AMPAUL with Paul Kendon Arts and entertainment blogger

She Jus Greedy played at the Welcome Bay Sports Club at the weekend and it was a real treat.

Hitting the stage a little after the Chiefs game against the Hurricanes on Friday night half time break seemed a little odd at first, but once the band struck up it was actually very entertaining.

In hindsight having the band play to the rugby is genius. Everyone was happy.

At first I was worried there might be conflict between the band and rugby fans, but I shouldn't have concerned myself.

The Super 15 competition playing behind the band created a true multi-media experience, and once the Hurricanes stole the game all interest was diverted to the band.

She Jus Greedy at the Welcome Bay Sports Club.

Lead singer Delayne Ututaonga says she has been performing with this band for two-years.

'I've been a local diva in this area for about a decade,” says Delayne.

'I've always sung. I come from a musical family.”

'Why are we called She Jus Greedy? Well that's me I s'pose. I wanted the best and these guys are all professional musicians. They're the best to play the Bay.”

The dance floor was soon packed with enthusiastic fans of She Jus Greedy's dance ready songs such as ‘Don't Change Horses, Addiction, and Mail Man'.

Switching vocal duties between Grant Haua and Delayne the quartet delivered toe tapping original compositions interspersed with tried and true covers including Hand Jive, which provided drummer Mickey Ututaonga a chance to let loose on the skins.

The Welcome Bay Sports Club is an old school bar split into three lounges; the cosy TAB bar where you can drink and play the ponies, a lounge bar and a pool table bar. There's also a designated restaurant area, but it doesn't appear to be popular with diners opting to use tables in the lounge bar.

It is a very family orientated bar where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came! It also offers plenty of free parking. There is even a courtesy shuttle taking you to and from home for a gold coin donation.

I had one eye on the Chiefs, one on Delayne and both ears on the She Jus Greedy original rock blues set.

Delayne, Grant, Mickey and Rob Paterson on bass and vocals, completes the band. Guest percussionist for the night was Steve Ututaonga on bongos.

She Jus Greedy is a tightly polished professional band with a collection of originals in the vein of 60's soul-stars like Aretha Franklin backed up with earthy rifts almost reminiscent of early Elvis Presley or Muddy Waters.

But it's a difficult style to say sounds like this or that. To call She Jus Greedy strictly blues isn't really fair either. Sometimes a band's sound is too original to pigeon hole into one genre and even Delayne finds their style difficult to categorize.

When Grant takes over on lead vocals there is Travelling Wilburys essence to the sound. But even that isn't really fair either, as the Wilbury's lack the funk edge that Grant gives the band.

I want to say She Jus Greedy sounds like this, or is similar to that, so you get an idea of what She Jus Greedy sounds like. Truth is unless you hear them play then you probably just won't get it.

To call them blues is too limited in scope. To say they are rock is also misleading.

Best bet is to get along to their next set or buy the album Natural World from the band's web site www.shejusgreedy.co.nz You won't be disappointed.