Buckle up, indeed …this will be a tad more epic a tour than on previous years in NZ, running from Dunedin up to Auckland over 5 weeks, and encompassing Geraldine, Christchurch, Nelson & Wellington, with a detour now and then.
Its always wonderful to return to NZ – I came to Sydney in April 1981 with the Crocodiles, little realising I was actually emigrating – and I’ve now spent half my life here; but NZ is still ‘home’. I’m especially fond of Wellington, where I went to university & then spent the ’70s playing in bands – and I feel lucky and grateful for the many decades of support NZ has given me, the friendships formed, the singing that has emerged, and the outstanding quality of the coffee. Are there more coffee roasters in NZ per capita than anywhere in the world, or does it just feel that way?
Jann & I will start our tour in Dunedin with a weekend workshop in early May – and I’ve neglected Dunedin in recent years, but I like the city and it will be good to be back, reconnecting with the singers there I usually see in Arrowtown – then we’ll head north for a night or two to check out the blue penguins in Oamaru. then Geraldine for what I hope will be a rousing evening session. Then to Christchurch which will be a laughably serious catch-up with my oldest friend Rob from high school (no hoary Goon Show quip is safe from us) and yes, a one-day workshop. After Christchurch, some R&R in Hanmer Springs to break the journey; then drive to Nelson where we’ll stay with our chums Brian & Giselle on their farm (avoiding death on quadbikes) and present a weekend workshop at the delightful Mapua Hall.
We then fly to Wellington, where we’ll stay just over the road from my favourite cafe, Prefab (run by the ever-enterprising Jeff Kennedy – back in the 70s, Jeff was the drummer and I was the bassplayer in a short-lived Wellington band which also featured singer Lindsay Field (later to become backing-vocalist-to-the-stars); Jeff & I were also part of a team that devised the off-kilter and obscure rock-opera/happening Embryo at Victoria University in 1970 – so obscure I can’t find any reference to it online, but let me know if you can – but I digress…ah yes, after a week of catching up with old bandmates and university chums like Steve Hemmens and Bill Lake, (just to mention 2 old Mammals) AND, while Jann tackles as many art-classes as are available, I’ll also running a weekend workshop in Wellington, Then to Auckland for alas, more of the same: old chums, coffee but also working with a couple of vocal groups. Again, I haven’t run a public workshop in Auckland for many years, so I’m keen to get to St Columba’s in Grey Lynn, and see what we can come up with.
While there are spasms of swanning about on this tour. most of it is travel, prep, thought and more prep, and its only as smooth a ride as it is because of the dedication and help from Jillie Toogood, Liz King, Elaine Taylor, Brian & Giselle Storer, and the love and skill of my beloved wife & manager, Jann Hing. Hugely grateful to you all.
NZ TOUR in MAY 9 -JUNE 7
