Problems that don't need fixing

Founders Joel Kefali and Campbell Hooper first met after months of hearing “You have to meet Joel/Cam” from mutual acquaintances. Luckily, it turned out, they got on pretty well. Well enough to start the studio Special Problems on a whim and a prayer, at least, and begin to churn out music videos, because that was what they knew. Before long, there was a queue of musicians wanting their vision allied to their sound. Their work has even caught the eye of Kanye West; high praise indeed. But as they tell Duncan Greive, they’re counterintuitively resisting expanding their business for a reason.

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Shiny new issue

Seen our new issue yet? If not, here’s three reasons why you should: The cable guys (does Pacific Fibre have what it takes to bring NZ into the brave new world of ubiquitous broadband?); Illicit (with a new voice and a new market, the K’ Road institution has had fresh life breathed into it) and virtual vintners (a winning formula involving friendship, creative sponsorship and a new way of marketing wine).

Plus a couple of Kiwi furniture designers taking our taste abroad, the philanthropist who bought an island only to give it back to the people…and that’s five really, isn’t it? Oh well.

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One country, one people

In the wake of Christchurch’s devastating earthquake on Tuesday, a stellar group of musicians are banding together to fundraise for the Garden City. All proceeds from the Kotahitangata (One People) concert will go to the Red Cross appeal. If you’re in Auckland, come along to Sale St on Sunday February 27; the line-up includes Sola Rosa, King Kapisi, Homebrew, LA Mitchell, Anna Coddington, Coast, The Midnights, LatinAotearoa, Recloose, The Turnaround and special guests (all generously performing for no cost). Tickets are $25 and gig-goers are also required to give a donation of their choice on arrival—anything from $1 to $1000—it’s all greatly appreciated.

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The power of crowdsourcing

The online community quickly rallied following the quake, and one of the first resources to emerge was eq.org.nz.  It allows people to report on damage and hazards they see in their neighbourhood and find out where basic services are operating.  It’s easy to submit reports to the site by texting 5627 (free on all networks), by emailing eqnzfeb@gmail.com, or by submitting a short form on the website. But it wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated team of volunteers filtering and checking information, with the support of a further group who provided a similar service after the Haiti earthquake and Queensland floods.

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Big pill, big effect

You’ll never achieve anything if you don’t put your mind to it. Including health? The power of placebos has long been a topic of contention. This video reveals some seriously fascinating facts about the effects of placebos.

Summer sounds

We’ve been spoiled for choice lately with a summer packed with more international and local performances than ever before—and it’s a pattern set to continue with the inaugural GrassRoots Festival this Easter.  The two-day showcase (April 23 and 24) in Manukau’s Puhinui Reserve will bring together a raft of 30 acts across a multitude of genres, while staying firmly grounded in blues and roots. Here’s a sample to whet your appetite: how about some BB King, Imogen Heap, Flip Grater, Shona Laing, Elvis Costello, Sola Rosa, Ben Harper or Grace Jones?

French Fry

When Paris-based husband-and-wife team Rod Fry and Laurence Varga first dreamed up a concept for a company that would showcase the best New Zealand designs, products and visual arts to the discerning local market, they quickly found out just how tough it would be to crack. French aesthetic has a certain unique flavour, whether you’re talking fashion, food or furniture. But the pair knew that in the leadup to the Rugby World Cup, European media would be hungry for New Zealand stories—and there’s no shortage of Kiwis doing “world-class work” that deserve the spotlight.

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Intelligent design

Calling all fashion designers and brands: Applications are now open for the inaugural James & Wells Fashion Communication Design Award. It’s a collaboration between Fashion Industry New Zealand (FINZ) and James & Wells Intellectual Property, which will culminate in a public exhibition of three finalists’ work during the 2011 Fashion Festival. You’ll need to apply with a portfolio; examples of communication design given include brand identity design, typography, copywriting, web design, advertising, photography, illustration, animation, film and spatial concepts. At stake is intellectual property services to the value of $5,000 from James & Wells, plus an annual membership subscription to FINZ.

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Tell us what you think and win

Everyone likes a freebie, and this one’s a good ‘un: the opportunity to win one of 25 subscriptions to any of our sister publications. All we ask of you is ten or so minutes of your time to fill out our reader survey and give us feedback on Idealog and what you want to see in the magazine.  Deal? Click here to take the survey.

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Happiness is…

dispensed from a Coca-Cola truck, it seems. Following on from the Happiness Vending Machine campaign is the Coke truck, delivering bursts of joy at the push of a button in Rio de Janeiro. Where it will show up next, nobody knows.

Quote of the week

“The thing is, furniture is not like clothing. You can’t just wear it for a season. I want my stuff to become part of people’s lives.”

- Nathan Goldsworthy on his driving principles