4 Jul 2023

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The unique collaboration between Big Sima and Boomtown will be an unmissable set at Go Live Festival on Saturday 29 July at Christchurch Town Hall.

It’s been a busy couple of years for Big Sima. A lot of golden opportunities have come his way – the latest, performing at Go Live on the gold stage – one of four – ahead of headliner act Tiki Taane, who is not only Big Sima’s long-time mate, but also his music producer.  

The talented rapper and songwriter has been at Tikidub Solar Powered Studios over the past four years. After taking a break from music, Big Sima made a comeback in 2019 with his EP ‘Underground King’, and last year he released a full-length album ‘Stereotypes of a Polynesian Misunderstood’. His work has been met with high acclaim, charting success, stacks of radio airplay, and over 1 million streams across all platforms.  

A highly collaborative creator, Big Sima features nine other artists, including Tiki Taane, on the album. Of his collaboration with seven-piece band Boomtown, Big Sima describes it as “like a full rebirth of my sound.” 

“We’ve been touring together since last year, playing all my tunes from both projects I’ve put out, and this year we are releasing music that we’ve written collectively.”  

Big Sima says their set at Go Live Festival will be “boom-bapping, horn driven, live instrumentation hip-hop.” For the Ōtautahi born performer, playing to a hometown crowd at the iconic Christchurch Town Hall is particularly special. “Having our whānau and friends in the audience is always a vibe. This is my second Go Live, and I’m stoked to be back!” 

Some of the acts Big Sima is looking forward to catching at the show are Mim Jensen, Dolphin Friendly, Tiki Taane, and the latest Dig The Gig winner. “It’s gonna be an epic night!” he says. 

“This is a yearly opportunity for bands to be seen by fans that may not usually come out to their shows. It’s also an opportunity for us artists to network and build on an already thriving community here in Ōtautahi.” 

Featuring 14 emerging and established homegrown acts, Go Live Festival is about supporting the local music scene and is proudly produced by Christchurch City Council. Masterclass seminars, presented by NZ on Air, are being offered to aspiring musicians on the afternoon of the event at Sole Music Academy. A panel of experts from the music industry will share their advice on how to secure music funding and achieve radio airplay. 

For Big Sima and Boomtown, their show at Go Live is the Christchurch stop on a four-date ‘Winter Tour’. Other exciting things Big Sima has coming up this year include the release of Tiki Taane in session with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. “I was lucky enough to be a part of that project, which premieres both nationally and worldwide, and the album and video will be out in October.” 

Tickets for Go Live Festival are available now at Ticketek.co.nz for just $20, plus booking fees. 

Learn more about Big Sima here and discover all the artists performing at Go Live Festival on What’s On.