Ill Riot

10:00PM Fri 23 Feb

Māori Club

(Pōneke / Wellington)
 

Ill Riot is the new joint electronic dance music project of Pōneke based artists Kirsten Te Rito (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Rongowhakaata) and James “illkeys” Illingworth. Hypnotic dance beats, shimmering synths, captivating vocals and nature samples—recorded during the first COVID-19 lockdown—all feature in their serious feel-good, eclectic Māori-inspired club music. This sound is paired with a melting pot of te reo Māori and English, kaupapa-driven topics, and shameless party bangers. 

Partners in life and music, Te Rito and Illingworth have been merging their creative energies for many years, co-producing and releasing three reo Māori albums under Kirsten's name. Neither are strangers to the stage, having both toured internationally with Australian hip hop heavyweights Bliss N Eso and performed with other Aotearoa artists Louis Baker, Rob Ruha, Trinity Roots, Little Bushman, Tama Waipara, and Recloose (US/NZ).

With her big show experience and dynamic range, Kirsten’s vocals mesmerize while James takes his synth solos to the stratosphere. Joining them onstage for this performance is drummer Darren Mathiassen, well known in the Aotearoa music scene for his explosive performances with Aotearoa bands Shapeshifter, Kora, Hollie Smith, Deval Mahal, Rob Ruha and more. Bring your dancing shoes and your good vibes.

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Kirsten Te Rito - songwriter, producer, vocalist

James Illingworth - songwriter, producer, keys player

Darren Mathiassen - drummer

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With special thanks to sponsors Tāwhiri and Wellington Jazz Festival.