|
Singer/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Fiona McEwen combines folk, pop, rock and Latin influences to create unique songs with catchy melodies.
Fiona McEwen has been playing music since she was a child, studying recorder, percussion, piano and viola while at school, and in her teens performed in musical theatre productions. She began writing songs and playing guitar after touring the South Island singing backup with a band, "Pacific Roadshow" in 1986, and working and living for some time with reggae musicians in the Far North, where she was one of the original DJs on iwi radio station, Tautoko FM.
Fiona spent the next few years bringing up 3 children and only occasionally performing, but continuing to write songs, often drawing on her life experiences, relationships and feelings. She launched on the Auckland open mic scene in 2004 and has since played at bars, cafes, markets, folk clubs and festivals throughout Auckland and West Auckland, as a duo with Steve Terry on guitar since mid-2006.
Fiona and Steve have played at open mic nights such as Suede Bar, Diablo, Grand Central, PR Bar, Clare Inn and Snatch Bar, been featured artists at venues including the Occidental, Dogs Bollix, Patriot Tavern, Wine Cellar, Kings Arms, Sky City, "Poetry Live" and East Coast Bays Folk Club, performed 3 songs live to air on Alt TV in August 2007, and have performed at the Prana New Year Festival (2005-7) and the Titirangi Festivals of Music 2006 & 2008.
In August 2004 Fiona co-founded a Singer/Songwriters Group with Wendy Morris, and the group has inspired her to write new songs and continuously hone her craft. Fiona has over 50 songs registered with APRA. Fiona is known as an events organiser, who organised events including a "Performance Cafe" series at Corban Estate Arts Centre in July-Oct 05, and an event during the 2006 Titirangi Festival of Music. She actively networks local events, gigs, workshops, etc to a large email database.
"The FM Band" (formed in 2006), plays exclusively Fiona's original material, and currently includes original "Herbs" bassist, Phil Toms, another member of the "Titirangi Musicians Co-op", which formed after a group of local musicians met during the 2006 Titirangi Festival of Music, later running open mic nights at Toby's Restaurant and Barossa Cafe in Titirangi, and meeting monthly since 2007 at the Laingholm Fishing Club.
"The FM Band" and Phil Toms' band "The Electric Car" regularly gig together, including a residency at Roasted Addiqtion Cafe in Kingsland on the 2nd Saturday of every month, and have just started "All-Originals Nights" the 1st Thursday of every month at Forde's Bar, Anzac Ave, as a showcase for their music as well as offering 4-5 performers an opportunity to play during a Guest Open Mic slot.
The Titirangi Musicians Co-op are still hoping to find a new venue for their live, original music in West Auckland, which is unfortunately lacking in venues for live local music!
Fiona McEwen's recent gig list:
=====================
Nov 07 to July 08 - Roasted Addiqtion Cafe, Kingsland (The FM Band);
Jan 08 - Prana New Year Festival, Coromandel;
Feb 08 - Titirangi Village Market;
Mar 08 - East Coast Bays Folk Club;
Mar & May 08 - City Farmers Market, Britomart;
Feb, Mar & May 08 - Lotus Eco Market, Browns Bay;
Apr 08 - Titirangi Festival of Music with Roger Greenaway and Victory Road;
June 08 - Forde's Bar with Phil Toms & The Electric Car, The FM Band and Steph Sea;
July 08 - Guest musician at Poetry Live, Classic Studio;
July 08 - Packing Shed Gallery & Cafe, Henderson;
Aug 08 - Forde's Bar with Phil Toms & The Electric Car and The FM Band;
Aug 08 - Featured Songwriter at Dogs Bollix.
Band Members:
The FM Band:
Fiona McEwen (guitar, vocals)
Steve Terry (guitar)
Phil Toms (bass)
Pedro Olding (drums)
|
