Last Tuesday, I nailed the copy for the long-promised Orcon Great Blends in Wellington and Christchurch, went for a swim, came home -- and that thing happened. Clearly, it's going to be some time before we can get back to Christchurch -- so we're bringing our little piece of the city to Wellington.
Emma Hart and David Haywood will be joining Jolisa Gracewood, Craig Ranapia, Keith Ng and Graeme Edgeler on a bumper meet-the-bloggers panel at a bigger, bolder Orcon Great Blend on Thursday, March 10. Yes, that's Thursday week.
Keynote speaker will be Toby Manhire, the former editor of The Guardian's comment pages. He'll talk about The Guardian, the future of newspapers, online community, Wikileaks, Murdoch -- and covering the disaster in Christchurch for international readers.
And my friend Blair Parkes, whose home in New Brighton was badly damaged last week, will be joining us to mix live a specially-commissioned "Music for Gatherings". It's like having a DJ, but instead of fighting the conversation -- and we all know much Great Blend-goers like to talk -- it'll be designed to facilitate it.
We'll also be looking to raise a little money for Christchurch on the night.
It was always planned that these be back-to-basic events, after the full-noise production of the last Auckland OGB. We started the Great Blend at a bowling club, and that's where we're going back to in Wellington.
These are the details:
The ORCON GREAT BLEND: WELLINGTON
Thursday March 10, 6pm-11pm
Newtown Workingmen's Bowling Club
177 Owen Street, Newtown
Map link: http://bit.ly/gWeoz8
Host: Russell Brown
Keynote speaker: Toby Manhire
Meet The Bloggers panel: Emma Hart, David Haywood, Jolisa Gracewood, Craig Ranapia, Keith Ng, Graeme Edgeler.
Art: Music for Gatherings by Blair Parkes.
NOTE: Cash-only bar!
And you can RSVP here.