Quick version: Dam Native band will be playing the support shows of Leigh Sawmill Friday 3rd February, and Kings Arms The Thirsty Dog (K rd) Sunday 5th.

Press release from the promoter:

THE RED EYES

NZ HOMECOMING TOUR

JAN / FEB 2012

NEW SINGLE >> Circles <<

The Red Eyes, Australia’s much loved Dub/Reggae monster group, celebrate their 10th birthday in 2012 with their first NZ Tour, kicking off at Revolver, Queenstown on Jan 26, before taking in venues in Dunedin, Wellington, Leigh, Hamilton and Auckland. They will also appear at the inaugural festival Winchfest on Jan 28 performing alongside Katchafire and Cornerstone Roots.

The Red Eyes ‘NZ Homecoming Tour’ heralds the prodigal return of NZ’s long lost sons El Witeri and Damien Charles. Born and bred in Auckland, the two musicians’ musical roots were developed touring around NZ throughout the 90’s before they re-met in OZ and honed their alternative Dub/Reggae style for an appreciative Australian audience. Over 10 years their fan base has grown exponentially, seeing them play major festivals throughout the pacific and Australia including the 2011 Australian Raggamuffin tour with Jimmy Cliff and Mary J Blige.

Established in 2002 The Red Eyes’ successful 2nd album ‘Red Army’ was a finalist for Best Blues and Roots Album at the Australian Independent Record Label Awards and lead singer El Witeri was a finalist for APRA songwriter of the year. 2007 release ‘Rudeworld’ and their two EP’s ‘Highplace’ and Prolific/My Kingdom’ have collectively sold over 12,000 copies worldwide.

Exploding onto the NZ turf with a string of club dates through Jan and Feb 2012, The Red Eyes are touring their new track Circles, the first single release from their anticipated third album.

Mixed at the Andy Baldwin Studio in Brooklyn, ‘Circles’ took The Red Eyes producer King Charlie to the US to make the most of the strong Aussie dollar and NY talent with the production of their new single.

The lyrics allude to the relentless touring and winding road that is a musician’s life, where artists are increasingly at the bottom of the recording industry food chain.

For independent bands like The Red Eyes, creating a path outside the mainstream label structure has become more of a reality, particularly with the explosion of social media driven opportunities to reach new audiences.

It may be ‘a winding road… full of hoops and loops and circles’, but The Red Eyes are proving that there will be no stopping them.

NZ Tour Dates

Thu 26 Jan: Mint, Wanaka

With guest DJ Damon (The Nomad) DJ Set

Fri 27 Jan: XIIB/12 Below, Dunedin

With guests Skull Dubbery and DJ Jungle Far I

Sat 28 Jan: Bodega Wellington

With guests Newtown Sound feat Israel Starr

Sun 29 Jan: Winchfest, Oakura, New Plymouth

Also feat. Katchafire and Cornerstone Roots

Fri 3 Feb: Sawmill Cafe, Leigh

With Dam Native and DJ Dubhead (TBC)

Sat 4 Feb: Flow Bar, Hamilton

With guest DJ Captain Nemo

Sun 5 Feb: Kings Arms The Thirsty Dog (K rd), Auckland

With Dam Native and DJ Dubhead

Ticketing: www.eventfinder.co.nz

thered-eyes.com

www.facebook.com/themightyredeyes

www.soundcloud.com/the-red-eyes

A print quality PDF file version of the poster artwork is available for printing.

More info:

http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2011/upper-hutt-posse/auckland

http://upperhuttposse.chnl.pro/ - some free mp3s at this link.

Dates: 

Friday 25th Nov – Woodys Bar, South Auckland

Saturday 26th Nov – Khuja Lounge Cnr Queen St/K’Rd CBD

Whakatane Friday 2nd Dec – Commercial Hotel

Ngarawhahia Saturday 3rd Dec – Delta Tavern

Wellington Thursday 8th Dec – Bodega

Palmerston North Fri 9th Dec – Old Skool Bar

Paekakariki Saturday 10th Dec – St Peters Hall

Whanganui Fri 16th Dec – Space Monster

Upper Hutt Sat 17th Dec – Rimutaka Tavern

$5 bucks on the door with a flyer from J Day or $10 if you don’t have one. It’s the official after party at Kings Arms which is from 7pm – which is after the main J Day event at Albert park that day (12pm-4:30pm) which only has DJs and speakers and stuff during the day. Looking forward to trying some of that Jamaican Me Hungry!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=201639046523045

Native Foundation

ONLY YOU

by

DAM NATIVE

New Zealand hip hop pioneer Dam Native is launching a dramatic music video for the hard-hitting single, Only You, from the groundbreaking second album – Aotearoa … Nobody Does It Better.

Dam Native are renowned for their poetic skills, songwriting genius, phat beats and underground integrity – and the lyrics for Only You continue to set the benchmark for political street music in New Zealand:

“An addict / like I’m drawn to magnets / don’t panic / i got you running from my magic / horee savage / the systems trying to kill me / but I’ll fight before it happens / respect first / then money / basic shit / if you need to ill on me / you better make it quick / these jails / the highest number / are Maori males / when the truth is revealed / it will read the systems failed.”

To view online, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=greeLqeX5Nw

For more information including interviews, images and copies of the music video, contact:

Tracey Tawhiao. info@houseoftaonga.com. www.houseoftaonga.com

DAM NATIVE Daniel Haimona better known as Hypethenative was born in Wellington and is of Te Arawa, Tainui and Ngati Kahunungu descent.

Hypethenative is the Poetic Mike Master of his Pioneering Album KDRU Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted … in his words “ahead of his time why a lot of you missed it.” Produced by Zane Lowe and released by Tangata Records in 1996. In the same year the album won him two music awards most promising group and most promising male vocalist. And a hit single Behold my cool style, which went on to win best music video in the flying fish awards.

And now accompanied 15 years later by the singing, guitar lead and gifted vocalist Bryson Campbell, Dam Natives new album Aotearoa Nobody does it Better is still ahead of its time but this time don’t miss it. Grant Smithies writes in his book Soundtrack 118 great New Zealand Albums … “he [Dam Native] has never received the wider success that he deserves. Lets hope that he doesn’t stop until he has.”

No he has not stopped it just takes time to follow up such a great first album with an even better one. Record companies saw hip-hop as a passing phase in the 90’s and Dam Native went underground after the first album in disgust. He was signed by Heartmusic in 2003 and slowly created his second album as a response to what he considered “kid hop”. He wanted to make adult music for adults. While some like to put albums out every other day he takes a less is more approach.

Heralded by every MC in New Zealand as the Maker and Leader of NZ Rap history (go on ask them yourselves) Dam Native have put the heart back into Hip Hop music once more to deliver an exceptional Second Album of highly crafted verses. With guest MC Tyna on Sirens in the City and Strong beats by Robert Lundon and Bryson Campbell who keeps the hard beats infectious.

And killer songs like Lick My Patu

We’re just greater/it doesn’t mean that I hate ya/ so don’t even try to defy the laws of nature/ passion/ perseverance/ hardwork is what it took/ and the golden rule/ don’t hang with motherf**kers who get shook.

And Cracked It

I’ve already cracked it/see what I’ve got/ what is perceived of me/it might not seem I have a lot/ but my self-esteem/ it seems/ is no dream/ its boiling hot/ enemies/ don’t exist for me/ we all love that native hip-hop.

To tunes like Whakarongo mai nei and Only You. Even if you don’t like Hip- hop you can’t not love this musical story.

If you want to know about true Maori style then take a leaf from the pages of Dam Natives Lyric sheets and plug it into your ears before pasting it on your bedroom wall.

No flash producers, no overseas recording deals and no big budget and still this one of a kind Hip-hop album will last long after all others are dead.

The Band

The Dam Native band is made up of 6 members and is a patriotic, musical and lyrical testament to Aotearoa. Tom Atkinson on Drums, Joseph Hoani Dylan Keating on bass, Timothy Williams on Keyboards, Bryson Campbell aka BlakMan on lead guitar, MC vocals, Pirimia Falwasser aka Nativesixonetwo MC vocals and Daniel Haimona aka HypetheNative MC Supreme. The band has transformed the hard edge beats into musical magic and is arguably the best Hip-hop band in the world.

Quotes from Askew

“It may be hard to fathom anything more local…but this single image of Danny Haimona aka Hyper D from Dam Native just screamed at me at such an immense volume.”

“Easily regarded as on the most iconic and influential local artists for youth of that era.”

“Ranging from his swagger and sense of style, the manner in which he made music with the perfect balance of Maori attitude yet not in a way that put it in the realm of being easily pigeon-holed as just ‘cultural music’.”

“He made straight up and down Hip Hop music with raw attitude and he influenced a whole generation that didn’t necessarily feel that their voice had validity within the genre.”

“To me, Danny represented empowerment that stood the test of time. He could flip effortlessly between Te Reo and English; spoke in local terms and in real Maori slang with a natural accent. “

“For a good decade you could travel to the most rural places and hear people rapping in a style derivative of his.”

The Song List

1. The Majestic
2. Cracked it
3. The Son Part II
4. Lick My Patu
5. Rebel
6. Terminal illness
7. Whakarongo mai nei
8. Living Street
9. Sirens in the City
10. Only You.

Helpful Links

http://www.askew1.com/2010/08/my-style-journey-part-4-its-about-identity/

http://www.damnative.com/

http://www.myspace.com/damnative

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23875992381

http://www.myspace.com/n8vsixonetwo

http://www.funk.co.nz/

http://www.myspace.com/timothywilliamnz

http://www.timothywilliam.co.nz/

http://www.houseoftaonga.com/hot_04/hm_native_bio.html

Aotearoa... Nobody Does It Better

So get down there.