Category: Duo Acts

An accomplished musical duo that has been performing together for over ten years.

We perform a wide range of popular songs, from easy listening to dance music, spanning the last five decades. There is something to suit everyone and we are experienced at playing Bars, nightclubs, Weddings and Private functions. We are always expanding our repertoire.

Reckless Duo consists of:
Bernard Blanken – Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
Phil Witteman – Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

With backing tracks to provide a professional sound.

We are currently playing at venues around Christchurch where you can have the opportunity to hear us play before you make your booking.

Husband and wife team, Stephen & Hannah have been involved in the music industry for years.  With radio hits & albums under their belts as well as performing throughout New Zealand & overseas, what these two artists bring together will not fail to impress!  This team have been labeled a duo like no other!

Hannah & Stephen met while Hannah was recording her album in 2006 and married in 2008.  It was only a matter of time before these two solo artists would combine their skills and talents forming page28.  

Originally from the deep south of New Zealand Invercargill and Dunedin), music and singing has been a huge part of Hannah’s life. Her performance career originated in her parents lounge as a three year-old and has moved onwards and upwards to number one hits on national radio, new artist recording and music video grants from nzonair, singing the national anthems at the New Zealand vs England netball test, and performing at the New Zealand vs Australia rugby league games, just to name a few.

In 1999 Hannah made the move to Auckland to attended excel school of performing arts and graduated with a certificate of performance in music majoring in vocals. Hannah recorded her debut solo album ” unfinished journey” in 2006 which was nominated for a Vodafone New Zealand tui music award in 2007. 

Stephen is not only known for his unique vocal abilities but throw him some drum sticks, a guitar, a bass, the piano and he’ll show you how they are truly played. And if you that doesn’t make you jealous, this incredibly gifted musician also records and produces music in his own studio. Having worked with a large number of national and international artists it’s only fair to say that this amount of talent deserves to go global!  With his catchy melodies and brilliant lyrics it’s no wonder Stephen James is one of New Zealand’s popular artists.

As well as performing their own original songs, page28 are also a covers duo and have been entertaining cafes, bars, weddings, private and corporate functions throughout nz and overseas. Page28 are based in Christchurch and are now available for your event, husband and wife team, Stephen & Hannah have been involved in the music industry for years.  With radio hits & albums under their belts as well as performing throughout new Zealand & overseas, what these two artists bring together will not fail to impress! this team have been labeled a duo like no other from acoustic covers for those low key functions page28 have also been known to party it up, catering for all functions, ages – whatever entertainment you are wanting page28 also provide their own pa system and lighting.

References:

Just wanted to say how pleased we were with Page28 at our wedding last weekend. They created a lovely atmosphere for the day. It was unfortunately cold so we didn’t quite get the dancing and party going as we would have hoped. So many people commented on how good they were and I think you will probably get a couple more bookings for them as a result.

Just want to thank you for arranging another fantastic band for our Christmas function on Saturday night. Everyone thought they were great and they managed to get everyone up dancing. All had a really good time.

Al Park has been a stalwart of the Christchurch music scene for a considerable number of years. His bands, Louie and the Hotsticks; Vapour and the Trails; and The Latter Day Sinners have been hugely successful in the Canterbury area. His “live” music venue, Al’s Bar, had become the premier music venue in Christchurch until the earthquakes took it down. Since then, Park has been playing as part of the Lyttelton collective-The Harbour Union, promoting gigs in the Naval point club and playing live with, young, up and coming guitarist, Adam Hattaway.

Park has known Hattaway from the days when he promoted young bands in his bar. They have been playing as a duo for the last 6 months and currently play regularly at the Carlton Hotel, Twisted Hop, Speights Ferrymead, and The Porthole in Lyttelton.

They have an extensive repertoire, drawing on Parks’ extensive musical knowledge and Hattaways’ youthful enthusiasm, and can entertain any audience. Their songs come from early rock and roll, Elvis, Johnny Cash; country, Kenny Rodgers, Don Gibson; through the 60’s and 70’s, Beatles, Stones, Dylan,Kinks Springsteen, Bowie Tom Petty, CCR Neil Young; to more contempory artists such as Oasis, Ryan Adams. Old Crow Medicine Show,Travelling Wilburys.

“Whether you require music that hums away in the background, adding to the ambiance of your venue, or you want to party, Park/ Hattaway can suit your venue. Two guitars, two vocals and a little harmonica are all it takes for Park/Hattaway to weave their way into your audience

X-FILES duo is Christchurch’s 5-star duo in music and entertainment; most noted for their energy, performance, crowd interaction, vocals, great sound, and dress.  Every performance is specifically crafted to the flow of the event and for the entertainment of each new audience; song choice is paramount. We want to help make your event most memorable and magical!

Singing professionally since age 17, vocalist Mandi Miller is from the USA, and has been a well established performer in Christchurch since 2003.  With hundreds of performances that span worldwide, this internationally acclaimed singer has a strong emphasis on entertainment during performances.  She uses a wireless mic, which allows her to float and sing freely among the audience.

In LA (2012), she won several singing/entertaining gold & silver awards at World Championship of Performing Arts. She sang for several years in Christchurch’s highly regarded Dateless-n-Desperate Showband (DnD).  She currently fronts Christchurch’s widely respected rock/pop band, RETROSONIC She also has a an award-winning solo keyboard/vocal act: Mandi Miller Soloist.

Chiming in on guitar and vocals is Mark Wilson. Formerly of the Basket Cases and Auckland based CHCH band the Androidss.

Mark had an original song which charted at NO 19 in 1981. He then went onto play with covers bands The Blue Beats and Wonderwall until forming his own Classic Rock Band RETROSONIC.

Mark loves to rock’n roll, complementing Mandi’s dynamic vocals with smooth guitar licks and a choice of songs in which he sings lead.

Christchurch’s most versatile duo, performing your favourite hits from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, to the latest hits of today. Every song has been selected to ensure you can dance ALL NIGHT long …or just sit back and sing your heart out!

We are ALL THE BAND YOU NEED!

Professional; adaptable; accomplished; committed to our audience; and passionate about great music…Kate and Sarah have played throughout NZ with various bands, covering nearly every genre. They have a wealth of experience between them, having played in resident bands at The CHCH Park Royal, The Casino, The CLVB, and performed for 100’s of weddings and corporate functions throughout Canterbury.

“Not only do we sing, play guitar, play keyboards, and select the best backing tracks to accompany us; but we also know how to make our audiences happy and we pride ourselves on delivering the highest standard of performance every time we play. We love making your celebration a NIGHT TO REMEMBER!”

A Duo band that caters for all types of Functions/Venues like Weddings, Balls, Anniversarys etc,  with a FANTASTIC stage presentation

Real live Bass Player who Sings, Swings and plays a couple of FUNKY Bass Solos along with our Swinging Percussionist

Music from 50’s onward
“State of the Art” P.A
Midi Files with own Live Guitars & Harmonies

Les Donaldson:
“Vocals, Bass Guitar, Drum & Music Programming”
Plus a Live Percussionist

Les started his Music career in 1978 in Ashburton and has been playing & singing professionally for 29 years with various Bands around N.Z, Sydney, NSW, Queensland & Tasmania, 13 of these years as a full time Musician at Major Venues & Hotels. Numerous T.V appearances in the 80’s – Radio with Pictures, Telethon & Telequest where the Band was judged Runner-up.

Les has also played in many Christchurch bands in & around Christchurch over a period of 6 years

Les decided to start up his own Solo Act (Th’ ART of CHEESE ) to enable him to pursue his song-writing & recording of his originals in the music studio of his premises, still allowing him the time to entertain the crowds.

Percussionist: Zippy started his career in England playing various jazz, cabaret and stage shows, then went on as a session musician for rock and pop bands around Bridlington, Newcastle, 1980 Recorded first single with ‘Badge’ which charted in London rock charts, 1981 second single ( ‘Truth Hurts’) sold 5000 copies in London. Now living in NZ, Zippy teach’s drum theory, notation and private lesson through various schools and is extremly suited to Th’ Art of Cheese.

Please contact us and we will send you a song list for this fantastic duo Th’ ART of CHEESE

Smooth Talk

Let us entertain you

Popular Christchurch based duo Smooth talk, have been performing all over Christchurch and the South Island for the past number of years.

Performing in pubs, clubs and at private functions (Weddings, Work dos 50ths etc.) means that Smooth Talk plays music from a wide variety of artists and musical styles. Weddings in particular demand versatility in order to entertain guests with ages spanning five decades (or more). This is a challenge that Smooth Talk meets with ease. Playing sing-a-long classics to contemporary chart toppers they offer music to suit almost everyone’s taste!

An important piece of advice from Darren and Alice- check out the duo or band you are planning to hire live in performance. This gives you the best chance to decide if the act you are looking at will meet with your own, and just as importantly, your guests tastes. Grandma may not appreciate hard rock all night long!

About Darren

Darren has been working in the music industry for over 20 years and brings a wealth of experience to the duo. During this time he has played in both bands and other duos. He is responsible for all things technical pertaining to the duo, including programming the tracks that accompany the vocals and guitar.

Darren uses multiple synthesizer modules for this purpose, which he feels produces a higher quality sound than mini disks,mp3s.etc and allows more versatility, giving more of a live sound. Add to this the vocals and guitar and you get a rich sound which Darren has full control of. This means volumes can be set low- for intimate settings, and turned up when you are ready to party!

About Alice

Alice has always been a passionate performer. Alichas had a lot of experience playing in restaurants, bars and at private functions as a solo act or alongside others however has taken the great opportunity to join Darren in Smooth t=Talk.

References:

Had a fantastic night Friday night. Smoothtalk were absolutely excellent thanks for recommending them to me.

I wanted to thank you for putting us on to “Smooth Talk” for our VCC Swap Meet Dance. We have received lots of good feedback, with many saying it is the best band we’ve had for this function. Please pass this on to them.

This versatile duo, with their great sound and professionalism, are just the ticket to a great night no matter what the occasion!!!

With over thirty years combined experience in the music industry, Reuben, Nicky make up the band Rockabella. Able to entertain a crowd, their friendly relaxed manner is a hit with a variety of age groups. Willing to listen and cater to specific needs; the band Rockabella represents great value for money.

Reuben Hiku  Vocals, Guitar & Percussion

Reuben has been working as a musician for seventeen years, starting out in the wining 1990 Smokefree Rockquest band, he has been a familiar face in the Christchurch music scene. After completing two years at the JazzSchool , Reubens continued love for music and high standard of musicianship has made him an invaluable member of every band he has been in.

Nicky Isherwood Vocals

With a background in stage performance, which included contemporary dance, ballet and choreography, Nicky found another natural talent, in singing. Since then she has performed in a number of duos and bands, the most recent being Absolut. She has enormous vocal ability, a great rapport with any audience and is able to sing a variety of styles of music.

Suitable for weddings, birthdays, corporate functions, pubs, clubs etc

Below a reference from a corporate function Rockabella did in November 2009

Thank you for your recommendation of Rockabella to provide the entertainment at our dinner. The band really rocked and the dancefloor filled!  We received excellent feedback regarding the quality of the band. Their selection of songs and participation in the 80s theme by dressing up and sourcing an 80s CD went beyond our expections.  We certainly will utilise their services if required in the future and recommended them to delegates attending the dinner. 

Rob Tate

Rob arrived in November 2005 from the UK with his family. He has been playing guitar for over thirty years. He has gigged in the UK for over twenty years and has over 1800 gigs under his belt either with bands or duos. Over 300 of those gigs were weddings or private functions. Rob has also run a disco alongside the live music at most of these functions.

In addition to this he has taught the guitar and keyboards for over fifteen years and already has several students established here in Christchurch.

Becky Faulknor

Originally from Napier, Becky has been singing all her life, including productions in school. She was in a high school rock band where they competed in the Smoke Free Rock Quest in 1992. They made it into the finals and even made an appearance on the telly! She left school in 1993 and completed a 2 year Diploma in Performing Arts (Voice) where she sang in Italian, French and German, and made numerous appearances singing in concerts.

Since that ended she has been in various bands, trio’s and duo’s, singing at birthdays, weddings and in pubs and clubs until linking up with Rob in January 2006.

The Funky Hot Mamas are the hottest act to hit the stage since Abba! With the ability to entertain in pubs, clubs and restaurants these two are able to ensure that every audience walks away entertained.

With experience in theatre, dance and cabaret the Funky Hot Mamas use all elements of show business to provide the best music combined with non-stop entertainment.

FHM – retro from the get-go

Contrary to popular belief fhm have discovered that the 60’s are definitely still swinging. So are the 70’s and 80’s for that matter and it seems that we all like to revisit the time when we had:

• more hair on our head than our body
• could see our waist
• knew how to shimmy, shake, rattle and roll without causing grievous bodily harm

Well who wouldn’t? Taint nuthin’ wrong with a bit of fun and what better way to get the giggles than a psychedelic trip down memory lane with fhm and a few hundred of your closest friends. Ok, ok… so no- ones quite that popular but The Funky Hot Mamas belting out hits of the 60’s 70’s and 80’s most certainly are.

Sporting beehives to rival that of Marge Simpson fhm swing you straight into the turbulent 60’s and soon have you intoxicated by their outrageous energy and madcap antics. Settle into the groovy vibe of the 70’s and feel the funky beat. All inhibition lost… Disco is alive! And lastly be embraced by the great anthems of the 80’s, (never mind the tragic fashion) ‘cut footloose’ and ‘get down tonight’ with The Funky Hot Mamas.

Cabaret Savignon – Sweet, Light and a little Tart.

The saying goes, “there’s no business like show business” and assuming yet another alias fhm prove this point with pizzazz. Teamed with the outstanding talent of Dale Hartley, Leigh and Lou recreate the old razzle dazzle that embodies all things theatrical with costumes, song and dance.

An insight into the egotistical battles between stage divas “Do it the Broadsway” is based in showbiz roots and offers such favourites as “Three Little Maids”, “Broadway Baby” and “You Could Drive A Person crazy”….. and they frequently do. Not to be missed Cabaret Sauvignon’s “Do it the Broadsway” is a hot favourite for dinner parties, conferences or any occasion where you want to impress your guests. Up market, stylish and performed amongst a flurry of sensational costume changes, Cabaret Sauvignon warms the palate, soothes the senses and sweetens the soul. Don’t hesitate…”Do it the Broadsway”.

Crowd Captured by Mafia Mistresses

If there was any doubt as to the sanity of The Funky Hot Mamas, here now is the proof that they haven’t just lost the plot…they never knew where it was in the first place. Making its debut in 2002, the Mafia show is one of fhm’s best-kept secrets. Able to hold an audience to ransom there is now evidence that their brand of musical madness is perfect for that intimate function where you want to poke fun at your friends, clients or co workers.

The Mafia show is full of good old fashioned Italian themes like food, wine, family, pizza, love, and reinforced concrete footwear… that kind of thing. A real treat for a luncheon, BBQ, dinner party, or conference. The Mafia show rollicks through a medley of classic cabaret, comedy, song and dance to titillate the taste buds as well as the funny bone. With enough costume changes to rival any Italian fashion house, the Mafia show presents “the family” as never seen before… sassy, single and in stilettos.