CRUMB #35

JUNE 2025

THE WORD

A SOUND OF JOY

We strike the match, we light the fire and pull up the chair to make the most of these cosy winter evenings.

We open the curtains though, let the moon glisten on the cold metal of the microphone. Then we hear it speak and sing. And the winter blues succumb to the sound of joy, to the warm heart dancing in the sweet embrace of this community thing that we have got going.

Let not this winter lock you away behind your front door. We have a few good things happening in the month of June. And our venues are always warm and always welcoming. So wrap up, step out and let the light of the moon lead you to an evening of song and poem at The Dangerous Kitchen, The Mussel Inn and NgAng’s Gallery.

All the details on the following pages.

Peace
Mark Raffills
Golden Bay Live Poets Society

 

 

 

 

 

 

standing by winter

…light the fire in winter’s hearth
watch the spark leap and laugh
close the door, open the curtain
the moon outside is looking in
a cold tear slides down its face
a sad river, a heavy burden
won’t you button me in your coat
won’t you stand by me in the swirling rain
won’t you delight in my poem and song
tie me to the pounding of your heart
shun the misery of the broken stone
standing on bleaker street alone
shovel the snow from off the path
strike the match among the stars
and pull the dark, night sky down
within the reach of the dancing flame
eating wood with a crackling sound
rest easy in the old easy chair
hold the cracked cup of cocoa
in your shivering, shaking hand
and hope like crazy in the morning
that winter is just a red glow,
a spark still breathing in an old ash can
like how you once held my hand…

Mark Raffills

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

2026 at the DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

Rolling into 2026 the Dangerous Microphone will continue to give you courageous performances and strong community connections which promise to entertain, challenge and inform for the remaining weeks of a wonderful summer.

Going to give the 30 Minute of Glory sessions a rest in February so every week will be pure open microphone action from 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

So make the Dangerous Kitchen your go to place every Wednesday  where the food and beverage service is fantastic and the hostesses and hosts make you feel right at home. Meet your neighbours and and make welcoming connections with travellers and visitors.

Performance list open from 5.00pm.
Remember, even angels sing at the mic!

Wednesday 4, 11, 18 and 25 February
DANGEROUS MICROPHONE 
Open Mic All Night 6.00pm – 9.00pm. 

Hey, and our session on 18 February is the opening day of the GB Summer Arts Festival!

 

 

2026 at the DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

LIVE MIC ACTION

Along the road….

PETE FLYNN PROJECT

Playing live at Molly B’s, Sunday 23 November. Pete pictured left will be playing  with Paula, Neal and Chris

 

GOLDEN BAY ARTS FESTIVAL

Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 February 2026
Click or copy the link below for all the details and to apply to perform:
https:
//www.gbarts.org.nz/summer-arts-festival

MONDAY NIGHT SINGALONG 

Monday night sing-a-long with Craig Denham is at the Mussel Inn every Monday evening.  The sessions will run right through until Christmas. So bring your voice and love of song at 7.00pm every Monday. Acoustic instruments welcome too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCRIBES ON THE MIC

SCRIBES ON THE MIC

Revite Cafe in Motueka is inviting all poets, wordsmiths and spoken word artists to speak their hearts at their open mic night,  SCRIBES ON THE MIC,  Saturday 6 DECEMBER at the Cafe, 265 High Street (in the arcade), Motueka. 7.00pm. $5 entry.

NOVEMBER AT THE MUSSEL INN
Click links for details and tickets

Mon 3rd 
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm
Weds 5th 
WAITING FOR GERTIE – “A concoction of delicate whimsy” More Music, Mayhem and Madness from HELEN MOULDER  – $20 tickets $25 Door
Thurs 6th 
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome
Sat 8th 
SHADES OF SHAKTI $25 tickets $30 door
Mon 10th 
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm
Weds 12th 
ANDREW FAGAN – Passage of time solo tour tickets  $40
Sat 15th 
THE PORT HILLBILLIES  $15 door
Mon 17th 
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm
Thurs 20th 
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome
Mon 24th 
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm
Weds 26th 
JAZMINE MARY –  Hot Sad Summer Tour.  $30 tickets
Thurs 27th 
ACID ON THE MICROPHONE featuring poet Aine Barton
Sat 29th  
CHARLOTTE YATES & SHOW PONY $20  Tickets

 

LIVE MIC ACTION

APPETITE FOR MOONSHINE & POT LUCK FEASTING?

Moonshine on the Microphone with Pot Luck Feasting is  starting up again this Thursday 5 February.

If you reckon we should continue our monthly gatherings throughout 2026, how about letting us know with your presence? Do you think there is a need for some open mic activity in this end of the Bay? Does it still have a role to play in community building? I know we cant always make it to every event but do let us know if you think we should continue these lovely monthly gatherings.

So, speak with your feet – or car –  bring some food to share, something to drink, a poem or two and a song to sing down to NgAng’s Gallery in Collingwood.

The POT LUCK FEAST will start at  7.00pm around the outside fire.
Open mic from 8.00 pm and then our featured guest – Greg, aka SARU G – will perform from 9.00pm.

Love to see you if you can make it!

Moonshine on the Microphone
Thursday 5 February 2026
NgAng’s Gallery
POT LUCK FEAST – 7.00pm
Open Mic – 8.00pm.
SARU G – 9.00pm
Koha

APPETITE FOR MOONSHINE & POT LUCK FEASTING?

LIVE MIC ACTION

a new year of acid on the microphone

In this month of February it is OPEN MIC ALL NIGHT with a guest appearance from ANDREW LOCKWOOD.  Our open microphone sessions open the way for poets and singer/songwriters to speak and sing those things of the heart that matter.  So, be in the house at the Mussel Inn , Thursday 19th for the February edition of Acid on the Microphone.

As always, the open mic always uncovers  some unexpected treats as new and established performers present their work.  Participants can put their names on the performance list on the night. Musician alanjahjah will kick the evening off from around 7.15pm with dinner music to dine to.

 ACID ON THE MICROPHONE is presented by Golden Bay Live Poets Society and gives you poems, stories and music too!

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE presents
Open Mic All Night from 7.30pm
Thursday 19 February 2026
$5 on the door.  Mussel Inn

 

a new year of acid on the microphone

STORY TELLING MAGIC

IAN BROWN – unhinged improbability

Ian is a storyteller. He tells stories and he will be telling a few when he takes the guest spot at Golden Bay Live Poets Society’s June gathering.

Ian tells all sorts of stories –  myths, fables, fairytales, legends, yarns, parables, true story’s and of course fisherman’s tales .
Brought up in a working class town in Wales ( Cymraeg ) , Ian learned pretty quick the importance of being able to story your way out of or into a situation .
A lot of water under the bridge since then, a professional clown, a trained drama teacher and a busy Daddy. Ian tries, using often slightly irreverent mischief, to stretch the boundary’s of your inner world. He does this to highlight the archetypal magnificence of you in a world that is quite literally completely made of story’s and also as it happens (possibly not coincidentally) is completely made up.
Come and share an evening of unhinged improbability.

Note: This bio was NOT written using Artificial Intelligence

poet & story teller
IAN BROWN
Thursday 26 June
Mussel Inn
$5 on the door

IAN BROWN – unhinged improbability

COMMUNITY STRENGTH ON SHOW

July @ Aroha Ahora

July @ Aroha Ahora

LIVE AT THE MUSSEL INN

OCTOBER AT THE MUSSEL INN

Sat 4th
ALBI AND THE WOLVES – FUN RAISER TOUR.  tickets $20 door $25

Thurs 9th
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome

Sat 11th
THE GREAT COMMISEBRATION –
Local council election day gathering. All sides welcome!  6pm

Sun 12th
SILENT MOVIES LIVE.  Charlie Chaplins “The Kid and A Dogs Life” accompanied by original scores. Tickets $30. 7.30pm

Mon 13th
He’s back!
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Tues 14th
LORD ROCHESTER  –
Scotland’s Greatest Rock And Roll Band (Pictured left)
Tickets $30

Thurs 16th
ACID ON THE MICROPHONE
a BIG open microphone night

Mon 20th
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Weds 22nd
ANTIPODES
$20 tickets $25 door

Thurs 23rd
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome

Sat 25th TOO MANY CHIEFS
$30 tickets $40 door

Mon 27th
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Fri 31st
THE RIWAKA HIGHROLLERS
$15 door

OCTOBER AT THE MUSSEL INN

Make Use of CRUMB

subscribe to CRUMB

In CRUMB you will find all the events sponsored by Golden Bay Live Poets Society plus a few other gigs and community happenings.

If you would like to be kept up to date with open microphone events happening around the Bay, then subscribe to CRUMB here

And you can even submit a gig or event that you want us to know about.

 

 

 

 

 

GOT A GIG, EVENT, NEW BOOK or RECORDING COMING UP ??

Got events or gigs coming up that you’d like to let CRUMB readers know about, please email the details, jpeg pics and jpeg posters to: mark@drycrust.com  or use the link below:

submit a gig or event 

And if you have a new book of  poems, stories coming out, or a new recording of songs, let us know and we can let our small but dedicated readership in on the action.