Ensuring the Long Term Future of Christchurch's Best Live Music Venue, A Rolling Stone

By A Rolling Stone

NZ $58,543 pledged


218 people pledged


Closed


NZ $50,000 minimum target


100 100% Complete

This campaign was successful and closed on 31/07/2023 at 5:00 PM.

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About

Ensuring The Long Term Future Of Christchurch's Best Live Music Venue, A Rolling Stone

Project 2023-06-29 17:17:52 +1200

We want to ensure the future of our music venue, A Rolling Stone, Christchurch, for the benefit of the music and arts community of Christchurch - musicians young and old, amateur and professional, community groups, diversities and fringe, NZ touring artists and international artists of all genres. We've been steadily building over five years, through the most difficult times imaginable, but we are booked solid into 2024, our business is beginning to flourish with a strong forecast for growth, and a growing reputation!

I’m Gretchen Kane, and along with my husband Mike, I’m the owner of A Rolling Stone – the best medium-sized, dedicated live music venue in Christchurch, and maybe even one of the best dedicated venues in the country.

We Need Your Help

We’ve had over five years of trading in the most difficult times imaginable but we’ve worked tirelessly to build our business and develop a solid reputation. We have national and international bookings right through till June 2024 and a strong forecast for growth. Business is flourishing. However, we need to raise funds to pay our landlord for periods during the Covid-19 Pandemic when we were unable to meet our lease obligations, and we need your help to do this.

 

Why Pledge?

We’re the last remaining medium-sized, dedicated music venue in Central Christchurch, a vital part of the music and arts community! We have some amazing rewards to offer in exchange for your pledges, everything from artist-designed T-shirts and merch packs through to professional filming of your band on our stage, plus a host of other amazing rewards, and you'll also be contributing to the long term sustainability, strength and future of the music scene in Christchurch.

 

What We Do

We created this venue and have worked without let-up for five years, steadily building it into the amazing space and inclusive community hub it is today. We’re dedicated to giving our artists, and audiences, the most amazing show experience possible.

We host so many events! Primary and high school music performances, all-ages shows, youth bands, open mics, songwriters’ nights, jazz jams, community group performances, ARA Jazz School, Hagley Jazz, Battle of the Bands, Dig the Gig, the Christchurch Big Band Festival, international touring artists, NZ tours, local bands, dance groups, drag & burlesque shows and ceilidhs and more!

Kids can experience a real stage and a sense of where they can go with music. Youth can find a supportive place to fit in, which is beneficial to mental health and wellbeing. We also proudly employ a great team of young (often musical) people in our business.

 

 

The Future

We want to continue providing a great venue for shows and touring acts and to keep growing our community, hosting even more schools, groups and artists, helping to nurture the future of NZ music. We’re excited for the future, and completely dedicated to the continued success of A Rolling Stone. We feel so lucky to be working in a field we both love so much!

Thank You!

We’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has supported us in our first five years of business. Pledge today and choose yourself a great reward which comes with our heart-felt thanks! You’ll be helping us to continue supporting the Christchurch musical community, and to grow even stronger for the future! Thank you all!

Testimonials

“We had the best concert and the best time, found a gem of a venue and made great friends with the owners - it doesn’t get better than that.”

Ben Waters, UK piano player for Jeff Beck, The Rolling Stones, Ray Davies, Chuck Berry, and many more.

 

“Best venue ever!”

The Barnstormers, Tasman Blues Club.

 

“One of the best venues we’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.”

The Barley Shakes, Australia.

 

“Many thanks to Mike and Gretchen at A Rolling Stone for providing the perfect live performance venue and hosting international troubadour Andrew White.”

Isabella Miller Bell, musician and promoter.

 

“A Rolling Stone in Christchurch is, without doubt, one of the best venues in New Zealand for musicians who want their music to be heard by an attentive and appreciative audience of music lovers.... I still remember our concert at the Rolling Stone with great fondness, probably one of the best concerts we had in NZ during that particular tour.”

Eric Bogle, internationally renowned singer/songwriter. Composer of ‘And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘The Green Fields of France’ recorded and performed by such artists as Makem & Clancy, The Pogues, The Fureys, Dropkick Murphys, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, and more.

 

“An incredible venue, the best in town. Mike and Gretchen know how to run a perfect music venue, they’re all over it! Fantastic sound, lighting and stage set up.”

The Skeatles, New Zealand.

Comments

Updates 3

We Haven't Forgotten Your Kindness!

01/10/2023 at 10:12 PM

Hi Everyone,

An update from us here at A Rolling Stone.  You're probably wondering if we've disappeared off the face of the earth!  Sorry for the delay in getting in touch with your chosen rewards.  We've been a bit under the weather recently but we're working on the rewards right now and will be in touch very soon.  We're also working away on lots of great music events for the future and look forward to seeing you at something again soon.   

We're so grateful for all your support and feel very loved!  Bless you all!

Love from Gretchen and Mike at A Rolling Stone

T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! !

28/07/2023 at 11:08 PM

WOW!!! It's been quite a Friday!  We honestly can't thank you all enough for helping us to reach our minimum pledge goal of $50,000 today!! 

We've been so humbled by all your support and generosity.  All the beautiful things you've said to us and messaged to us.  It's clear that so many of you really value what we do here, and that A Rolling Stone is held dear in the heart of the Christchurch music and arts community.  That having a venue like ours in Christchurch is something you really care about.  

Photo:  Dave Mitchell's 2023 Annual John Prine Memorial Night

There are just 3 days of our crowdfunding campaign left - SATURDAY - SUNDAY - MONDAY till 5pm - and we're going so well, so let's smash it out of the park!  Still 3 days to pledge for a great reward - maybe our delicious crispy chicken burger and a drink - we're looking forward to serving you up the best burger in town!  Maybe even a Guinness-Lovers Merchandise Pack!  Still 3 days to share the pledge and tell your family and friends.  Everything extra pledged in those 3 days gets us further towards our goal and helps us in our mission to keep supporting the Christchurch music and arts community.  Helps us keep giving opportunities to youth musicians.  Helps us keep young people in jobs.  Helps us keep us rolling, rolling, rolling!!  We have so many plans and we're so excited for the future - so keep sharing!

Also, we're so looking forward to Sunday's All-Star Benefit Concert.  Tickets are selling fast, you can get yours for just $20 from Under The Radar Ticketing.  It's going to be a beautiful afternoon of camraderie and love through music.  Magic.

Thanks everyone, we're honestly so grateful!

Gretchen & Mike

 

 

A Huge Thanks to You All - Only 5 Days Left!

26/07/2023 at 1:43 PM

Hi Everyone,

We're writing to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who have pledged and shared our campaign.  We've been so humbled by all the amazing support and feedback so many of you have given us - all the lovely things you've said about what we do and how important this venue is to you all.  It makes us totally resolved to reach our goal and move ahead into the future.  Your support has really empowered us!!  We are so excited for the future, for what we can keep doing, and for all the amazing musical connections that we can help with.  

With just FIVE days to go on our campaign, it's never been more important to spread the word, so please keep sharing it to everyone you know, either by social media or word-of-mouth!  If we don't reach the goal, we don't get anything, so let's keep the stone rolling!

Last Friday night, Tombstone Entertainment & Martin Hornigold hosted an old-school hard rock and metal fundraiser featuring The Deadlights, Hired Guns, Lanthanum, and Damage Effect.  The music was amazing, the feeling in the room was amazing, and lots of money was raised for the campaign, which is shortly to be pledged.  A massive thanks to everyone who supported, it was such a great night!

Here's Anna from The Deadlights, looking fierce!

This Sunday, 30th July, Al Park has organised a huge benefit concert with top solo and duo artists.  All proceeds are going to our campaign, tickets are just 'twenty bucks to keep us alive'!  You can get your ticket from Under the Radar ticketing here: 

A Rolling Stone Needs You! All-Star Benefit Concert - A Rolling Stone , Christchurch - Sun, 30 July - Tickets at Undertheradar

Check out the line-up!

Thannk you all again.  Your support means so much to us, and helps us to keep supporting the Christchurch music scene.  Please keep sharing, and also grab yourself a great reward for your pledge!

Best wishes,

Gretchen, A Rolling Stone

    Pledgers 218

    paul cragg
    28/07/2023 at 7:27pm
    Anne Lardner
    28/07/2023 at 7:25pm

    "Great venue - all the best!"

    Steffen Klink
    28/07/2023 at 7:17pm
    Celia
    28/07/2023 at 6:50pm
    Anonymous pledger
    28/07/2023 at 6:12pm
    Anonymous pledger
    28/07/2023 at 4:02pm

    "Happy to support this fantastic venue that showcases live music in Chch!!!"

    Bill Kearns
    28/07/2023 at 3:54pm
    Hung Lam
    28/07/2023 at 2:14pm

    "All the love from THE E.C.H.O !! And good luck! "

    Anonymous pledger
    28/07/2023 at 1:20pm
    Anonymous pledger
    28/07/2023 at 1:03pm

    "Love what you're doing. Have noticed that the sound desk has the volume way up. Would be great to have that reduced a little. All the best!!!"

    Liam
    28/07/2023 at 12:55pm

    "Rock'n'Roll baby!"

    Niki Mirfin
    28/07/2023 at 12:50pm
    Jon & Jean Tyce
    28/07/2023 at 12:34pm

    "I have enjoyed so much good music at the Stone - keep up the great work guys!"

    John Tull
    28/07/2023 at 8:55am

    "All the best , must keep live music venues"

    Anonymous pledger
    27/07/2023 at 11:43pm
    Digby Gemmell
    27/07/2023 at 10:00pm

    "A Rolling Stone is a fantastic venue and it would be a disaster for the music scene in Christchurch if it was forced to close, we simply can not let this happen, I had my 80th birthday do there recently and it was a real blast , Doubtful Sounds played the music and they were fantastic, most people in my 70 or so guests said they never knew the venue was there or what it did and they all thought it was a wonderful place, so it needs to be saved!!"

    Elizabeth Braggins
    27/07/2023 at 7:30pm
    Chris Moore
    27/07/2023 at 4:49pm

    "Wishing Christchurch Music the best of success"

    Derek White
    27/07/2023 at 1:10pm
    jonathan
    27/07/2023 at 8:39am
    Harry Harrison
    27/07/2023 at 6:24am
    Simon de Saint-Claire
    26/07/2023 at 11:48pm

    "Keep up the great work!"

    Tim Hunt
    26/07/2023 at 6:42pm

    "Good luck all!"

    John Booth
    26/07/2023 at 4:30pm

    "Good luck "

    Phill and Rebecca Keegan
    26/07/2023 at 2:44pm

    "Hello Gretchen and Mike!"

    Anonymous pledger
    26/07/2023 at 1:50pm
    Chris tuite
    26/07/2023 at 1:32pm

    "Please keep going "

    Kate Collins
    26/07/2023 at 1:07pm

    "Good luck! We hope this lovely couple can keep this wonderful business alive!"

    Michael Pacey
    26/07/2023 at 11:41am
    Faye
    26/07/2023 at 9:48am

    Followers 2

    Followers of Ensuring the Long Term Future of Christchurch's Best Live Music Venue, A Rolling Stone

    Ensuring The Long Term Future Of Christchurch's Best Live Music Venue, A Rolling Stone

    Project 2023-06-29 17:17:52 +1200

    We want to ensure the future of our music venue, A Rolling Stone, Christchurch, for the benefit of the music and arts community of Christchurch - musicians young and old, amateur and professional, community groups, diversities and fringe, NZ touring artists and international artists of all genres. We've been steadily building over five years, through the most difficult times imaginable, but we are booked solid into 2024, our business is beginning to flourish with a strong forecast for growth, and a growing reputation!

    I’m Gretchen Kane, and along with my husband Mike, I’m the owner of A Rolling Stone – the best medium-sized, dedicated live music venue in Christchurch, and maybe even one of the best dedicated venues in the country.

    We Need Your Help

    We’ve had over five years of trading in the most difficult times imaginable but we’ve worked tirelessly to build our business and develop a solid reputation. We have national and international bookings right through till June 2024 and a strong forecast for growth. Business is flourishing. However, we need to raise funds to pay our landlord for periods during the Covid-19 Pandemic when we were unable to meet our lease obligations, and we need your help to do this.

     

    Why Pledge?

    We’re the last remaining medium-sized, dedicated music venue in Central Christchurch, a vital part of the music and arts community! We have some amazing rewards to offer in exchange for your pledges, everything from artist-designed T-shirts and merch packs through to professional filming of your band on our stage, plus a host of other amazing rewards, and you'll also be contributing to the long term sustainability, strength and future of the music scene in Christchurch.

     

    What We Do

    We created this venue and have worked without let-up for five years, steadily building it into the amazing space and inclusive community hub it is today. We’re dedicated to giving our artists, and audiences, the most amazing show experience possible.

    We host so many events! Primary and high school music performances, all-ages shows, youth bands, open mics, songwriters’ nights, jazz jams, community group performances, ARA Jazz School, Hagley Jazz, Battle of the Bands, Dig the Gig, the Christchurch Big Band Festival, international touring artists, NZ tours, local bands, dance groups, drag & burlesque shows and ceilidhs and more!

    Kids can experience a real stage and a sense of where they can go with music. Youth can find a supportive place to fit in, which is beneficial to mental health and wellbeing. We also proudly employ a great team of young (often musical) people in our business.

     

     

    The Future

    We want to continue providing a great venue for shows and touring acts and to keep growing our community, hosting even more schools, groups and artists, helping to nurture the future of NZ music. We’re excited for the future, and completely dedicated to the continued success of A Rolling Stone. We feel so lucky to be working in a field we both love so much!

    Thank You!

    We’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has supported us in our first five years of business. Pledge today and choose yourself a great reward which comes with our heart-felt thanks! You’ll be helping us to continue supporting the Christchurch musical community, and to grow even stronger for the future! Thank you all!

    Testimonials

    “We had the best concert and the best time, found a gem of a venue and made great friends with the owners - it doesn’t get better than that.”

    Ben Waters, UK piano player for Jeff Beck, The Rolling Stones, Ray Davies, Chuck Berry, and many more.

     

    “Best venue ever!”

    The Barnstormers, Tasman Blues Club.

     

    “One of the best venues we’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.”

    The Barley Shakes, Australia.

     

    “Many thanks to Mike and Gretchen at A Rolling Stone for providing the perfect live performance venue and hosting international troubadour Andrew White.”

    Isabella Miller Bell, musician and promoter.

     

    “A Rolling Stone in Christchurch is, without doubt, one of the best venues in New Zealand for musicians who want their music to be heard by an attentive and appreciative audience of music lovers.... I still remember our concert at the Rolling Stone with great fondness, probably one of the best concerts we had in NZ during that particular tour.”

    Eric Bogle, internationally renowned singer/songwriter. Composer of ‘And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘The Green Fields of France’ recorded and performed by such artists as Makem & Clancy, The Pogues, The Fureys, Dropkick Murphys, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, and more.

     

    “An incredible venue, the best in town. Mike and Gretchen know how to run a perfect music venue, they’re all over it! Fantastic sound, lighting and stage set up.”

    The Skeatles, New Zealand.

    Comments

    We Haven't Forgotten Your Kindness!

    01/10/2023 at 10:12 PM

    Hi Everyone,

    An update from us here at A Rolling Stone.  You're probably wondering if we've disappeared off the face of the earth!  Sorry for the delay in getting in touch with your chosen rewards.  We've been a bit under the weather recently but we're working on the rewards right now and will be in touch very soon.  We're also working away on lots of great music events for the future and look forward to seeing you at something again soon.   

    We're so grateful for all your support and feel very loved!  Bless you all!

    Love from Gretchen and Mike at A Rolling Stone

    T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! !

    28/07/2023 at 11:08 PM

    WOW!!! It's been quite a Friday!  We honestly can't thank you all enough for helping us to reach our minimum pledge goal of $50,000 today!! 

    We've been so humbled by all your support and generosity.  All the beautiful things you've said to us and messaged to us.  It's clear that so many of you really value what we do here, and that A Rolling Stone is held dear in the heart of the Christchurch music and arts community.  That having a venue like ours in Christchurch is something you really care about.  

    Photo:  Dave Mitchell's 2023 Annual John Prine Memorial Night

    There are just 3 days of our crowdfunding campaign left - SATURDAY - SUNDAY - MONDAY till 5pm - and we're going so well, so let's smash it out of the park!  Still 3 days to pledge for a great reward - maybe our delicious crispy chicken burger and a drink - we're looking forward to serving you up the best burger in town!  Maybe even a Guinness-Lovers Merchandise Pack!  Still 3 days to share the pledge and tell your family and friends.  Everything extra pledged in those 3 days gets us further towards our goal and helps us in our mission to keep supporting the Christchurch music and arts community.  Helps us keep giving opportunities to youth musicians.  Helps us keep young people in jobs.  Helps us keep us rolling, rolling, rolling!!  We have so many plans and we're so excited for the future - so keep sharing!

    Also, we're so looking forward to Sunday's All-Star Benefit Concert.  Tickets are selling fast, you can get yours for just $20 from Under The Radar Ticketing.  It's going to be a beautiful afternoon of camraderie and love through music.  Magic.

    Thanks everyone, we're honestly so grateful!

    Gretchen & Mike

     

     

    A Huge Thanks to You All - Only 5 Days Left!

    26/07/2023 at 1:43 PM

    Hi Everyone,

    We're writing to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who have pledged and shared our campaign.  We've been so humbled by all the amazing support and feedback so many of you have given us - all the lovely things you've said about what we do and how important this venue is to you all.  It makes us totally resolved to reach our goal and move ahead into the future.  Your support has really empowered us!!  We are so excited for the future, for what we can keep doing, and for all the amazing musical connections that we can help with.  

    With just FIVE days to go on our campaign, it's never been more important to spread the word, so please keep sharing it to everyone you know, either by social media or word-of-mouth!  If we don't reach the goal, we don't get anything, so let's keep the stone rolling!

    Last Friday night, Tombstone Entertainment & Martin Hornigold hosted an old-school hard rock and metal fundraiser featuring The Deadlights, Hired Guns, Lanthanum, and Damage Effect.  The music was amazing, the feeling in the room was amazing, and lots of money was raised for the campaign, which is shortly to be pledged.  A massive thanks to everyone who supported, it was such a great night!

    Here's Anna from The Deadlights, looking fierce!

    This Sunday, 30th July, Al Park has organised a huge benefit concert with top solo and duo artists.  All proceeds are going to our campaign, tickets are just 'twenty bucks to keep us alive'!  You can get your ticket from Under the Radar ticketing here: 

    A Rolling Stone Needs You! All-Star Benefit Concert - A Rolling Stone , Christchurch - Sun, 30 July - Tickets at Undertheradar

    Check out the line-up!

    Thannk you all again.  Your support means so much to us, and helps us to keep supporting the Christchurch music scene.  Please keep sharing, and also grab yourself a great reward for your pledge!

    Best wishes,

    Gretchen, A Rolling Stone

      paul cragg
      28/07/2023 at 7:27pm
      Anne Lardner
      28/07/2023 at 7:25pm

      "Great venue - all the best!"

      Steffen Klink
      28/07/2023 at 7:17pm
      Celia
      28/07/2023 at 6:50pm
      Anonymous pledger
      28/07/2023 at 6:12pm
      Anonymous pledger
      28/07/2023 at 4:02pm

      "Happy to support this fantastic venue that showcases live music in Chch!!!"

      Bill Kearns
      28/07/2023 at 3:54pm
      Hung Lam
      28/07/2023 at 2:14pm

      "All the love from THE E.C.H.O !! And good luck! "

      Anonymous pledger
      28/07/2023 at 1:20pm
      Anonymous pledger
      28/07/2023 at 1:03pm

      "Love what you're doing. Have noticed that the sound desk has the volume way up. Would be great to have that reduced a little. All the best!!!"

      Liam
      28/07/2023 at 12:55pm

      "Rock'n'Roll baby!"

      Niki Mirfin
      28/07/2023 at 12:50pm
      Jon & Jean Tyce
      28/07/2023 at 12:34pm

      "I have enjoyed so much good music at the Stone - keep up the great work guys!"

      John Tull
      28/07/2023 at 8:55am

      "All the best , must keep live music venues"

      Anonymous pledger
      27/07/2023 at 11:43pm
      Digby Gemmell
      27/07/2023 at 10:00pm

      "A Rolling Stone is a fantastic venue and it would be a disaster for the music scene in Christchurch if it was forced to close, we simply can not let this happen, I had my 80th birthday do there recently and it was a real blast , Doubtful Sounds played the music and they were fantastic, most people in my 70 or so guests said they never knew the venue was there or what it did and they all thought it was a wonderful place, so it needs to be saved!!"

      Elizabeth Braggins
      27/07/2023 at 7:30pm
      Chris Moore
      27/07/2023 at 4:49pm

      "Wishing Christchurch Music the best of success"

      Derek White
      27/07/2023 at 1:10pm
      jonathan
      27/07/2023 at 8:39am
      Harry Harrison
      27/07/2023 at 6:24am
      Simon de Saint-Claire
      26/07/2023 at 11:48pm

      "Keep up the great work!"

      Tim Hunt
      26/07/2023 at 6:42pm

      "Good luck all!"

      John Booth
      26/07/2023 at 4:30pm

      "Good luck "

      Phill and Rebecca Keegan
      26/07/2023 at 2:44pm

      "Hello Gretchen and Mike!"

      Anonymous pledger
      26/07/2023 at 1:50pm
      Chris tuite
      26/07/2023 at 1:32pm

      "Please keep going "

      Kate Collins
      26/07/2023 at 1:07pm

      "Good luck! We hope this lovely couple can keep this wonderful business alive!"

      Michael Pacey
      26/07/2023 at 11:41am
      Faye
      26/07/2023 at 9:48am

      Followers of Ensuring the Long Term Future of Christchurch's Best Live Music Venue, A Rolling Stone

      This campaign was successful and got its funding on 31/07/2023 at 5:00 PM.
      A Delicious Burger And A Drink
      A Sweet Late Starters Pack
      Artist-Designed Rolling Stone Merchandise Pack
      Harry Harrison One-On-One Master Guitar Session
      Cool Tints Vehicle Tinting
      Guinness-Lovers Merchandise Pack
      Board Of Honour - Bronze Level
      Date Or Mate's Night Show Package
      Original Song Package
      Board Of Honour - Silver Level
      The Eastern - House Concert At Your Place!
      Professional Live Music Video Package
      Board Of Honour - Gold Level
      Board Of Honour - Platinum Level