For local music lovers yearning for tangible evidence of the nostalgia revival, you can't go past RDU's Patreon package. Cityscape caught up with the man behind the initiative and ran our ears over some of the recent recordings.

A bastion of diversity and local support, RDU introduced its Singles Club a year ago to increase support and engagement for NZ music. The station, in association with In Real Life, had been cutting a 7" vinyl every month since 2013, with one being given away on air and one being archived at RDU. To increase support for the station and local music, the Patreon initiative was started and pledges were called for. Listeners and music lovers can sign up at three different levels, each of which will garner you sincere thanks, but with the top tier – around $100 a month – patrons receive their own collectible copy of the 7” vinyl of the month's two selected artists. "It's not huge amounts of money, but it all counts," says RDU station director James Meharry. "We're up to 130-odd artists who have been profiled since 2013, but we've given around $3500 over the past year, which is not insignificant considering we really need to rub our sticks together ourselves."

RDU introduces 30 to 50 new pieces of music a month, James says. "We have four curators from our community who have these roles of giving us a range of music – not just in their area of expertise but a little bit wider – and they give us four or five pieces of music every week. So we manage this really diverse playlist and that's the essence of RDU – diversity." With 58 shows and 119 hosts, RDU's team and staff then make a decision about which two artists will feature on the vinyl. James says there are a lot of discussions going on in New Zealand at the moment, from the local music industry right up to senior levels of government, about why it's so hard to make a living out of music in this country. "Music is the waking backdrop to most of our lives so it has this substantial role in our communities, and it's very closely associated to mental health, but it's still nigh on impossible to do it full-time. "The aim of Patreon is to get people to do their little bit and do what they can with what they've got. We're not changing the world but within our reach, our range and our capabilities it's a great initiative."

patreon.com/RDU985FM

January 2019

Turn Around - Adam Hattaway and The Haunters Adam Hattaway and The Haunters have played The Great Kiwi Beer Festival, Nostalgia and Electric Avenue and have released their new album All Dat Love. 

Bonne Nuit - Flip Grater The singer, songwriter, vegan advocate/restaurateur has been described as “like a mix of Bic Runga with a smidge of Over The Rhine and a large splash of Cat Power, blended up in a sweet and angsty little cocktail that is punchy and ironic”.

December 2018

97 Legacy - Keanu Raves After producing mostly guitar-based music for the past 10 years, Cameron Hoy aka Keanu Raves is inspired by 90s-current house, techno, electro and trance.

Head In The Ceiling Fan - TOYOTA The Christchurch techno/house brainchild of Will Duncan (Social Sport) and Tom Kerr (Nervous Jerk) powers through hazy synth, guitar and vocal-driven compositions.

November 2018

Brief Lives (Ft. Hamish Lang) - Bomb Dylan Semi obsessed with deep-tech-ambient, Bomb Dylan brings an interesting and thought-provoking experience to any dance floor.

Not A Feathered Tree - Your Indigo Your Indigo have been playing various shows around Christchurch and the South Island and getting awesome responses to their music and live performances.