Features

Aldous Harding played Wellington’s San Fran last night. With an international release on 4AD and global touring ahead, this could be the last time we get to see her in a while, and perhaps the last time we see her as a local, rather than international, star.

"What you got that for? Chicks don't surf!" Has sexism in surfing decreased since the 1980s classic film Puberty Blues? Audio

"We had the idea to shoot in one of our big old glasshouses, it was run down, with bits of plastic tearing everywhere. The ground is unkempt and wild, with grass and weeds thriving."

Graeme Downes, founding member of the Verlaines, songwriter, musicologist, senior lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Otago argues the album is not dead. Audio

Inspired by PJ Harvey, Warpaint, and The Mint Chicks Wellington rock trio Mermaidens perform a set of soaring melodies and crushing discordance live at The Others Way Festival. Audio

An exhibition documents the people driven underground by the Chinese capital's housing crisis.

Trying to make sense of New Zealand's flora and fauna has kept entomologist, George Gibbs occupied for six decades. Audio, Gallery

It’s the franchise that launched a thousand think pieces: but is Fifty Shades really as bad as they say?

In a dark red shed in rural Waihi, an ambitious project is underway to restore the long-feared dead maritime culture of the Chamorro people.

On At The Movies, Simon Morris reviews a holiday full of Oscar hopefuls - but how many were actually deserving? Video, Audio

More and more schools are forgoing school donations because parents cannot afford them, a school principals' federation says. Audio

Nick Bollinger delights in a compilation of some of the more obscure '60s compositions by The Kinks’ Ray Davies. Audio

An Australian study has found anti-inflammatory painkillers like Ibuprofen have little impact on back pain, but patients are still advised to take the drugs.  Audio

Director M Night Shyamalan had become something of a laughing stock. But his new film Split is a silly, suspenseful and captivating return to form.

Kingi Kiriona of Hamilton-based kapa haka group Te Iti Kahurangi talks of the album He Kura Kainga: A Treasured Home which blends hip hop and techo with kapa haka. Audio

Mark Rogers selects songs from some of the giants of the genre, including Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Dan Penn and more. Audio

A 10-year-old Auckland boy has beaten thousands of other entries to take out first place in a Commonwealth story writing competition.

Nick Bollinger takes pleasure in the full-body experience of one of NZ’s most creative and exciting bands - the drums-turntables-and-vocals trio, The All Seeing Hand. Audio

The Wireless spoke to people protesting Donald Trump’s travel ban in Auckland yesterday to find out what motivated them to turn out.    

Music historian Michael Brown looks at the origins of the Māori guitar strum and how it is used in Kiwi music. Audio

The US President’s plans will lead to a ‘Trump bump’ in the economy, CNN’s Richard Quest says, but in the long term we are going to need to hold onto our hats. Video, Audio

Matthew Hooton and Stephen Mills discuss an eventful week for Bill English, that Trump call, Waitangi and citizenship for sale. Audio

For some children nervousness about returning to school can turn into fully-fledged anxiety. A Massey University psychologist says parents can help children manage these feelings. Audio

Local musician Jordan Reyne tells how she ended up singing the theme song to Resident Evil 7, set to be one of the biggest video games of the year. Video, Audio