Concert graduates to theatre
Hamilton’s concert specifically for the ‘‘baby boomers’’ will shift to a larger location this season.
Concert at the Meteor, formerly Concert at the Cook, will move from its pub venue in Hamilton East to the Meteor Theatre in the city’s CBD.
Musician and organiser Tony Kaye said it will still have the aim of not being too loud or going on for too long.
‘‘The Meteor is the preeminent local theatre and music venue these days, with a focus on local,’’ he said.
The concert was about establishing tradition; reaching out to the audience to see whether the venue was the right fit, he said.
A band of brothers will be the concert series’ first local act.
Rhodeworkz, featuring Laurence Frangos-Rhodes, 16, on guitar and his brothers, Sam, 14, on mandolin and Nate, 11, on rhythm, are no strangers to the stage.
They have played at festivals and shows around New Zealand, including guest spots at Auckland Folk Festival and Wellington Folk Festival.
They are off to Australia for the Mountaingrass Festival in November.
They have been part of the Hamilton music scene for several years, honing their talents under the tutelage of local musos Paul Trenwith and Pitt Ramsay.
Laurence describes their sound as ‘‘Bluegrass-Americana’’.
They’ve been jamming as a trio since Sam taught himself to play the mandolin.
The brothers share the vocals and are often supported by mum on upright bass and dad on guitar.
Joining Rhodeworkz on stage will be Nigel Gavin and Richard Adams, travelling from Auckland.
American-born Gavin has played guitar, banjo, mandolin and bass with the Nairobi Trio, the Fondue Set, the Jews Brothers, and the Blue Bottom Stompers, among others.
‘‘Concert at the Meteor aims to give local Waikato artists a genuine stage and concert space to showcase their talents and work with other artists.
‘‘It gives local audiences a regular great, not late, concert outing that’s easy and not too expensive,’’ Kaye said.
The series’ first concert is on Wednesday, November 1.
The full 2018 programme will be released soon.
Concerts finish at 9.30pm - unless you demand an encore, Kaye said.