Perhaps it's the rousing climax of New Zealand Music Month, but everybody seems to have scheduled gigs for this Saturday. This week I'll have a look at them, plus stuff happening next week and more...
So, gigs on Saturday, May 28.
First up is one I mentioned earlier in the month. The Hipshooters, fronted by blues guitar powerhouse Anton Tipi Elkington are playing at Brewer's Bar at the Mount. What with the other two members of the band – including the inimitable Billy Williams on bass – being in Brisbane we haven't heard the proper line-up before in Tauranga (Tipi usually goes over there for gigs) so this will be a real treat.
Ex-guitarist for Hard To Handle, and also an impressive singer and songwriter, Tipi specialises in the sort of high-energy blues rock that has people comparing him to Stevie Ray and Hendrix, only he makes it sound like cool blues not boring rock. Support at the gig comes from John Michaelz and Dylan Israel.
Meanwhile, across town, it's time for the annual Tauriko Hall original music gig. These are friendly and fun events with a free sausage sizzle and a collection of interesting original bands. This year the line-up includes a reincarnation of the always quirky Zooter, The Elements, acoustic ballads from Kim Ward, and Shirley Ryder and Friends (the friends including Graeme Hardaker and Paul Bloxham).
Also on the bill is the quixotically brilliant St Lucy, who used to live at the Mount before decamping to Hamilton a couple of years back. He is a serious talent and always well worth hearing. Doors open at 7pm with just a modest $5 entry fee. The Tauriko Hall, by the way, is just next to the Caltex station in Tauriko.
And, the same night, at Illuminati nightclub on Harrington Street, you can catch the NZ return of high-fliers Bonjah, Tauranga-born but now Melbourne-based. These guys been doing great things across the ditch, supporting The Who and Counting Crowes, amongst others, and were nominated by Rolling Stone magazine (along with The Naked and Famous) for the 2011 ‘Artist to Watch' award. They've also played a raft of festivals and sold a pile of albums. Definitely worthwhile.
And, looking ahead to next week, blues lovers should take note that Queen's Birthday weekend is the Rotorua Blues Festival. The first gigs actually kick off on Wednesday, June 1, but things really get exciting by the weekend when American blues maestro Doug McLeod performs and conducts a songwriting workshop and blues guitar masterclass.
Also on the bill – aside from Doug, who really is a must see – are terrific keyboard playing singer Alison Penny from Sydney, Auckland's Flaming Mudcats, Carol Bean and Dave Murphy from Wellington, Rotorua's Mike Garner Band, The Blues Buffet from Whanganui, and Brilleaux, The Self-Righteous Brothers Blues Ensemble and the B-Side Band, all heading over from Tauranga.
There really is a lot happening, including a Blues Cruise on the Lakeland Queen and a ‘Streat' Party to coincide with cars arriving for the Targa Rally on Saturday, June 4. You can find full details of the event at www.bopblues.com/bluesfest.
And, lastly, it would seem wrong not to finish with a few words about Martin Winch who, sadly, succumbed to cancer last weekend.
Martin was one of the country's leading guitarists for over 30 years and was also a composer, arranger, teacher and general good guy. Although his name may not have been widely known, his music touched many people through the years.
Some might remember him from Wellington's famous 1860 band (along with a perky young Rodger Fox), or from his playing with Jacqui Fitzgerald. He was in Salty Dogg and Sylvester Winch Style, Dr Tree, and Sustenance with pianist Phil Broadhurst.
On tour he backed Randy Crawford, Roger Whittaker, Renee Geyer, Eartha Kitt and many more. On a local front he produced and played on Tracie de Jong and Kokomo's 1995 album Stromboling.
He only released two albums that really showed his love of jazz/rock territory, Sahara and Martin Winch, but scored commercially with others, including the two Espresso Guitar collections, Guitar Song, and Music for Coffee Lovers.
In recent years he was the musical muscle in The Mermaids and toured as The Winch Brothers Band, along with brother Rob, performing Eric Clapton and Cream songs.
He will be missed.