Karamea Sound Machine Newsletter - June 2011 (well almost!)

Hi Everyone!

Karamea Sound Machine has been particularly busy lately, primarily our youth have given us lots of opportunities to support them in being... well youth! Also Winter Solstice is providing the opportunity for KSM to have more of a presence leading up to this event. Finally, the development of a community cinema is slowly ticking away with the space first being utilised as part of the Youth Week celebrations. So in this issue:

1. Donations to Winter Solstice Raffles.
2. Winter Solstice Poster.
3. Quiz night and Live music - Winter Solstice Fundraiser.
4. Winter Solstice - where are we at?
5. Community Cinema.
6. New KSM logo.

Donations to Winter Solstice Raffles: A huge thank you goes out to Marg Brownlee @ Riverstone and Hanna for the donation of a vouchure and a kete respectively, Paul Murray for the donation of a lamb and Rose and Gary (me) for the donation of firewood. Tickets are selling well, however we are looking for people to sell tickets in their work place or at social gatherings (for example, Brett will be taking them into the school) - if you can help please contact me. The prizes are all great and tickets only $2. The funds raised help towards paying for marketing and building infrastructure for the event.

Winter Solstice Poster: The poster is now complete and being posted (in more than one sense of the word) around the countryside over the next couple of days. The poster is beautiful and the result of a collaboration between three very talented women. Becky McCulloch and Rose Fitzgerald the art work and Raramai Adcock the design - great work people!
Raramai has also produced a flyer. (both of which are attached to this newsletter).
If you are interested in a quality copy of the poster please contact me - they cost $2 each (laminating is available at an additional cost).

Quiz night and Live music - Winter Solstice Fundraiser: A huge thank you to Laura and Seth for agreeing to perform at this event! This night promises to be a lot of fun so I ask everyone to get out there and promote it - encourage people to form teams for the quiz night. All proceeds go towards producing the festival and with Laura, Seth and friends playing the entertainment promises to be appealing to a wide audience. Also if you have anything you wish to donate towards the supper please contact me. (see poster attached)

Winter Solstice - where are we at?: All systems are go! If you read the vision and planning document you will be aware of the festival being divided into several spaces. I met with John Green from DOC a couple of weeks ago and they are all good on us having the festival @ Kohaihai - the only real change to the arrangement being DOC administering the camping side of the event. Tim, Shona and Becky are in the process of finalising how the infrastructure (gates, toilets, kitchen and food for 'the crew') will be managed - this year this aspect of the festival will be stafffed by a crew of wwoofers (we already have three people keen to be involved). Chris and I have begun disassembling and collecting resources for revamping the dome. We have also drawn up plans for a kitchen area (with hot running water) and a covered dining (and chillout) area in place of Al's roundhouse. Becky McCulloch has come up with a couple of exciting installations for the gates and around the festival site itself. Becky and I are also exploring possible sculture projects which will be completed in workshops with the communities youth leading up to and on the Saturday of the Festival. Kathy Ramsay has been tirelessly approaching bands and coordinating with djs for the event, we already have Diwata, Midnight Kitchen, YMDT (two bands), Karamea Youth Band, Laura and Friends, Flow In, Weaver D, C Dubs and Matt Allcott confirmed and hope within the week to have the final line up confirmed and sorted. Peter Ferguson and I have begun conceptualising the projections for the event and Stu Mollison is exploring lighting options. Finally, I have almost completed a detailed marketing campaign, secured ticketing outlets and organised fundraising... among other things.

I am continously humbled by all of you, whether you are mentioned above or not, who have put time and energy into making things happen for Karamea Sound Machine - thank you...

Community Cinema: Winter Solstice is going to mean this project will take a back seat for a while, however Shona has approached a flooring firm in Westport who are keen to donate carpet, I am going to source some thick sheets of polystyrene to sculpture and hang from the ceiling to baffle the natural echo in the space. Pat has found a heap of apple trays in his shed which will be used to line the walls and I will build several bass traps on the end wall. Once this is done we can decorate. Then we will have an exciting space for movies, poetry, plays and acoustic music... well that is the plan anyway. In the mean time the space is proving very handy for organising aspects of the festivals infrastructure.

New KSM logo: Raramai has finished the logo. We both would like to thank those of you who provided feedback on the options provided earlier in the year. The logo will now feature on all 'publications' and at KSM events. Thank you Raramai for your efforts. Incidently, there is a possibility of having this logo animated...
(logo is attached to this newsletter)

Well that is it. I am looking forward to celerbrating Winter Solstice with you all, already there is a feeling of momentum about this years event. Keep an eye on either the facebook or Community website aspect of Karamea Sound Machine for up to date details of the event itself. Also I will keep you informed of ways you can help with the preparation for the event. I hope to see you all at next weekends fundraiser. As always if you have anything to communicate please contact me.

Big loves to you all.

Gary Smith
(for Karamea Sound Machine)