Bay of Plenty’s up-and-coming musicians are set to unleash their original flair this weekend, playing on the same stage that countless international acts have graced in Mount Maunganui.

This Sunday, the Totara St performance venue is hosting Rising Vibes – a community-created platform built to support and nurture young talent from around the region.

Student musos from Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa, Bethlehem, Ōtūmoetai, Tauranga Girls’ and Tauranga Boys’ colleges will perform to friends, family and the community from 4pm.

The gig, which takes place four times a year, near the end of each school term, was created by Totara St directors Jay Munro and Ross Shilling. “It’s giving them a platform to get up and play,” Munro said.

Professional stage

Munro said he’d loved music since he was a kid. Today, he’s a musician in three-piece band KingFish.

When he grew up, there wasn’t any kind of event like this, he said.

“My mate’s bands would just play at house parties and stuff like that. There wasn’t really anything like this going on.”

While his schools hosted productions, the venue quality was not on par with the set-up that Totara St offers.

Rising Vibes happens four times a year, giving students a chance to jam out at an official performance venue. Photo / Supplied

Totara St has hosted international and globally recognised Kiwi artists Xavier Rudd, The Wailers, Mike Love, Tiki Taane, Katchafire, L.A.B, Hollie Smith, Buster Bloodvessel and more, Munro said.

“[Students] just get to roll in and play on the same stage as all the touring acts and international acts that we get through and exactly the same set up, so it’s a real good experience for them.”

No prizes, no rules

Rising Vibes is supported by the Wright Family Foundation and Mauao Performing Arts Centre.

Munro said it’s not a music competition and no prizes are given out. Instead, just as the name suggests, it’s all about the vibes – giving students an opportunity to share their own unique songs.

“Everyone plays two or three songs, and it’s just really the experience and all their mates come and watch them play.”

No genre is off limits, Munro said. “Sometimes we have solos and duos. We’ve got everything from acoustic stuff to metal bands, whatever – there’s no rules around that.”

Growing vibes

The initiative had seen a lot of growth since it started less than two years ago, said Munro. “It’s taken a little while to get the brand going.

“I used to have to chase bands to play. Now with this one [on September 13] I found that it got booked up like a week after the last one. So, the kids are keen as.

“It’s a really good opportunity because a lot of these bands go in Smokefreerockquest and we host the regional finals at our place each year.

“It’s really good practice for [them] to experience that live situation before they go into the contest.”

Rising Vibes is on this Sunday, at Totara St, 11 Totara St, Mount Maunganui. Entry is free. Doors open at 4 pm. For more details, visit: https://totarastreet.co.nz/