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Even after all this time, Tauranga audiences baffle me. I know I talked about this just last week. I know times are hard. But I’m still non-nonplussed that some events aren’t more popular. There seem to be paradoxes.
Consider this: Tauranga has a thriving underground alternative rock scene but remains a bit blank in mainstream rock; and the area boasts both the prestigious Katikati Folk Club and Tauranga Acoustic Music Club yet acoustic-leaning music, even offered free, is often poorly attended.
And Tauranga has the National Jazz Festival, an active Jazz Society and monthly jazz club nights but, again, stand-alone jazz gigs raise little interest.
The strange thing is that, while in these cash-strapped times you can understand people being reluctant to shell out for expensive concert tickets – but it’s actually free music that seems particularly under-attended. It’s tough for venues paying for music from their bar take.
Free is not iffy!
Perhaps some think if it’s free then it might be iffy. I’m here to tell you this is absolutely not true. I regularly see acts in town which perform at national festivals or could should they choose to travel.
The jazz arena bulges with international-quality talent. Any band involving guitarists Tristan Hancock or Trevor Braunias, or drummer Curtis Edwards, or keyboard player Liam Ryan, or half a dozen others I could name, fall into that category. They all regularly play at The Barrel Room, no charge, and you won’t have to fight through crowds to see them.
The Nature Boys. Photo / Anmea Hoskin @the_photobooth_lady
Maybe it’s a CBD problem? At the Mount, Mexican restaurant Agave has jazz-funk musicians every Thursday and it really goes off.
It’s the same with ‘folk’ music, Americana, whatever you call it. Jack Dusty’s and The Matua feature acts for free including Mike Garner and The Self-Righteous Brothers, both well-regarded at festivals across New Zealand but no one seems to notice.
It’s all on!
Anyway, just to prove how active Tauranga is right now, let’s have a look at next weekend...
On Thursday, May 21, Russian acoustic guitar virtuoso Alexandr Misko will be dropping jaws at Totara Street, the same night The Pink Floyd Experience recreate The Wall at Baycourt.
Friday, May 22, it’s all on. On Devonport Rd at The Tauranga Club there’s an interesting show as part of their monthly Black Coffee series, when The Nature Boys present an evening of straight-ahead jazz.
Led by Harmonic Resonators frontman Jeremy Hantler, The Nature Boys is a six-piece ensemble featuring Lenny Hoskin, winner of the 2026 National Youth Jazz Bassist award, his drummer father Paul Hoskin, Troy Weenink on keyboard and trumpeter Vincent Brzozowski. Expect favourites from Moon River to Ain’t Misbehavin’.
That same night there’s indie rocking from Not Exact, kincaid and StellaVision at the Jam Factory, blues from Mike Garner and Joanne Melbourne at The Matua Pub, reggae, soul, and whānau energy from chart-topping father/son duo Son & Water at Totara Street, The Songs Of Bob Dylan at The Arts Junction in Katikati, and Jan Hellriegel at Waihī’s Little Theatre with support from Dan Sharp. Busy times!
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