Framingham Harvest Concert Band Q&A

The famed 12^th annual Framingham Harvest Concert hits the winery’s stunning courtyard this Friday, with Christchurch’s groovy folk collective Yurt Party, Nelson dream-pop band Young Moon, and hundreds of keen attendees on the dancefloor. William Woodworth spoke with Yurt Party’s Jimmy Rainey and Young Moon’s Trevor Montgomery ahead of Friday’s concert – doubling as the Marlborough stop on both Yurt Party’s The Gambler single release tour and Young Moon’s Paraverbal Orchids/Young Moon is a Broken Bone double EP release tour.

Framingham Harvest Concert goes from 4pm-9pm this Friday - tickets are just $20 at https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2025/framingham-harvest-concert-2025/blenheim

Jimmy, Trevor, welcome back - you are Blenheim regulars for gigs, but this time around you are both bringing a new music release tour to the region – what is a Blenheim crowd like from a musician’s point of view, and what keeps you coming back?

Jimmy - Blenheim always brings the energy! There’s something about playing in a town where people are genuinely up for a good time - they dance hard, they get into it, and they make it a proper party. Our bass player is actually from Blenheim, so there’s always a bit of a hometown vibe when we play here, which makes it extra special. We’ve played in Blenheim a couple of times in the last year or two, usually at 5Tapped – Haydn is a legend and always looks after us. Big shoutout to Gabe & George from House of Pluto too - they are making it happen! Every time we’ve come through, the crowd has brought the kind of enthusiasm that makes us want to return. This time, kicking off our autumn tour in Blenheim feels like the perfect way to start – we’re bringing some fresh music, and we know the Blenheim crowd will be ready to help us launch it in style.

Trevor - The Blenheim crowds are really fun and enthusiastic, and I think that there must be a reason for that. I think that a music scene has taken shape there and a lot of times it's people bringing a scene to an area that makes this happen. I think amazing venues and promoters such as Framingham, House of Pluto and The Plant really helped to inspire and develop this scene and so people in Blenheim are enthusiastic about new music and different music which is amazing.  I've also had the pleasure of connecting with an amazing group of musicians from Blenheim which is also a reason for Young Moon's strong connection to the region.

Trevor, for those who haven’t experienced you yet Young Moon has an ethereal bluesy pop sound to its music – where does such a unique sound come from?

I grew up in Los Angeles and was very heavily influenced by the psychedelic punk scene that happened in the 60s in LA, bands like Love really influenced me and The Birds, the style and the sound and everything about it. And then also, all of us in the band are coming from a similar place, I think, and we bring those backgrounds to the sound, and so it all kind of culminates into this mixture.

Jimmy, Yurt Party has drawn comparisons to a Balkan/Latin Fat Freddy’s Drop – where does such an interesting combination originate from?

We love that comparison – big grooves, high energy, and a bit of a journey in every set. Our sound comes from a mix of musical backgrounds and influences, blended with a love for rhythm-driven, danceable music. There’s definitely a strong Balkan and Latin influence in what we do, but there are also touches of dub, jazz, and electronic elements that make each show a little different. We thrive on improvisation and letting the vibe of the crowd shape the energy of the night, which means no two gigs are ever quite the same. The lineup of musicians in Yurt Party all bring their own styles and flavours, and that’s what keeps it evolving.

Yurt Party is also hot off an acclaimed hometown appearance at Electric Avenue – how was that experience?

Electric Avenue was unreal. Being in Christchurch, playing to a massive home crowd, and feeling that electric atmosphere was something else. We had people dancing from the first note, and it just built into this huge energy that we fed off the whole set. Festivals like that bring such a diverse audience, so it was amazing seeing not just our regular fans but also people discovering us for the first time and getting right into it. And as Ōtautahi locals, it’s awesome to see the city on show like that. It’s the largest music festival in Australasia now! Christchurch is rediscovering its mojo, and that’s great for everyone in the South Island.

Finally, the Framingham Harvest Concert is renowned for being a great party in the region for its past 11 years, so what kind of party fun can people expect from you for round 12?

Jimmy - We heard great things about the past Framingham Harvest Concerts! With Yurt Party, you can expect high-energy grooves, big rhythms, and plenty of moments where you won’t be able to resist dancing. We’re all about creating an immersive experience – one where you can let loose, get lost in the music, and be part of something special. Since it’s the first show of the tour, we’ll be extra hyped to bring it. There will be new tunes, classic Yurt Party favourites, and plenty of twists and turns along the way. It’s all about that festival feeling – a big collective celebration – and we can’t wait to bring that vibe to Framingham on Friday!

Trevor - The best kind!  Come and sing with us, dance with us and celebrate under a Young Moon with us!