The Five Best Things to See at CubaDupa

It's that time again, when Wellington's Cuba Street plays host to the best street festival this side of the Pacific. Back for March 25–26, there'll be food, beer, and colourful hats aplenty. While we dust off our dancing shoes and keep our eyes on the skies (the weather looks to be excellent), let's look at some of the highlights of the weekend ahead.

Bradley Garner

NICOLE ANDREWS

Over the past five years, Nicole Andrews has cemented herself as one of Wellington's top songsmiths. A native of Portland, Oregon, Nicole taught herself to play the piano at age eight and has never looked back. She's been compared to PJ Harvey and Tori Amos as well as Massive Attack and it's not hard to see why. Her debut album In the Shadows incorporates haunting refrains with a Prophet 6 synthesizer and Rhombus' Thomas Voyce is producing her second album. Expect chills in all the right places.

Saturday, March 26 from 6pm at San Fran Country Lounge.

SAM TRUBRIDGE

Sam Trubridge—curator, designer, performance artist—is the real deal. He has created intoxicating pieces of theatre in Spain, Italy, Brazil and the Bahamas including Sleep/Wake (with sleep scientist Phillipa Gander) and The Restaurant of Many Others. He is also the artistic director of Wellington's Performance Arcade. His work is better seen than described here so let me just say that if you want to see some seriously staggering work, head down to the Hannah's Courtyard. Your mind will thank you for it.

Saturday, March 25 from 10pm at Wellington Company Hannah's Courtyard.

Amandala Photography

MASS CUBA ST. FUNK ORCHESTRA

The name says it all, really. The MCSFO has been created especially for CubaDupa and the Dupa is better for it. Adam Page and Murray Hickman have put together over fifty musicians for the event. The music has been specially composed to play in street locations and is described as "a little bit of Wellington BBQ reggae, happy dubstep with brass, neo-classical, Balkan, New Orleans, funky, Polynesian." Whatever that means, it's bound to be an absolute showstopper.

Saturday, March 25 from 10pm at Wellington International Airport Swan Stage.

PHANTASTICUS

Described as a cross between Django Reinhardt and Michael Jackson, this five-piece Balkan folk gypsy band will get you up on your feet and keep you there. With a total of 24 strings between them, the members of Phantasticus create intricate dance rhythms that leave you wondering what decade and continent you are dancing in. Don't miss these guys, in fact bring your mum and dad along for the ride. Just make sure you've done stretches first.

Sunday, March 26 from 1.15pm at Upper Cuba Stage.

FINN JOHANSSON

With a cheeky grin and a Tom Selleck moustache, Finn Johansson writes and performs psychedelic country like he's been doing it all his life. Wellington born and bred, Finn's debut album Two Thousand and Fourteen came out a year after travelling around Europe and living on boats. It's a corker. He's currently working on a follow-up and word on the street is that it's even better. This year he'll be performing with his five-piece band and is sure to win a few hearts in the process. Not bad for a bloke who's just turned 25.

Sunday, March 26 from 2.30pm at The Glover Stage.