is a perpetually fuming takatāpui loud mouth. They are constantly striving for a
kinder world, heavier music and total liberation for all.

HALF/TIME have been invited to perform at the international showcase festival FOCUS Wales. Aside from performing at the 12th edition of this prestigious festival and conference, HALF/TIME are
scheduled to perform in several locations throughout the United Kingdom. As part of international solidarity on language revitalisation, (due to the success of Aotearoa's

revitalisation of te reo Māori) Wairehua will be Guest Speaking at Cardiff University.