Those of you in the know will already, well, know, but for those of you who don’t – Funky Oriental Beats is happening this Sunday! Poets, rappers, musicians and more all running amok in Whammy Bar, making noise and provoking thought. I only just heard about it but that’s my Sunday night all planned out.

This next bit is fully stolen from their press release:

On Sunday 24th February, the last night of the Chinese New Year celebrations, Auckland hosts a gathering of Kiwi-Asian performing artists – Funky Oriental Beats. A diverse collection of musicians, performance poets, rap artists and spoken word artists, these culture-shapers promise to cross artistic and cultural boundaries to give the audience a night to remember.

But why now? Organisers Renee Liang and David Tsai say because “it’s time to hear the Kiwi-Asian voice”. Liang and Tsai are local performance artists who have noticed a recent surge of interest in the “Asian voice” - in all facets of arts, culture and design. “And we believe a unique Kiwi-Asian culture is emerging,” says Liang, “made up of all these different people, who whether born in NZ or newly arrived, have great stories to tell.” Liang and Tsai say that for the first time, a core group of Kiwi-Asian artists are able to tell these stories: “There’s a critical mass of us now,” says Tsai. “And we really want to be heard.”

Headlining the show is visiting Def Jam poet Ishle Yi Park, who has been wowing audiences from Cuba to Auckland with her generous performances of poetry and music. She is supported by local artists Lynette Leong, Ed Mecija, Jamie Banks, Renee Liang and David Tsai, as well as indie rock band Infinite Flying Kick and Japanese VJ Tetsu. DJ Doraemon will be guesting.

Doesn’t that sound like fun? More information about all the performers can be found here, along with a bit more info. Wicked.

What: Funky Oriental Beats (F.O.B):
Spoken word, performance poetry and music by established and emerging Kiwi Asian artists.
A multilingual celebration of our identity and culture.
Music and verse that will surprise, challenge and inspire, whoever you are.

When: Sunday 24th Feb, 8pm, doors open 7.30 pm, start time 8 pm
Where: Whammy Bar, Basement Level 179 K' Rd, Auckland
Cost: $5 at door