The English Locust & Antü Mãrama Play The Shed

The English Locust is the folk/blues solo project of Wellington musician Jim Bailey. The English Locust describes his sound as " Bob Dylan if he was goth", fusing the melancholy poeticism of groups like the Smiths and Joy Division with the musical stylings of folk and Delta Blues.

 Jim is a veteran of the Wellington Music scene, holding a bachelor's degree in commercial music. His previous band The Vermillion Poets, placed second in the national New Zealand battle of the bands in 2019 where he also won an award for best vocalist. With his current group SHE, he has released three singles to critical acclaim from NZ Music.net and was the organiser for their festival SPECTRE FEST for two years. With his solo project The English Locust, he was a regional finalist in this years Battle of the bands, being the only soloist to make it that far in this years competition. He plans to release his debut single late 2025 or early 2026. 

Antü Mārama is a musical collaboration between Paulette Mankoch Soriano (Chile), Jim Bailey (UK) Claudio (Chile), Andres del Vilar (Chile), David (Canary islands) and Catherine Ireland (NZ). The band evolved from a previous incarnation, The flying jaranas, who played primarily Son Jarocho, a traditional music from Veracruz on the East Coast of Mexico. Since then, members have come and gone, and Antü Mārama has broadened its horizons to play folk music from all around Latin America, as well as original compositions written by lead singer Paulette. The group's ethos is represented by the name - Antü is the Mabudungun word for sun, while Mārama is the Te reo Māori word for Moon. The group combines both the life-giving energy and vitality of the sun with the deeper emotions and more reflective energy of the Moon. Antü Mārama is a synthesis of the group's diverse backgrounds and musical experiences, united by a love of playing music, and a desire to share the rich folk tradition of Latin America with a local audience.