Four days of singing the blues

Jamie Morton | 15th December 2009

Masterton and Carterton could soon be rocking to the rhythm of the blues if plans to launch a four-day festival are realised.

Masterton GP and blues promoter Rob Maunsell said organisers had been developing the concept of a designated blues and jazz festival for Wairarapa since it was first mooted six months ago.

While still very much in the planning stages, the festival would likely run over a Thursday-to-Sunday period in the first quarter of 2011, Dr Maunsell said.

The festival could be held across a range of bars and cafes, with four to five acts at each venue each day.

Live music could run in venues such as cafes throughout the days and in bars and clubs at night.

"The market at Solway could even be a venue - there's lots of scope."

Dr Maunsell, a harmonica player who has been behind two successful blues concerts and the new monthly Thursday Night Club at the Masterton Club, expected the festival would pull a cross-section of solo musicians, duos, trios and bands from across Wairarapa and the rest of the country, "as well as one or two international artists".

Established blues groups such as the Wellington Blues Club and Wairarapa's Cross Creek Blues Club were already keen to get on board.

"It'll be a unified event that promotes many opportunities for musicians to play and audiences to experience a range of musical styles and intensities."

Organisers would ensure the event did not clash with other major attractions and were hopeful of attracting the promotional power of Destination Wairarapa and sponsorship from groups such as Masterton District Council and Trust House.

"It's not going to be a huge event like the Mission Concert or Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne, which attracts between 15,000 and 20,000 people. We'd only be expecting between 2000 to 3000 and wouldn't be stretching what resources we've already got here.

"We're hoping it'll just hum along."

Organisers would be meeting over the next two months to discuss venues and sponsorship, he said.