If you thought there would be time to rest between gigs now that Easter has come and gone, think again.

First up, there's another concert next Friday (May 2) at the Te Puna Memorial Hall, that sweet old building opposite Nourish on the corner of Te Puna Road and State Highway 2 which is currently facing the threat of destruction to make room for a roundabout. Let's hope that plans are put in place for it to be re-sited somewhere close before the wreckers move in.

If I might go off on a tangent for a moment, building such as this are vital parts of rural communities and with many Tauranga groups priced out of using facilities such as Baycourt small halls are a vital option. Tauranga faces a real crisis at the moment in terms of venues for live music and one solution is a return to the old days, with more concerts in the likes of these halls that are scattered throughout the community.
There have been several concerts at the Te Puna Hall in the past year, organised by long-time folk and music aficionado Rosie Holmes, and this one sees the return of a group she brought to town last year, Too Many Chiefs.

They are four Wellingtonians, each deserting their more regular groups for a tour together. There's Hot Club Sandwich frontman Andrew London, who plays many a stringed instrument; keyboard player and writer of one of New Zealand's alternative national anthems, 'Nature”, Wayne Mason; Guitarist Rob Joass, who was here in February for the Acoustic Music Festival with his band Hobnail; and Laura Collins, who some might have heard a couple of weeks ago on the Friday New Zealand Live slot on National Radio with the Back Porch Blues Band. They all sing.

I don't know how much more I can tell you. The last concert was terrific. All the guys have websites – just Google them. On a more practical level there will be a bar and free tea or coffee and cheese and biscuits at intermission. Doors open at 7pm, concert starts at 7.30pm. Admission is $20 on the door or you can reserve a specific seat by contacting Rosie, 5526291 or redruth@vodafone.co.nz.

And, though I seem to have run out of space, I wanted to give a quick shout out about the Wheel of Experience concert at Baycourt on Tuesday May 6. Pitched somewhere between theatre and music, Wheel Of Experience features songs about New Zealand's legendary past, ballads and sea shanties, bluegrass and blues, performed on old-time acoustic instruments – from fiddle and banjo to Chinese zhongruan – telling stories of New Zealand's 'wild west” history. Tickets are only $20: it sounds like a blast!
watusi@thesun.co.nz

B-Side Band – The Collection

After nearly a decade together, Tauranga's B-Side Band have surprised everyone with their longevity and creativity. What initially seemed like a novelty idea (a three-piece with no bass player – drums, guitar, harp/sax – playing obscure rockabilly) has now led to two CD EPs and two full albums and, as if to double down on their peculiar line-up, when the time came to add an extra musician they plonked for another guitarist.

Unusually, they weren't invited to be part of this year's Jazz Festival so the band launched their new album independently over Easter with a most enjoyable release bash at Brew Craft Beer Pub on Saturday night.

The Collection is, as one might suspect, a compilation, marking the departure for northern climes of drummer Carl Winter. It brings together 18 original songs from their previous CDs plus one new instrumental and shows a band steeped in Kiwiana and living in the nexus where blues meets rockabilly and hillbilly music.

Most specifically, by presenting only their original songs it gives a far clearer view of how individual B-Side Band are as a unit, Paul Parkhouse's songs ranging from tough no-nonsense jailhouse blues – 'Bless Me Father” - to humorously jaundiced takes on Kiwi life - 'Remuera Cowboy” – while Simon Elton favours songs name-checking either bands or places: his Woody Guthrie-influenced 'Yeah, Don't You Know” is a workingman's trip around New Zealand.

Very few Tauranga bands stick together long enough to merit a compilation, so good on B-Side Band for hanging in there. With a new drummer in place they have already started recording again. In the meantime, if you only buy one B-Side Band album this year, make it The Collection.

Winston Watusi