B-Side Stories

B-Side Stories

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Stories from the people who make Wellington tick! B-Side Stories takes us beyond the mainstream to celebrate the unsung heroes, rebels and enthusiasts who shape the fabric and flavour of Wellington, New Zealand. B-Side Stories is aired every Tuesday from 5-6 pm on Wellington Access Radio, with support from NZ on Air.

11/18/2025

The Visual Narrative Lab: A Place for Storytellers

Dylan Horrocks and Zach Dodson have created a university programme that their younger selves dreamed about. They are co-founders of The Visual Narrative Lab: a place for visualisers and world-builders of all sorts to explore storytelling across media ranging from comics to creative writing to tabletop roleplaying. Dylan, author of the acclaimed graphic novel Hicksville, and an Aotearoa Arts Laureate, has worked as a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator for over 35 years, and is renowned for his world-building, storytelling, and scholarship. Zach creates interactive narratives across various media, including the "illuminated novel" Bats of the Republic. He is also the founder of a publishing company, Featherproof Books, and a video game studio, Interactive Tragedy LTD. Sadie Coe talks to Dylan and Zach about their work, about play, and about the joys and pains of creativity, and gets jealous of students of the amazing Visual Narrative courses offered at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington (https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/design-innovation/research/communication-design/visual-narrative-lab). B-Side Stories thanks Wellington Access Radio and NZ on Air for their support.

52 min
10/14/2025

Wellington Folk Festival celebrates its 60th year

“Music is the emotional underscore, but it’s not just the music – it’s the dancing, it’s the people, it’s the whakawhanaungatanga”. The Wellington Folk Festival has been held once a year since 1965. Organisers Tony Burt and Mary Livingston play some live music in the studio and talk to B-Sides hosts Sadie Coe and Trish Given about the history of the “splendiferous” festival and the upcoming 60th birthday weekend of music, dance, workshops, and community, to be held over three days at the beautiful Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre in Wainuiomata. See https://wellingtonfolkfestival.org.nz/ for more info. B-Side stories thanks Wellington Access Radio and NZ on Air for their support.

52 min
08/31/2025

Tom Kay - Running for Greater Wellington in Pōneke/Wellington General

We are joined by Tom Kay, an independent candidate for Greater Wellington's Pōneke/Wellington General area. Tom was born in Hawkes Bay and has worked in Wellington as an environmental advocate, freshwater scientist, and policy adviser. Tom loves Wellington and is passionate about improving train services, caring for our rivers, and preparing for climate change and emergencies. He is standing to bring a youthful voice to the regional council, and look after the environment we all love.

29 min
08/23/2025

Trish Given — Running for Wellington's Eastern Ward

In this episode, we sit down with Trish Given, an independent candidate for Wellington City Council's Motukairangi/Eastern Ward. Born in Ireland and a resident of Wellington for 16 years, Trish has built her life here with her Kiwi husband and their two children. She's deeply rooted in the Eastern suburbs—not just as a resident, but as someone committed to nurturing the future of this vibrant community.

43 min
03/11/2025

Growing up on the back of a taniwha: Artist and comedian Noa Noa Von Bassewitz

Noa Noa Von Bassewitz grew up living on the back of the Taniwha Whātaitai. Her childhood dream of becoming a vampire was thwarted by braces, but she has woven personal and symbolic representations of supernatural beings through her art her whole life. Noa Noa is currently moving from woodblock printing into large scale multi-layered monoprints: "an explosion in the gallery" and is also exploring the medium of stand-up comedy on the side. She talked to Sadie Coe about connection and separation, love, travel, and putting fear aside. We also played some tracks by Noa Noa's son Ngahere Wafer. You can see one of his video's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z-VQpkIn7Q Made with the support of Wellington Access Radio and NZ on Air.

51 min
03/10/2025

Iona and Sue from the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

"It was the most impactful story I've ever written". When journalist Iona McNaughton wrote a feature about Vietnam-based Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, she didn't expect it to resonate so strongly with readers that it lead to the creation of the New Zealand branch of the charity. One of those those readers was Sue Chamberlain, and, in this episode of B-Side Stories, Sue and Iona talk to us about what brought them to found Blue Dragon NZ, and about the amazing work the Foundation does to help children living in extreme poverty and to rescue victims of human trafficking and slavery.

54 min
03/07/2025

Community connector Kim Young on Rice Pudding, moments of joy, and Newtown Open Studios

Kim Young is one of the founders of Newtown Open Studios, a marriage celebrant, a gallery owner, a poker player, a gardener, and a zero waste advocate, amongst other things. She talks to Sadie Coe about these and also Kidunk and limited edition rice pudding. Don't know what these are? Listen up! Made with the support of Wellington Access Radio and NZ on Air.

52 min
03/01/2025

B-Sides live at the Newtown Festival 2024

On Sunday March 3, 2024, B-Side Stories hung out at the amazing Newtown Festival with the Access Radio crew and 80,000 happy revellers. Lots of cool people stopped by to talk to us. Here are some of those chats, recorded live on the day. Ngā mihi to the friendly folk who chatted with us: Heather, Jacob, Mikaela (hopefully we spelled that correctly!), Nick, Prue, Thomas, Xavier and Lucas, and Phil from Phil and the Gaps. Made with the support of Wellington Access Radio and NZ on Air

36 min

Stories from the people who make Wellington tick! B-Side Stories takes us beyond the mainstream to celebrate the unsung heroes, rebels and enthusiasts who shape the fabric and flavour of Wellington, New Zealand. B-Side Stories is aired every Tuesday from 5-6 pm on Wellington Access Radio, with support from NZ on Air.

Creator

B-Side Stories
Years Active

2016 - 2025
Episodes

500
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© All rights reserved
Show Website

B-Side Stories