It's time to grow up and face the music, you can’t just tap dance through your life....Right?

From a stellar cast featuring the best of Nelson’s young talent, this will be the year’s favourite youth musical experience. With special guest stars and inspiring music and dance.

Presented by the students of SOUNDSTAGE, Professional Music and Performing Arts School, this is a theatre experience not to be missed.

The Beginner's Guide to Growing Up features ideas compiled by the students of SOUNDSTAGE exploring pressures facing youth today presented in a fast paced and fun musical concert format.

Presented in one act, The Beginner's Guide to Growing Up plays for a limited season.

Award-winning singer songwriter Mel Parsons is well recognised as one of New Zealand's established songwriting stars - matched by her equally generous heart.

On the very day of Cyclone Fehi Mel contacted The Boathouse with a heartwarming offer to help with fundraising for repairs, and with the support of the Theatre Royal this we have a benefit concert! Joining Mel on stage are Jed Parsons and Josh Logan.

Hot off the heels of her American tour Mel brings a wide breadth of material. Her dynamic songs range from gutsy & rhythmic hand-clappers like audience favourite 'Far Away', through to pin-drop ballads like 'Don't Wait', featuring Canadian songwriting royalty Ron Sexsmith.

With her dynamic band Parsons is an engaging performer with a natural emotive voice that allows the listener to become part of the story. Her unique style simmers somewhere between indie/folk and alt/country, and her shows are as memorable for the spine tingling songs as well as for her dry banter delivery.

Opening acts:
The Community Choir at The Boathouse - Vibrant singing group with fabulous songs from around the world - exploring harmony, rhythm, sound, breath, unity.

Django Schmango - this highly regarded Hot Club style group of local musicians has its roots are firmly in the music made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. It's a style marked by pristine and dexterous string work, the steady pulse of rhythm guitar and an unmistakable swing that delights audiences of all musical sensibilities.

An Autumn Showcase Concert featuring Nayland College students and guests.

Rock the South returns to Nelson, with an all ages music gig featuring 9 of the regions hottest up and coming youth bands performing exclusively live on stage.

This years lineup includes:
Three's a Crowd (Nayland College), Blind Eye (Waimea College), Equinox (Nelson College for Girls), Ellie & Laura (Waimea College), Acoustic Knot (Waimea College), The Recliners (Nelson Boys College / Nayland College), Cosmos Vita (Nelson College for Girls), 1024 (Nelson Boys College), Shut Up Connor (Waimea College)

This event is strictly alcohol and other drug free, and suitable for 14-24 year olds. Security and Health and Safety Event Workers will be on hand to ensure a happy and healthy event for all.

Door sales ($10) may be available on the night, but with a lineup this epic, highly unlikely, so get in early to avoid the disappointment of missing out.

Smokefree Rockquest is New Zealand's only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Founded in 1989 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full-time out of Nelson, Smokefree Rockquest is a New Zealand institution.

Musical successes from Smokefree Rockquest include Kimbra, Broods, The Good Fun, Midnight Youth, Opshop, Annah Mac, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Minuit, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Pistol Youth, Bang!Bang!Eche!, Ivy Lies, Cairo Knife Fight, Cut Off Your Hands, Luke Thompson, The Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington, The Electric Confectionaires, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, The Naked and Famous, Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black Seeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Julia Deans, Pine, King Kapisi, Kingston, The Naked and Famous, Autozamm and Elemeno P.

Smokefree Rockquest aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100% original New Zealand music.

Smokefree Rockquest is New Zealand's only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Founded in 1989 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full-time out of Nelson, Smokefree Rockquest is a New Zealand institution.

Musical successes from Smokefree Rockquest include Kimbra, Broods, The Good Fun, Midnight Youth, Opshop, Annah Mac, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Minuit, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Pistol Youth, Bang!Bang!Eche!, Ivy Lies, Cairo Knife Fight, Cut Off Your Hands, Luke Thompson, The Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington, The Electric Confectionaires, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, The Naked and Famous, Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black Seeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Julia Deans, Pine, King Kapisi, Kingston, The Naked and Famous, Autozamm and Elemeno P.

Smokefree Rockquest aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100% original New Zealand music.

They say that Opera has the best tunes, but these days we so rarely hear them in the provinces.

There is clearly a hunger to hear these marvellous melodies sung by the "big voices". Last year, Lloyd Webber to Puccini, featuring tenor James Rodgers and mezzo Rachelle Pike sold-out Blenheim's ASB Theatre. So we are doing it again, this time in Blenheim and Nelson, with four NZ Opera colleagues presenting an evening of music from the worlds of Grand Opera and Musical Theatre - their favourites and yours.

Baritone Robert Tucker directs and performs Opera Unboxed, with New York based mezzo Rachelle Pike, our favourite Aucklander Helen Medlyn, and exciting young Wellington tenor Declan Cudd, accompanied by international pianist Catherine Norton.

Scouts Nelson proudly presents Nelson Scout Gang Show.

A fun filled family variety show for young and old that will have you laughing in your seats. There will be well known songs, and sketches for the whole family.

It has been a long 26 years since the last show, and we are bringing it back with a force to be reckon with.

America is like an enormous armed toddler at an all-you-can eat dessert buffet, simultaneously eating and throwing pudding around the room. Who's going to tell him to stop? Where are his parents? A situation like this needs a calm, firm hand: someone with insight and experience, someone like Wilson Dixon.

"Deadpan delivery of some of the funniest songs you'll ever hear" - Time Out, UK

"Simply sensational and utterly unmissable" - TVNZ

"At the absolute top of his game" - Sunday Star Times

R13

Taking its name from 'sassafrass' - slang for a sassy person who isn't afraid to speak her mind - Tami Neilson's album places a heavier emphasis on soul music while not abandoning her country and rockabilly roots. Neilson conjures up a wonderfully retro style that sounds like it could be a lost gem from the late '50s or early '60s; however, beneath the classic veneer are frank, highly relevant lyrics.

Neilson's confident vocals are undoubtedly abetted by her being surrounded by familiar collaborators. She co-produced SASSAFRASS! with Ben Edwards, the co-producer of her last two critically-acclaimed albums, DYNAMITE! and DON'T BE AFRAID.

Backing her up in the studio was her talented band, the Hot Rockin' Band of Rhythm: Joe McCallum (drums), Mike Hall (bass), Brett Adams (guitar) and Neil Watson (guitar and pedal steel), who have toured with her around the globe over the past three years. A brass section and strings enhance the album's classic qualities.

For the past decade, Neilson has been the queen of the Kiwi country and roots music scenes, with countless accolades and achievements to her name, including a handful of 'Best Country Album' awards at the New Zealand Music Awards and the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll for excellence in songwriting.

She has also built up a loyal fan-base who know they're guaranteed one hell of a show, when it comes to her live performances and that's certainly what's in store for the SASSAFRASS! Tour.