Whanganui is big enough to entertain and small enough to keep it real. Enjoy arts, music, the landscape and our rich heritage. Spend a weekend.
TAKE A
NEW LOOK
BOUTIQUE SOUNDS WRITTEN BY MELODY THOMAS | PHOTO BY PAT SHEPARD
www.visitwhanganui.nz
It’s no secret the music industry is struggling with the public’s growing reluctance to fork out for gigs and albums. While this has sadly meant the closure of great Wellington venues like Mighty Mighty, Puppies and, by the end of the year, Bodega, it also means that labels, managers and artists are being forced to think creatively about the ways they promote and perform. Last month we were lucky enough to be given a golden ticket to one such creatively packaged gig, masterminded by Cushla Aston at Aston Road management. For the Aston Road sessions each of Aston’s three artists – Thomas Oliver, Louis Baker and Estere – performed on consecutive nights at a secret location (which turned out to be one of the city’s top recording studios, The Surgery), with only 20 tickets sold for each evening. Tickets cost a substantial $100 each and yet they sold out quickly, with fans wooed by the chance to hear brand new material ahead of release and, in some cases, for the first time in front of a live audience; and also to taste delicious signature cocktails and dishes created especially for each artist by Wellington’s own international award-winning mixologist Jake Searell and Elie Asaf of 5 and Dime Restaurant. Such an event might be viewed cynically, except that it turns out it was not for profit, with all ticket sales going towards production costs including audio engineering by Lee Prebble and videography from Renegade Peach Project. The results will be released at a later date. Plus it’s hard to be critical of an evening where the attention to detail was so wonderfully on-point: we sat atop our cushions soaking up Louis’ amazing vocal performance, with bellies warm from smoked pastrami on a New York-style marbled rye, chosen for Louis’ love of that great city, and a cocktail featuring lemon verbena picked that morning from his own garden. All in all a wonderful night out that seemed to be as special for the artists involved as it did for the punters who paid. 56