Entertaining at Survive & Thrive

It's not all about the work at Survive & Thrive this year. Mike Chunn and Play it Strange are provding something to relax at in the breaks.

From 12.15pm listen to Sam RB, Sam Allen, Annah Mac & Band and then Jessie Sheehan

From 6.15pm listen to Petra Bullock, Sam RB and Massad Barakat --Devine

About the performers

SAM RB

A songwriter since she was at school, samRB’s unique sound grew from combining poetry with a few self-taught chords on a borrowed guitar. Over the years she has become a fully mature musician with a wide repertoire of original songs. 2010 saw one single Life Has Just Begun performed as the anthem at the end of the NZ film The Insatiable Moon. Producer Mike Riddell describes Sam as “quite simply, a brilliant musician – both a talented songwriter and gorgeous singer, she makes songs with depth and feeling and her album Seems I Might Be Human is one to look out for”.

ANNAH Mac & band

Annah won the national schools Play It Strange songwriting competition at 15 and the Smoke-free Rock Quest female musician award at 16. She has just turned 19 and recently completed a songwriter’s scholarship in Memphis, where she played and wrote with some of the best session musicians on the planet.

Her first single ‘Focus’ was released late 2009. It spent 27 weeks in the radio charts Top 100 and reached the number 3 position on the NZ Top 40 chart. She was the only unsigned artist to feature on the first addition of the ‘Great New Zealand Songbook’, which included her song ‘Home’.

Annah signed with Sony Music in 2010 and completed her debut album at Auckland’s Roundhead studios with American producer Brady Blade (Opshop, Brooke Fraser). Blade and Annah have made a record, which captures Annah’s youth, while showcasing a songwriting talent that belies her years. Soon after completion, Annah took the first opportunity to ‘road test’ her new album – thrown in the deep end in front of 10,000 people as support for Kelly Clarkson.

Annah has just released her new single “Celia”, which was recorded with producer Wayne Bell and guitarist Ben King (ex Goldenhorse) - 'I’m very proud of the team that put Celia together and how the final product turned out. The band and I are having a lot of fun playing it live around the town too!’.

In Music Month 2011 Annah performed as part of the Whiskey Live series and recorded a live performance for Juice TV’s on air series. She sang an acoustic version of Celia, complete with four part harmonies, live on both The Edge’s drive and breakfast shows.

Annah's live band includes:

Jesse Sheehan: Lead Guitar (Rockquest winner '09 as a solo artist, The Electric Confectionaires)

Haddon Smith: Bass and Keys (The Electric Confectionaires, toured as session musician with Dave Dobbyn, Brooke Fraser, Gin Wigmore, Capt. Kirk)

Rob Fenton: Drums and Percussion (The Electric Confectionaires)

SAM Allen

A singer songwriter from Auckland NZ.  “Music is, pretty much my life”, writes Sam Allen.

This sums this 19 year old up in a way that leaves no doubt in anyone's mind where he wishes to head, and his deep passion for performing and writing music. Sam has already performed in Smokefree-Rockquest and Pacifica Beats, lead the cast in the musical: The Buddy Holly Show and at the beginning of 2010 started the Bachelor of Music degree at Auckland University. Even though Sam is merely starting out in his musical journey, you would struggle to label him an amateur. Growing up in South Auckland NZ, Sam's musical journey started in the similar way of many talented young performers, at 13 years of age, playing quietly in his bedroom. Thanks to the inspiration that was derived primarily from John Mayer's eloquent masterpieces, Sam's style and skills evolved and grew his passion which has lead him to pursue a life in music. Sam's other major influences: Michael Jackson, Simply Red and Tommy Emmanuel, become apparent through his rich honey filled vocals and superbly styled guitar riffs. Sam writes through his observations of others as most great songwriters do. Writing from the heart his unique acoustic pop/rock flavor remains true to the “kiwi” singer songwriter tradition. Sam's live performances also echoes a deep promise of potential. Any true fan of the acoustic genre should sample Sam's melodies, and witness his performances, as Sam Allen will no doubt follow in the singer songwriter footsteps of our very best.

JESSE Sheehan

Jesse Sheehan & The Family Of Actors are a 5 piece alternative rock band heavily influenced by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, John Lee Hooker, Nick Drake, Tom Waits and many more.

Encompassing some of the greatest musical talent in New Zealand it was founded by Jesse Sheehan in early 2010 after a successful solo career based in Wellington. Jesse was the first solo artist to win the New Zealand Smokefree Rockquest in the competition's history and was also awarded silver 2 years running in the Play It Strange national songwriting competition. His music has been applauded as - honest and authentic... totally amazing... the real thing... undeniable talent... an established artist even at this early stage of his career - by key players in the New Zealand Music Industry such as Scott MacLachlan (A&R for Universal Music), Paul Mclaney (Mushroom Music Limited), Brooke Montaperto (A&R for EMI), and David Ridler (Assistant Manager of NZ On Air).

Jesse has also been selected as one of 8 New Zealand songwriters to feature in the Song Summit conference held in Sydney; a conference which attracts an international audience of industry professionals.

PETRA Bullock

Petra started composing music at the age of nine. In 2009 her song 'Sand' was placed in the top 40 in New Zealand for the 'Play it Strange' Songwriting Competition. The same song was played on National Radio several times this year.

Petra has most recently been awarded Second place in the University of Auckland Secondary Schools Songwriter of the Year Competition, and her song 'Comfortable Silence' was placed in the Top 12 for the Matariki Songwriting Competition (play it strange). She is a competent performer, playing at venues such as Aotea Square, the Bruce Mason and the Beehive. She plans to continue writing songs, performing and studying music composition at University.

MASSAD Barakat Devine

Only 17 and still at school, Massad is an accomplished performer whose unique and fresh sound has attracted a large fan base.

Auckland based Massad’s alternative pop style is a combination of the rock, pop, jazz, electronic, musical theatre, choral, classical & other genres that he has been exposed to and involved with since an early age.

Massad released his debut album, Long Story Short in 2009

In 2010 Massad’s musical journey took him from Parachute in January to performing to an estimated viewing audience of over 1 million as the final act in TV ONE’s Countdown to the New Year.

During the year Massad shared the stage with renowned New Zealand artists including Annie Crummer, Hollie Smith, Che Fu, Nesian Mystic, Andrew Fagan, Kids of 88, J Williams, Die Die Die, the Feelers, Elemeno P, The Jury & The Saints, Ivy Lies, Jordan Luck & Monique Rhodes.

He won multiple song writing and performance awards including the Auckland University Songwriter of the Year (secondary school’s competition), the Playitstrange Christmas song competition and received the Lowdown best song award at the national finals of the 2010 Smokefree Rockquest.

Winning these competitions led to Massad spending time recording at York Street Studios working with some of New Zealand’s top musicians including Clint Harris (Opshop), Stephen Small (Autozamm), Scotty (Elemeno P), Peter Urlich, Si Moore (Parachute Band) and Chip Mathews (Opensouls).

Massad also recorded a duet with Outrageous Fortune’s Antonia Prebble which was released on the charity album -“So This is Christmas” - six weeks in the top 20 album chart & gold sales

In December Massad became one of the youngest ever recipients of a NZ On Air New Recording Artist grant.

Things have not slowed down for Massad in 2011. In January Smile hit Number One Pop Song on the New Zealand MySpace charts. Massad shared a spot on 95bFM with Kids of 88, recorded more demos, opened for Autozamm at Taupo’s “Flying Proms” and played at Parachute. In February Massad was the support act for Stan Walker’s Hastings’ show.

The first half of the year has seen Massad recording a number of singles for release during 2011 as well as finishing his first music video. – Watch this space.

Not just a singer songwriter, Massad also plays the violin, piano, saxophone, guitar, double bass & more.