Mid Canterbury trio strikes a rural chord
The Landgirls are not trying to be a big band.
The Mid Canterbury trio, made up of Anna Munro, Abbey Mackenzie and drummer Pete Wilkinson, play the kind of music that fits where they live. Country leaning, harmony driven, and built for rural halls, pubs and paddock gatherings.
“It’s definitely got a bit of a country vibe… just songs that people like hearing. It is an easy listen,” Munro says.
The Landgirls began as a duo five years ago, with Munro and Mackenzie playing together when they could, before bringing in Wilkinson into the mix two years ago.
Munro says the pair came together in a way that will feel familiar to many. A shared connection, similar upbringings on farms, and a conversation that turned into a plan.
“We realised we had quite similar taste and decided to meet up for a bit of a jam session.”
At that stage, both were living in different places, which meant music was something they returned to when they could. The first proper outing came at the Geraldine fete, where they signed themselves up to perform. For a time, it remained casual, with the pair catching up a handful of times each year to play.
It was not until both were back in Mid Canterbury that things began to take a more regular shape. Weekly practices became the norm, often held in a shed on the Mackenzie family farm, and Wilkinson was brought in to round out the sound.
Even then, there was no push to turn it into something more formal.
“It’s more for the love of it really.”
The Landgirls’ sound sits comfortably between country and folk, drawing on influences like Fleetwood Mac and Elton John. Munro plays piano and harmonises, while Mackenzie carries the lead vocal and guitar, but it is Wilkinson who anchors the group on stage.
“And then Pete is just a real steady rockstar at the back, kind of keeping us in check sometimes if we're really nervous, he gets us to take a moment.”
The result is a sound built less on volume and more on feel, with a focus on songs people recognise, delivered in a way that suits smaller, more intimate settings.
That approach has found its place at rural events, from community gatherings and birthday celebrations through to paddock parties.
One of the standouts for the group was Party in the Paddock in its early days.
“Probably one of our highlights was playing for the Tamar party in the paddock… the first year that that was on it was so good, it was a real buzz.”
They were due to play together again at the event the following year, but life had other plans.
Munro went into labour the night before, missing the event, while Mackenzie carried on the set with Pete Wilkinson on the drums.
For Munro, music has always been part of the picture.
“Growing up music was definitely my thing.”
Farming, she says, was something she worked at, while music was something that came more naturally. Returning to it in recent years has felt like reconnecting with something that was always there.
“I suppose it’s like a return to what you did as a kid. The things that made you happy.”
Like many rural women, she does not see those different parts of life as needing to compete.
“It’s actually fine to have a lot of different interests… it just means you’re letting all aspects of yourself out a bit.”
Munro farms with her husband Mitch in Mt Somers, while Mackenzie is head teacher at Peel Forest Preschool. Music sits alongside that life, rather than separate from it.
At the moment, however, music is having to fit into a much busier season. Both Munro and Mackenzie have had babies in the past few months, and the rhythm they had established has shifted.
“It’s definitely been harder to carve out the time.”
Practices are less structured and often interrupted.
“Even if it looks like a few songs and then stopping to breastfeed… it’s so worth it because you just remember a little bit of who you are.”
Support at home plays a role as well. Munro speaks openly about the importance of having a partner willing to step in, whether that is taking care of the children during practice or making it possible for her to get to a gig.
“I think it’s cool for the kids to see mum not just doing loads of washing… actually like, oh, there’s mum up there singing.”
Looking ahead, the plan is to ease back into things from spring.
“Yeah, we are thinking more from about spring onwards that we will try and get back up and running. However, if people have something before then, certainly get in touch.”
Follow The Landgirls Band on Instagram and Facebook @landgirlsband
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