We continue the occasional series wherein Winston expounds on things that currently make him happy. Stranded at the intersection of Boresville and Snorefest? Get cheerful with Winston.


The Sonic Delusion trio will play in Tauranga next Saturday, March 22.

111) Tauranga Music online! I was up at Soundtree in Whakamarama again on Sunday where they were filming the eighteenth episode of the second series of Soundtree Live, the internet TV show featuring a different band from the Bay each week. Last Sunday (which will be online by now) it was Shirley Ryder and the Shirleybyrds, purveyors of sunny sixties-style psychedelic pop, featuring the redoubtable Graeme Hardaker on electric guitar and backing vocals. Also in the band were Pat Hawkins (bass) and drummer John Hawley.

They played a splendid five song set which you can find at www.youtube.com/user/soundtree1 along with episodes featuring last week's guests Antwars Underground, many local bands, and the occasional visitors to town such as Blues Buffet, who popped in to be filmed while they were here from Wanganui playing at the Marchwood Blues Picnic. Aside from the increasingly professional standard of the shows they are building a serious archive of music from the Bay.

Once again I take my metaphorical hat off to Shane Davies team at Soundtree – there are few people who do as much for Tauranga music. Series Two is about to come to an end but Series Three will start almost immediately. Long may they run.

112) Movies, movies, movies! It's a fine time for movie lovers. Not only is Tauranga's Rialto Cinema currently holding a French Film Festival - it's got another ten days to go - but the Tauranga Film Society has recently announced its new season of films which started this week (don't worry if you missed one – you can join up any time). Showing between one and three films each month, the Film Society is a fantastic way to see ‘festival' movies that usually only get here on DVD (or not at all) on the big screen. This season, running till the end of October, has everything from documentary to 2001 Cannes Grand Prix winner Once Upon a Time in Anatolia to Lindsey Anderson's brilliantly surreal school-set shocker If...

For more film society information, check out their website www.nzfilmsociety.org.nz/tauranga.html.

113) Downtown gigs! Much has been made of the death of the Tauranga CBD and
much has been written about The Strand being an ugly drunken place at night. (NB: 'at night” really means 'after 1.00am”.) But the establishments along The Strand are pushing back against this image – there are exciting restaurants and cool new bars and several places are going out of their way to bring life downtown with cool music. Next weekend is a case in point.

On Friday night (March 21) it's the inaugural Masonic Park Brews and Blues event.
The park will be cordoned off from The Strand and there will be music, food and drink. The food comes from Comida, Takara, India Today, The Phoenix and others, the drink is beer, including the eccentric Good George range, and the music runs from 5 till 10pm and features two Tauranga heavy-hitters, Kokomo and Brilleaux.

Tickets are only $20 but are strictly limited, available from The Phoenix and Comida.
There's also some groovy music on the Saturday (March 22) at The Strand's Brew Bar. The Sonic Delusion trio, led by Swiss singer/songwriter/loop artist Andre Manella will be playing their funky electroacoustic folk from 7pm-10pm.

French import Severin Thiebaut adds Latin-flavoured keys and funky bass, and the token Kiwi, Missie Moffat, doubles on vocals and percussion. Hear them at www.sonic-delusion.com.

That same afternoon from 4-7pm Brew Bar has The Self-Righteous Brothers.
Both are at no charge.