B-side Stories

"The hardest platform you can ever perform on is the street". King Homeboy is a legend in the Wellington busking scene and an internationally acclaimed beatboxer and musician. The six time national beatboxing champ, and world record holder for the longest continuous beatbox (34 hours!) talks to Perrine Gilkison and Sadie Coe about his "wild, amazing journey", ahead of his next trip to the World Beatboxing Champs in Berlin, and treats us to some live beatboxing! This show was produced with support from Wellington Access Radio and New Zealand On Air.

Sara Shabahang and Bahman Khalili talk to Perrine about recent protests in Iran, what they are fighting for, and the role music plays in the protests. We also get to chat about how they came here, and the Iranian community of Wellington. The music discussed or played in the show: ~ Speak Out by Public Voice ~ Baraye by Shervin Hajipour ~Shades of Blues by Public Voice

Love not loss: Josh - CEO of Sustainable Coastlines - talks to Perrine about Seaweek, our problem with litter, the absolute joy we can get from our coastlines... and what you can do to help :D

Internationally 15% of humans have dyslexia or related neurodiverse conditions. In New Zealand the government gathers no statistics on dyslexia/neurodiversity and the conditions are not mentioned in any legislation. People with dyslexia are over-represented in school dropouts, unemployment rates and in the prison population. Mike Styles is an adult literacy specialist who is calling for the New Zealand government, which only officially recognised the existence of dyslexia in 2007, to carry out an inquiry into dyslexia. He talks to Sadie Coe about why he believes that dyslexia is both an equity issue and a productivity issue and what measures could be taken to allow people with dyslexia to use and develop the positive skills that come with the condition. B-Side Stories is produced with help from Wellington Access Radio and New Zealand on Air.

This week, B-Side Stories host Rachel Liao caught up with Pōneke-based multidisciplinary artist Min-Young Her about her latest show “Misaeng” on at Play_station artist run space, her background and interest in the arts, and how she is settling into the windy city!

This week on B-Side Stories, co-hosts Rachel Liao & Min-Young Her caught up with Wellington-based songwriter/producer Mitch Zachry about his latest track ‘setting sun’. We chatted everything from his creative process to musical influences, and of course, played some our fave tracks of his!

Trish Given and Sadie Coe have a chat about some recent and upcoming events around Wellington this September. Thanks to Wellington Access Radio www.accessradio.org.nz and NZ On Air.

"Alongside being a quiz mistress, it's actually my dream job". Luana Scowcroft is a candidate in the Motu Kairangi ward in the upcoming Wellington City Council elections. She talked to Sadie Coe about what motivated her to run for council, and told us about some of her achievements to date, including painting an anti-nuclear banner for the Rainbow Warrior as a young child, building an eco-resort at the age of 24 (this was not even her first business), and working for governmental and non-governmental organisations. Luana also spoke about how her Cook Islands upbringing strengthens her value system, and her passion for building relationships and putting people and communities at the centre of conversations about our city's future. Thanks to Wellington Access Radio www.accessradio.org.nz and to NZ On Air.

Tyler Smith from the Compassion Soup Kitchen. mp3 by B-Side Stories

Peter Clayworth takes us on a fascinating tour of the sites of struggle in the 1913 General Strike - industrial power struggles, machine guns and horses on the streets of Wellington. You won't see your city the same afterwards! (note - it gets a bit windy in the middle but worth listening through the wind as there are some really interesting bits in there!)

"We're writing from the point of view of people who are 'it', about things that we're actually dealing with": Check out our interview with local writers Al Gray and Erin Donahue about the problem with fairy tales (and much more!).

Feeding bellies, not bins: Jack Rainey, the Manager of the Dixon St Everybody Eats, tells B Sides all about the concept and the practise of running a pay-as-you-feel restaurant in central Wellington

Kanikani* enthusiasts Sofia, Thomas and Lauren talk to B Sides about why they spend an evening a month dancing in the dark in a room full of strangers (or is it a room full of friends? hard to tell in the dark). Some great dance tracks included! *Kanikani means dance in te reo Māori. The monthly event is called Kanikani - dancing in the dark!

An interview with Shuari Naidoo, CEO and Founder of Moraka Mentsrual Cups and President of the Victoria University Feminist Organization.

An interview with the co-founders of Community Comms Collective, giving a free communications boost to community organisations.

An interview with Emma Beattie, content writer and board member at Regenerate Magazine. Regenerate offers employment opportunities to people affected by homelessness and poverty in Wellington.

Vivian Lyngdoh, co-Chair of Wellington Pride, spoke to David about the Festival and being intersectional and inclusive. Kia ora Vivian! www.wellingtonpridefestival.com

Julie and Heidi from Volunteer Wellington came into the studio to talk about their role as community connectors - matching volunteers to programmes, supporting and developing people who manage volunteers, and their employee volunteering programme.

Joel and Freya talk to Perrine and David about creating audience-led theatre... and what happens when people get really into it.

Fiona Prestidge, Manager of Strathmore Community Centre discusses her mahi.