Aldous Harding is a Christchurch local, whose records are released in New Zealand by Lyttleton records. Lyttelton is a gorgeous port town to the north of Christchurch. A home for Ma?ori for about 700 years, Lyttelton Harbour was discovered by European voyagers passing by on 16 February 1770 during the Endeavour’s first voyage to New Zealand.

Today it is one of New Zealand’s busiest ports. In popular culture it is best known as the location for most of the exterior scenes in Peter Jackson’s 1996 horror movie The Frighteners. It is also a town surrounded by many historic buildings, many of which have been turned into bars.

Aldous Harding’s music has been the best thing that has ever happened to these bars, where wayfaring loners shuffle in at the wrong times of day. She has been the saviour of those falling in home-cooked opium furrows. She has kept sailors in check with cheek and a strong-songed tongue.

And now she will be all yours for an album length period of time, and you may have your picnic and feast upon the music. So lucky one, close your eyes. Turn your nose towards river water. Twitch your ears as rabbits do. Settle in. Listen to this one closely.

‘This is folk music, simple and bleak, with Harding’s fragile coo reminiscent of retiring, 60s-era folk singers Vashti Bunyan and Linda Perhacs‘ – Who The Hell

Support comes from Hey! Manchester favourite Jo Rose, who self-released his excellent debut album, Spurs, last year.

Aldous and Jo will be playing this intimate acoustic show in Gullivers’ brand new Lounge – a tiny room at the rear of the pub.