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The 2014 Kokomo Christmas Party was a non-stop tour de force of brilliant local music down at the Mauao Performing Arts Centre over the weekend.

Kokomo frontman Derek Jacombs says it was a huge privilege to share the stage with special guests Marion Arts, Andy Craw, Mike Garner, John Michaelz and Aaron Saxon on Friday night.

The 2014 Kokomo Christmas Party was a brilliant show, says Derek Jacombs. All Photos provided courtesy of Colin Lunt/TaurangaMusic.com

'It was absolutely fantastic, it went better than we hoped,” says Derek. 'All the guests who played were just magnificent, everyone was firing and I don't think I've ever heard them play better.”

'Everything about the show was just simply amazing; the venue was spectacular, it was packed full of beautiful people. It was a really wonderful night.”

Giving a rundown on the special guests, Derek says Mike Garner and Andy Craw are always consistently superb and last Friday was no different.

He also has glowing praise for 15-year-old guitarist Josh Durning, who guested on a couple of Kokomo songs, saying he is a very gifted young man with a huge future.

'Marion Arts, I just think her voice gets better and richer,” says Derek. 'She's my favourite singer in New Zealand as it is but she just goes from strength to strength.

'While Aaron Saxson just blew everyone away with his guitar playing, it was scary being on stage playing with someone of his ability.”

Derek says there were far too many favourite moments to choose from, but the most surprising definitely came during the last song.

With most of the ensemble on stage, much to everyone's surprise Andy Craw, Marion Arts and Mike Garner all came on stage and burst into a rousing version of ‘Blue Suede Shoes'.

'Nobody else was expecting it,” he says, 'but we have a band that can turn on a dime, so everyone literally followed them and it was fantastic. It surprised the hell out of the musicians.

'Last Friday was a mix of carefully planned stuff and some absolutely spontaneous things that happened, which makes for the best kind of show I reckon.”

The Friday show was the first time Kokomo had played the newly renovated Maua Performing Arts Centre and Derek says it is a marvellous venue.

'It's got a fantastic future,” he says. 'It's just a great venue and it's only going to get better and better I think.”

To view photos from the 2014 Kokomo Christmas Party click here.

Did you head down to the Mauao Performing Arts Centre to catch last Friday's 2014 Kokomo Christmas Show? Tell us what the show was like for you by commenting below.