REMEMBERING NATALIE

DEAR NATALIE

You stood behind the microphone at the Dangerous Kitchen, week by faithful week. With trembling hands and a strident voice you delivered poems born of a life well lived in the pursuit of things honest and just and true and merciful.

Then came the storm; on a bleak and cold Monday morning, thinly dressed and with no direction home, you faded into the foggy mist of unknown time. You disappeared without a word, left not a note of farewell.

And we, standing on the grey shoreline, peer out across the ocean into the eerie silence. There is just the rustle of small waves caressing the shore; a small song of tenderness singing harmony to our voiceless sorrow.

Our hearts stop beating, the hollow in our chest dries up and there is just an echo behind the microphone where you once stood. We are missing who we are, for we are one another and there is an empty space in the room, yet somehow still filled by you, Natalie Alexandra Browning.

This night, behind the microphone, we will speak of you; words of course, for words are the only paper we have to wrap our sorrow in; some will be our own words, others those we have found in the pages of books that have sustained us in the mists of unknown time.

Somewhere we believe you will be listening. There are things you would want us to know, no doubt. But for now, we can only guess at what they might be. Tonight we will speak of you fondly from the hollow in our chest.

With love,
All of Us

OPEN MICROPHONE

WE ARE BACK

At least we will be on Wednesday 26 August

The DANGEROUS MICROPHONE enters its fifth year with  courageous performances and strong community connections money just can’t buy! Starts Wednesday 26 August.

Grab your friends and family and come on down for a weekly night out. Pencil Wednesdays in your calendar as the evening to meet your neighbours around the fire and  enjoy the on-going connections with travellers and visitors as you devour a night of great pizzas,  splendid entertainment and warm company. At the Dangerous Kitchen the food and beverage service is fantastic and the hostesses and hosts make you feel right at home.

On this first night of the new season we will be paying tribute to Natalie, a regular behind the Dangerous Microphone for quite some time. Sadly, Natalie went missing from Pohara on 6 July and has not been found. Bring a poem, a song or some words to share. 

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE
Wednesday  26 August ’26
Tribute to Natalie from 6.15.
Open Mic to follow until 9.00pm.

OPEN MICROPHONE

MOONSHINE IN AUGUST

with POT-LUCK FEASTING

on Thursday 6 August ’26, beneath a full-moon on a winter’s evening,  the microphone will be shining silver at NgAng’s Gallery in Collingwood.

I know sometimes time is tight and sometimes getting out is a bridge too far. But sometimes it is a good thing, once a month, to bolster  one another as we build this little community of support.
You will find us, down-town Collingwood at NgAng’s Gallery where the craic is good and the food healthy and hot. So come on down and bring some food to share, something to drink, a poem or two to speak and a song to sing. Or if singing is not your thing, just lend your support with a rousing round of applause to the array of performers.

The POT LUCK FEAST will start around 6.00pm with open mic kicking in from around 7.00 pm.

Love to see you again if you can make it down from the valleys and down from the coast and down from around the corner.

Moonshine on the Microphone
Thursday 6 August, 2026
NgAng’s Gallery, Collingwood
POT LUCK FEAST – 6.00pm
Open Mic – 7.00pm.
Koha

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE

KABRA KADABRA

the fire and the gypsy

KABRA KADABRA is a lively local gypsy-folk band weaving together the musical threads of the Balkans and beyond.

Fronted by Golden Bay vocalist Hera Livingston, joined by the rhythmically-nimble acoustic guitar of Rye Morgan and a rotating cast of musical friends. On this occasion Mónica Naudín, singing with latino soul,  Julian Briggs  percussion/guitar and Paul Candish, percussion.

This spirited ensemble brings the fiery pulse of Eastern European folk traditions to life. You may not understand a single word, but that hardly matters — the rhythms speak for themselves.

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE 
Open Mic  from 7.30pm – 8.30 pm
Guests: Kabra Kadabra after 8.30 pm
Wednesday 20 August, 2026
$5 on the door.  Mussel Inn

Regional Poetry Slam

poetry slam in september

GOLDEN BAY/NELSON REGIONAL POETRY SLAM GOING TO BE HAPPENING LIVE AT THE MUSSEL INN ON THURSDAY 17  SEPTEMBER. BUT WE HAVE NO ENTRIES YET, SO ENTER NOW BY EMAILING: mark@drycrust.com

Nelson Live Poets  will be joining us too, so its gearing up to be a wonderful night of spoken word performances!! 

A POETRY SLAM is a spoken word event where poets ‘slam off’ against each for the honour of representing the Golden Bay/Nelson region at the National event in Auckland in November.

Competitors come armed with three original poems, each no more that three minutes long. No props are allowed – just your voice performing your poems from memory.

The event is run over three rounds, with competitors dropping out until three are left in the final round. Each round is judged by random audience judges who mark each performance out of 10. After round one, the top scores go through to round two and from round two the top  scores go through to round three.

The winner will flown to Auckland to represent Golden Bay/Nelson in the National finals in November. So the winner must be prepared to travel to Auckland to represent the region.  Airfares will be provided by Golden Bay/Nelson Live Poets Societies from our Creative Communities grant money.

Sound like you?  Enter the Slam now by using the comments section below or by  emailing: mark@drycrust.com

POETRY GROUP

word savvy poetry group

Every Tuesday, Takaka Library.
10.30 am to 12.00pm.
Write poetry, read poetry, bring your favourite poem and discover new poets with other poetry lovers.

AUGUST IS ALIVE AT THE MUSSEL INN

Sunday 2 August. THE EARLY BOBS – PLAY ‘ LOVE AND THEFT’. the 25th anniversary of the release of this classic BOB DYLAN album $20 Tickets $25 door

Monday 3 August. SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. Koha appreciated

Tuesday 4 August. ACOUSTIC TUNENESDAY – AFTERNOON CONCERT with NATE & CRAIG 2pm. Pay what you can

Monday 10 August. SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. Koha appreciated

Thursday 13 August. QUIZ NIGHT –  7.30pm.  All welcome

Monday 17 August. SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. Koha appreciated

Thursday 20 August.  LIVE POETS – ACID ON THE MICROPHONE featuring KABRA KADABRA.  Open mic from 7.30. All welcome $5 door

Monday 24 August. SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. Koha appreciated

Thursday 27 August. QUIZ NIGHT –  7.30pm.  All welcome

Monday 31 August. SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. Koha appreciated