Local artists celebrated at NZ Music Month – Hastings edition

After a glittering gala night at Toitoi Opera House to celebrate the launch of NZ Music Month on May 1, the Hastings celebrations continue in city cafes, boutiques and local hotspots over the rest of the month, with original music taking centre stage.

On Saturday, May 10 – from 11am to 8pm – nine local venues and artists are joining forces to create the Heretaunga Hastings Music Trail.

This event is designed to discover the city, new talent, and enjoy Hastings’ hospitality – all to the soundtrack of homegrown tunes.

Each stop on the trail offers a unique sound, story, and artist to discover. 

On Sunday, May 18, from 11am to 2pm, there will be another chance to experience local tunes and maybe discover a new favourite artist and grab some brunch, ideal for those looking to wind-down after the Hawke’s Bay Marathon.

Songwriter Joe Cole is one of the musicians who will be performing at a pop-up event, showcasing his array of rustic folk, influenced by his rock and blues upbringing.

"A personal favourite environment to play in is always one where my original music is encouraged! Looking forward to jamming my songs on the trail,” he said.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the national celebration was a fantastic opportunity to showcase just some of the wide-ranging musical talent in the district.

“We’re excited to be presenting our own Hastings edition of NZ Music Month at Toitoi, and to have our wonderful city centre venues getting in behind this annual initiative so people can enjoy local hospitality as well as local sounds.”

Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre producer – community outreach Sarah Terry said other NZ Music Month events already held this month included Going Global - an educational opportunity for local artists, both experienced and students, and the Acoustic Showcase – featuring local performers on the Opera House stage.

“It has been a wonderful collaboration with Backline Music Trust, New Zealand Music Commission, Littlestone and Hastings District Council. This collective approach has meant that we can curate a full month of events celebrating and supporting our local music scene.”

Rounding out the celebrations, Littlestone in conjunction with Hastings District Council and Toitoi will be reimagining the laneway between the East Block bars and Toitoi on Friday, May 23.

Littlestone’s Beth Elstone said the laneway will be transformed into a pop-up, open-air club featuring an all-local DJ lineup spinning everything from house and hip hop to funk and disco.

“We’ve been looking for an excuse to dance in this lane for a while now, and NZ music month felt like the perfect excuse.”

To find out the time and locations of the city sessions, pop-up events and more go to https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/hhmusicmonth/

All events are part of the nationwide NZ Music Month initiative, which encourages New Zealanders to support local music and the people behind it.

8 May 2025

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