Steve and Ainsley Apirana: News

We are putting on another house concert on Sunday Afternoon - the 15th August at 2pm. Its been a while since the last so we thought it was about time. We have a few artists lined up so all going well it should be a very pleasnat afternoon. Come and enjoy the music and stay for a coffee afterwards. I'll let you know when all artists are confirmed.

24 May 2010

Date Venue
FRIDAY 18 JUNE THE ROYAL HOTEL, Palmerston North
SATURDAY 19 JUNE THE GRETNA HOTEL, Taihape
SUNDAY 20 June LEMBAS, Raumati South
WEDNESDAY 23 June IVORY LOUNGE, Auckland
THURSDAY 24 JUNE SPA HOTEL, Taupo
FRIDAY 25 JUNE THE BELGIAN BAR, Rotorua
SATURDAY 26 JUNE ALTITUDE BAR & NIGHTCLUB, Hamilton
SUNDAY 27 JUNE ORCA RESTAURANT & BAR, Raglan





Dirt Floor Music and Poems
expands the vocals and heads north
– the honest and authentic roots experience continues


After two tours around the South Island, Dirt floor music and poems brings its own brand of
‘front porch music’ to the North Island.

Steve Apirana, Jim Doak and Mark Raffills have teamed up for their new North Island tour,
Four on the Floor, with vocalist Ainsley Apirana.

The addition of Ainsley Apirana on vocals adds a new dimension to the dirt floor sound with
a distinctive lilt and a tipping of the hat to the vocal harmonies of the Carter Family and
music of the dirt floor era.

“It’s an even more honest and authentic roots experience now with Ainsley on board,” says
flat pickin’ guitarist Jim Doak.

“Ainsley has done plenty of vocal work on Steve’s recordings and solo gigs and is used to
contributing harmony and lead vocals as the songs demand. She compliments the singing of
Steve and myself with a little bit of magic; just a touch of angel!”

Dirt floor music and poems ambles intimately across the roots landscape, from folk to blues
to bluegrass, in a rare and captivating treat from four seasoned performers.

Steve Apirana (gospel blues/vocals), Jim Doak (bluegrass/vocals), Ainsley Apirana (vocals)
and Mark Raffills (poems) come together to present an easy-flowing, uncluttered and
unpretentious evening of vocal harmonies, finger-dancing guitars and a few good words.

The eight-gig, Four on the Floor tour kicks off in Palmerston North and Taihape, plays
Raumati South, heads for Auckland then drops down to Taupo before ambling its way
through Rotorua, Hamilton and Raglan from mid June.

Tickets are $15 at the door or you can buy online from www.dirtfloor.co.nz Further information:

Mark Raffills
Dry Crust
phone 03 544 4975
mobile: 027 215 4969
email: mark@drycrust.com
web: www.dirtfloor.co.nz

Well the Tear Fund tour is behind us and the Dirt Floor tour is getting closer. The weary travellers are home and resting after a busy but satisfying three weeks with Tear Fund. Molly is inspired and ready to record and Steve is nearing the final stages of his new album and life on the home front is as busy as ever with things coming at us from every angle. We have two weeks of preparation for the Dirt Floor tour and we are really excited about it - a new venture with the addition of Ainsley - yes me - added to the trio.......check our calendar for details, which will be added as they come in.

Tear Fund Tour – May 2010


Thurs 6th May
AUCKLAND
Fri 7th May
AUCKLAND
Royal Oak Baptist

Sat 8th May
Kati Kati St Paul’s Kati Kati.

Sun 9th May AM
TAURANGA Bethlehem Community Church.
Sun 9th May PM
TAURANGA 6:30pm Bethlehem Baptist.

Tues 11th May
ROTORUA Rotorua Baptist Church

Wed 12th May
TAUMARUNUI Taumarunui Baptist

Thurs 13th May
NAPIER The Oasis

Fri 14th May
HAVELOCK
NORTH Arohanui Christian Fellowship

Sat 15th May
WAIPUKURAU Pukeora, Waipukurau
Sun 16th May AM
PALMY
Sun 16th May PM
PALMY Palmerston North Central Baptist.

Tues 18th May
FEILDING Feilding New Life Church.

Wed 19th May
WANGANUI Faith City Church
Thurs 20th May
MASTERTON St Matthews Anglican Church
35 Church St.
Po box 588,

Friday 21st May
LEVIN
Levin Baptist
17-19 Rugby St,

Sat 22nd May
WELLINGTON
Sun 23rd May AM
WELLINGTON
Sun 23th May PM
WELLINGTON 6:30pm
Elim Porirua.

Steve and I have been home for a month and battling with the old flu virus. Just as well it hit when we were not touring but we don't have long to shake it off as touring resumes fairly shortly.
And while we are home Steve is madly working on his new album. Andy will be up next week to put down some more tracks and Steve is busy lining up soloists, hammond organs and all sorts in between working day in and day out on his guitar licks.
Changes are afoot with the next generation: Stevie is going full time at Uni and cutting back on his work commitments to concentrate on his studies, Bec finishes her Honours degree in Psychology and will be working full time, Molly is hanging out in New Zealand for the next little while and touring with her Dad, and Reuben is moving home and will be working in security - he is completing his course this week, Shirelle is still in Gympie with her kids, Kuru is in Adelaide working busily on the fishing boats and Reina and Wai have moved house and are now another suburb away from the airport - but still close enough to have as many catch ups as we can fit in.
I am spending all my spare time working on my book getting as much done as I can before May when Cooran Street Festival meetings will resume - for this years Tall Trees on Sunday the 10th October.
We have been invited to Europe next year and are hoping to make it a world trip again. Its been seven years since our last trip so we might as well make the most of the opportunity and do the round trip - hopefully catch up with all our good friends from other parts of the world. So life is good and we are blessed to be a part of it.

Two more tours to New Zealand are coming up shortly. We spend half our lives flying across the ditch these days - and loving it. Surprisingly the weather so far has always been good - not good enough to convince me to move back - the sunshine Coast is unbeatable.
Tear Fund are hosting a Derek Lind, Steve Apirana and Molly tour of the north island in May - check out the calendar for dates and venues. Then in June, Steve and Ainsley, Jim Doak and Mark Raffles are doing a Dirt Floor tour - this time across the north island. Hope we see you there.

Thought I would add Ray's report from our visit to Tauranga for the Annual Te Haerenga noho. We had a wonderful time again this year and Ray's report kind of sums it up - we love going and it is just as much a blessing for us as it seems it is to them. This year we had the privilege of having Molly with us - maybe next year Stevie Bec and Reuben can join us as well. Check out the photos from our weekend as well.

Te Haerenga April 2010: report from Ray
We were so privileged to have Steve & Ainsley Apirana as our guest speakers in the weekend. Known as NZs best entertainer, gospel singers & song writers. (Actually I made that up, but we reckon they are the best). To be up close with them instead of being one out of a multitude of people was awesome. ‘This to us is our Oasis, we love coming to Te Haerenga’ Hearing that being here is actually a blessing to them was humbling to us.
They both shared their hearts with us in songs of many genres. Steve had us laughing with his great humor as he shared his music and story of people’s perception of beauty. He wrapped it up with his testimony song ‘something beautiful, something good, all my confusion, He understood, all I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife but He made something beautiful out of my life’
That afternoon was spent in a workshop format with Steve & Ainsley. Picking their brains about songwriting and asking questions to improve in our own journey with music. Even on the technical sides of things regarding guitar playing. We certainly have some homework to do!
Saturday night we had a little bit of a concert in which we opened it up to the community. There was a full list of people doing ‘items’ from solos, duets and even a local band. Locals came to see the talent come through and to our surprise we had a TV celebrity come and visit! Te Hamua Nikora a TV host for a talent quest program called ‘Homai te Pakipaki ‘ on Maori TV, so naturally we get him to sing a few songs too!
The highlight of the evening though was to have Molly Apirana (Steve & Ainsley’s daughter) share a couple of songs, boy did she rock the house! She drove up with some friends from Paekakariki to share the evening and next morning with everyone. Keep an eye out for Molly, it will soon be a well known name!
Sunday morning after the Marae clean up, we gather again with the Apirana family to wrap up our weekend. ‘The weekend was so nice, peaceful, relaxing’ What a beautiful family! Who knows, next year we’ll have the rest of the Apirana family with us.

Happy New Year to everyone: 2010 - a year new and a new album - hopefully soon. Steve is hoping to have his new album completed and in the shops this year, hopefully the first half of this year. At the end of January the Apirana family is playing together at Parachute Festival at Mystery Creek, just outside of Hamilton, New Zealand. Steve has two sets, The Velvettes are doing a comeback concert and Molly is doing two sets of her own. Stevie and Reuben will be backing Molly on guitar, keyboard and vocals, bringing to the stage for the first time a set of her original songs as well as one of Stevie's origals. Steve and Ainsley will be staying on in New Zealand for the month of February and will be available for gigs during that month (if you would like to book Steve and Ainsley during that time drop an email to Ainsley at steveainsley@aapt.net.au). Ainsley is spending some of that time researching her next project, in Dunedin and then Steve reunites with Jim Doak for the Hanmer Blues Festival with a dirt floor set on the last sunday in February. So the year starts with a bit of excitement and we are expecting more excitement to follow throughout this new year. We would like to wish you all the very best for the new year. May it bring you great joy, and fulfillment of hopes and dreams.

Not much happening in the next little while as far as gigs go - a few private functions but plenty of time to organize our big event for the year - Cooran Street Party. I'll keep you posted and let you know new developments as they arise. Families and community groups will come together for one big celebration as we put Cooran on the map and show the world our melting pot of artistic and recreational accomplishments. 11th October is the day to keep free.

Well, Gladstone was amazing. We worked with the council of chaplains up there who run programmes in all the schools up there and do such a great job with counseling and educating these young people in life skills. Steve sang in schools all week and when I joined him on thursday we played at the commissioning of the newest chaplain. I was very impressed by the way they work together to bring an interesting and exciting programme to these schools.

Hi everyone, the days are flying by too fast for me to keep up. Steve and I have been laid low with the flu. Not pleasant but one way to get a rest. Fortunately we are on the mend and back out on the road. Played at Morayfield Centrelife Church last night and had a great night. And now we are getting ready to go to Gladstone for a week, on Monday. Steve will be playing in schools all week and I will be joining him on Thursday and we will sing together at two churches on Sunday evening. Molly sang at Ripe on Sunday - she and the High Knights won a place there and had a great time playing at the brand new music festival in Noosa. What a great opportunity. She now has to decide whether to move back to New Zealand and pursue her solo career or stay in Auss and continue singing with the High Knights............

Hi there. The Sowers concert was amazing. We had 80 people in the Cooran Hall, in spite of floods and pouring rain.All main roads were cut so you could only get to Cooran on the back roads but those who braved the weather and the roads said it was well worth it. They are awesome musicians and the harmonies were wonderful. What else is new? We have airconditioning in our studio. We are working on lots of new songs. Molly and the HIgh Knights won a place at Ripe - the new music festival in Noosa in May (the 3rd I believe). That is very exciting. They have been working very hard for it. That's about it from us for now. Lots o love.

There's a sale on at the Amiestreet online store - 50% off. So if you're after one of mine or any other for that martter - then have a look - Here's the link: http://amiestreet.com/?pytr=cdbaby
Steve had a great time in NZ with the Dirt Floor tour of the South Island. It went really well and they are keen to do more. Have a look at the website - they have a small video clip on there - www.drycrust.com/dirtfloor Its worth a look. Enjoy.

We are hosting a concert in the hall in Cooran on April the 3rd for The Sowers. They are a fantastic band brought out from Africa by our good friends Kathy and Andy Sorenson. We are really looking forward to a great night of Live African music. They will not only be singing their songs but telling their stories as well - of how they got to where they are today - its a pretty amazing story. The concert starts at 7pm. Come early to get a seat.

Hi There, been sleeping again. Actually on tour in New Zealand - Steve's doing the South Island with Jim and Mark - bluegrass style. Having a great time, taking fabulous weather with them , everywhere they go. If you want the concert times you'll get them from Dirt Floor in Nelson or on the web - www.drycrust.com/dirtfloor. Concerts are going really well. Great songs and great poetry. Hope to see you there.

We are renovating! It is amazing. Some friends came to visit a few weeks ago and as a result Jack has been building for us ever since- car port, deck, new doors. He started the next day ( my kind of builder). Its just looking so wonderful. Now we have a beautiful space for entertaining and room to put all those things you don't want to see all the time. We are so blessed to be able to make these changes to our house and so pleased with the way it is all turning out. Can't wait till its all finished and we can start working in the studio instead of on it. We had a great time in Sydney recently, met so many wonderful people doing amazing things - it was very heart warming. Steve began the recording process while we were on the Central Coast and now begins the hard work of putting the new album together. Its coming together well and is very exciting - lots of great new songs. Not many gigs on at the moment - but just as well as renovating is taking all our time and energy. Coming up is the second Dirt Floor tour of New Zealand - Steve and Jim doing their thing. Look out for it - end of October and beginning of November.

Hi There, did you think we'd left the planet. I have to apologise to those of you who have been looking and finding no news. I have been busy building a kitchen and recording studio in our house - had to do the kitchen first - eating is after all a necessity to life. Its been a slow but very enjoyable process mostly carried out by my son Reuben and I and when he can, my other son Stevie. The kitchen is more or less finished and is wonderful - I love doing the dishes now !!!! just joking but I do have a fantastic dishwasher which makes life sooooo much easier. And I have a fantastic all gas oven and cook top which is a dream after what I have had for the last 5 or more years. So now the studio is taking shape. We are working on the ceiling first up - soundproofing that while a soundproof door and window are being made for us. My plan is to finish it all before September. We desperately need to record some songs and we are all missing having access to the recording equipment. Steve has been busy meantime touring New Zealand - the tour went really well. Molly was able to do the tour with him and add her delightful rendition of Psalm 61, from Steve's first album, to the concerts. August is shaping up to be a busy month too with Steve playing at Gympie Muster towards the end of the month and doing several gigs in Sydney in the middle of the month - check the calender for details. Unfortunately his health has not been the best and he has been laying low for the last few weeks. Hopefully in September we will have the Cooran concerts happening again. I'll try to give you plenty of notice when the next one will be on. Hope you are all staying warm and dry in this very wet and cold winter - our fire place is such a blessing !

Just can't believe how fast this year is disappearing. Steve is over the flu and back on the road. Just returned from a week of concerts - with Prison Fellowship, for their annual conference, and then with Jim Doak and Mark Raffles ( Dirt Floor Music and Dry Crust) doing the blue grass, bluesey folky thing with a bit of poetry thrown in: very successful two concerts in New Zealand - Nelson and Christchurch. So he's back home for a week or so and then off for the Tear fund tour. Molly is now going to be accompanying him - helping out with merchandise sales and doing support act and backing vocals. Should be a great tour. Till next time - all the best to each one of you out there. Steve and Ainsley.

Hi there. April has been rather hectic and unfortunately Steve caught a nasty dose of the flu and had to cancel his gig in Brisbane last weekend - thank you so much to Adrian Ross who filled in for Steve at the last minute and delighted the audience with his own unique style. What would we do without friends. Steve is on the mend but still laying low. His main project at the moment is his new recording which he works on night and day - when he is not sick with the flu. Its sounding good and we are very excited. There are songs that go back many years and some brand new. Molly and I sang at the Cooran Markets last Saturday - Tina had organized a womans' day. (Steve was allowed to accompany us on his guitar}. We did mostly covers and it was lots of fun. Thanks to all our fans who came to listen. These days Its taking all my time and energy to get the changes in our house organized for the studio and concert venue - what a massive job it is. Its lots of fun though and exciting for me as I have been dreaming of it for quite a few years now. Steve and I have been working on some new songs for gigs too. Molly has been doing some recording with friends and Stevie is organising a hip hop night at the Villa in May - look out for the posters - should be a great night.

Our latest concert in Cooran was on the weekend just gone. It was a great night with young talent from all over the coast - Lamia from Noosa, Gracie from Buderim, Sam from Coolum, Tamarind and Tina and her friends from West Cooroy, local band Revelation from Pomona, Shaun from Cooroy, international guest from US Willy Landers, not to forget our own Molly from Cooran. If you are a singer and want a place to start performing, drop us a line and we'll let you know when the next one is going to be - some time in April. You can email me at ainsley@apiranamusic.com.

January has come and nearly gone. I don't know about you but I have really enjoyed the rain - except for the mould that has grown on everything. It has been such a relief from the extreme heat of the last few summers. Well it is going to be an exciting year for us. We are putting a recording studio into our house and plan to make many recordings ! We have been collecting songs over a few years now and new albums have been a long time in the coming. Our kids are also keen to get into the studio and put together their creations so it should be an exciting year. We are also contemplating an overseas tour which will happen or not depending on how progress with the studio goes. Hopefully it will not take too long to come together and we can fit in the tour as well. So January and February will see us reorganising things round the house to accommodate the new studio - a big cleanout is in order and long over due. We are also planning a party. We want to thank everyone who helped us over the last four years and expecially in that first year - 2004. We are finally feeling like we have some closure on it all and can breath again. So we want to celebrate and just give thanks for all the amazing things people did to help us along the way. It should be a great night so I hope you all who know who you are will come. The date is yet to be finalised but will hopefully be in March - so keep a look out for it coming soon. Lots of love to everyone. Steve and Ainsley.

Hi There. It's three days till Christmas and I'm looking forward to a good dose of family. Its more often than not just Darby and Joan at no 6 and I miss the hussle and bussle of the busy household its been for the last three or four years. It does however give me time to catch up on things I've let slip. Christmas is in Brisbane this year - with the newly weds and the Pringle family and then there is Boxing day.It's going to be fun this year with the great touch footy challenge happening in Byron Bay - The Walker Cup - and the Apirana's are planning on winning it back from the Walkers. Hopefully we will have a full team this year. We have special guests this year - the Henare family from Beaudsesert and Bunny Walters who now lives in Noosa. The new year is starting quietly - just a few engagemnets so we have time to get sorted ready for a big year. First thing we are going to do is put in the recording studio. It is all very exciting - a new adventure in our lives. More about that in the new year. Once again I want to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a New Year filled with hope and expectaion, joy, peace and love in abundance. See you in the new year - 2008

Christmas has come around again all too fast for me but looking back it has been a good year. Molly and I have completed our diploma in Music Business at Sunshine Coast TAFE and Steve has started touring again - singing locally and in New Zealand. He has been to a few schools and they have loved him - he is very lovable! We are looking forward to having family time over Christmas - heading south for the great touch footy family challenge - on boxing day and just hanging around with the kids and grandkids, rejuvenating and getting ready for whatever's in store for the new year. We are hoping the recording studio will be in full swing very soon so the kids can get their songs recorded and start performing. Want to wish you all a blessed Christmas and a great New Year 2008 - may all your dreams come true and may you be able to make someone elses dreams come true as well.

Hi there, I am madly trying to finish a million assignments cause time is running out. Will be glad when its all over and there's no more stress. Still its been really fun and I think more than anything I'm going to miss being at TAFE and having something to focus on - will just have to find something new. Have been working on a project which may or may not happen - you will all find out if it does but till its definite it will have to remain a mystery. Steve is working on organising the next Cooran concert which will hopefully be in the next few weeks - will let you know the date when its finalised. The Derek and Steve concert was great. Thank you to everyone who came - I'm sure you all enjoyed it. Two masters playing side by side - lets hope we can get Derek back again sometime soon. We have had his CD in the player in the car ever since.

Molly is on her way to a career as a singer. She is studying music business at Sunshine Coast TAFE and in her spare time is writing profusely, getting her songs ready to record an album. She is writing most of her songs with the piano and is really enjoying putting words and chords together in her own unique style.

Stevie is newly married - to Bek - and is making a living doing security while he sets himself up with recording equipment so he can record the many songs he is writing. He also uses the piano for writing and is coming up with some great songs that one day soon we will all be able to enjoy.

Reuben is finishing high school this year and wants to play football. He is doing really well and plays for under 19's for the Noosa Pirates - in the grand final Sunday 16th September. He is a pianist too - and we just love listening to him play that piano.

Shirelle is living in Pomona with her three kids, working part time and enjoying life as a young mum.