Story Archive
String bands
Interview with Alcina Charlie
Ni-Van musician Alcina Charlie has become a popular example of contemporary Melanesian music, having begun writing songs from an early age. Though we were unable to catch up with Alcina during our recent visit to Port Vila, we decided to pursue her insights on Vanuatu’s music scene — as well as, of course, some advice for aspiring musicians. Here’s what she had to say.
A Shakura exclusive!
String band Shakura are renowned for their original and sometimes cheeky take on the genre, incorporating elements of pop music into their style. Here, they perform live to air on Radio Australia outside their rehearsal room in Anabrou, just prior to their appearance at Fest’nalenga.
Wandering through Pango
We went over to Pango Village looking for Emmanuel Mailau and his group (brother Lemuel and cousin Omsy). They said to look for the pink house — so we did, and ended up at the same pink house we found Jah Roots at last year. But no sign of our guys! We ended up asking a dozen people for directions and having an unplanned tour of Pango.
Live: Nauten play ‘Saro and Dominic’
As promised, here’s a little something from local Vanuatu band Nauten, from the island of Tanna.
These guys put on the best display we’ve yet seen of the fiery spirit Tannese musicians are known for, sending the crowd into a frenzy of dancing and cheering – so much so that a particularly enthusiastic audience member finds his way up on stage during this encore performance of ‘Saro & Dominic’.
A glimpse of Fest’Nalenga
Last night, we were lucky enough to see a handful of string bands playing at Fest’Nalenga. We hope you enjoy this snapshot of the Torotua String Band live on stage!
Fest’Napuan 2008 begins
Fest’Napuan 2008 has now officially begun, with the local string band night – Fest’Nalenga – kicking off proceedings. This is typically a more family-oriented event (though the organisers stress that they encourage the same atmosphere for the entire festival), with groups showcasing their take on the traditional string band music that’s been enjoying a resurgence in the last decade or so.
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