Swingtown Rebels makes it a point of pride to celebrate the massive array of swinging musicians we have in Otautahi Christchurch by ensuring that we include as much live music as possible at our events. This year we may have just outdone ourselves, with not 3, not 4, but 5 yes FIVE fantastic live bands over the weekend including an absolute highlight of a double header BATTLE OF THE BANDS on Sunday night. For your dancing (and aural) pleasure, we give you:
Friday evening: After Five
After Five are a relatively new discovery for us Rebels (but made up of many familiar faces from other fab local bands) and they’ve lit up the dance floor for us at several gigs in 2025. They are a lively jazz band dedicated to bringing the energy and excitement of the swing era to modern-day dance floors. With a solid line up of classic swing songs, their music is perfect for getting everyone moving and grooving on the dance floor.
Members:
– Emma Summers – soulful vocals and charismatic stage presence
– Glyn Macdonald – masterful piano playing and musical direction
– Dave Pitt – solid foundation and infectious groove
– Louie Moveley – dynamic drumming and rhythmic flair
Saturday evening: Sideline Swing
We aren’t sure if it would really even be a big Swingtown Rebels event if Sideline Swing weren’t playing for us. A local big band since more than 30 years, Sideline Swing goes in for fun, high energy swing music with lots of classics from the big band era for us to swing out little hearts out to (they bill themselves as “Christchurch’s Swingiest Big Band” and we have to agree!). Under the musical leadership of renowned trumpet player, Kaiaho “Butch” Green, with many world famous in Christchurch musicians in the ranks, the band members range in age across 7 decades and have been fantastic pathway for young swing musicians to perform on the big stage.
Saturday late night: Thursday Night Groove Collective
Don’t be confused by the name, these heros will be brining the fire at our Saturday late night gig. With a band leader who knows what dancers need, several Rebels in the line up, and a blues set with a lot of swing in the mix, TNGC are going to keep everyone happily grooving into the late night survivors photo. Here’s what they have to say about themselves:
TNGC: the only blues band where the bassist’s socks are so loud, even the notes get jealous. Their keyboardist? He’s got a PhD in Quantum Harmonics, bending strings and space-time with a flick of his wrist. The guitarist owns more guitars than there are excuses to skip practice, each one strumming tales of intergalactic blues. Their drummer’s beats are so earth-shaking, the neighbours keep checking Geonet. The time-traveling hippy singer belts out tunes that make history books dance, while their other vocalist’s voice is so enchanting, the moon has requested a duet. Get ready to laugh, cry, and groove with the cosmic comedy that is Thursday Night Groove Collective.
Sunday night: Battle of the Bands!
We call it a battle but we think it’s more likely to be an extreme dance frenzy instead. What could be better than two excellent bands going head to head with songs so no band breaks are necessary and dancers get to enjoy the energy running high all night long as we swing from one end of the hall to the other – from the high quality big band classics played by Ellesmere to the smaller Benny Goodman/Count Basie style arrangements of Silverlocks.
Ellesmere Big Band
Those who made it to the Big Band Festival Ball in 2025 will understand why Swingtown Rebels has always loved Ellesmere for their energy, style and their fantastic sets of solid swinging jazz classics. One of the oldest bands in the South Island, they have been playing since 1902 (originally as Ellesmere Brass Band) and have played for us on many a fine occassion. With members from all walks of life, including a number of very notable local musicians this band will bring the energy and style that we want for the last night of the festival.
Silverlocks quintet
The Rebels will always claim credit for Silverlocks – put together in 2023 specifically for Pocket Change Exchange they have since gone on to play multiple gigs for us and expand into a larger group. But for CSF next year we are brining the original gang (plus or minus) back together, and we will have strong words with anyone who doesn’t agree that this group of musicians have created an absolutely world class swing dance band that at their best can match it with the best. Led by the inimitable Katie Martin, Silverlocks will take you back to recreate some of the highlights of the original jazz era, showing us just why this music endures 100 years later – and there’s no better way to experience it than live!
Other events: DJ Showcases
With all these amazing live music we haven’t left ourselves too much time to showcase some of the best our DJs can bring but never fear – in and around the band breaks, at the starts of parties to get the floor pumping and at the ends to roll you in to the late nights we will have some more tunes played by a line up of beautiful people managed by the wonderful Jenn Mazghal. In particular the highlights will be at Friday and Sunday late nights where DJs will be given free reign with instructions to keep everyone happy and on the dance floor to make for the most epic late night survivors pictures ever.
Details of who you will see metaphorically spinning the decks still to come …