Art Beat with Rosalie Crawford

Beginning today – on Valentine's Day – Baycourt is hosting one year of Kiwi acts, including well-known and up-and-coming performers.

The shows, to be held in Baycourt's revamped X Space, cover acts from theatre, cabaret, comedy and music; and it's hard to choose what my favourite will be.

Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams, play at Baycourt tonight.

Seeing guitar and vocal duo Loren Barrigar and Tauranga's Mark Mazengarb, who recently won first prize for Best Instrumental for their original track ‘Onward' at the International Acoustic Music Awards, will be a great night.

Then, because of being closely involved with Cantabrians relocating to Tauranga, and having family in Christchurch, I'm also looking forward in August to seeing Munted, a theatre response to the Canterbury February 2011earthquake, derived entirely from interviews with Cantabrians.

Knowing Nick Chisholm's inspiring story about his stroke on the rugby field at age 27, and how he battled fiercely through with the help of friends to break free from ‘locked in syndrome', I know I won't be able to miss in May seeing Renee Lyons perform the solo show ‘Nick, An accidental hero'.

There's blues, Chinese zhongruan and banjo music, a play about the night before two New Zealanders were executed, Tui finalist Mel Parsons, comedian James Nokise with Soso Gangsta – and it's all a rich tapestry of original kiwi theatre, music and comedy.

Tonight though, to round off a perfect Valentine's Day, the music of Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams will be drawing me to this first outing of Arts on Tour.

Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams, singing their song ‘Sad but True'.

This duo recorded 'Sad but True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Vol. 1' and has been awarded the RIANZ Best Country Album Tui, while the single ‘Bloodletter' was awarded the APRA Best Country Song 2013.

Delaney Davidson won the APRA Best Country song award the previous year for his ballad ‘You're A Loser'. Their Sad But True Tour has been playing in saloons, outhouses, barns, halls and porches up and down the country thanks to Arts on Tour. Last night Opotiki; tonight Baycourt.