New stage for Wairarapa musos | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Tomorrow's Tall Poppy songwriters' night in Masterton has won the attention of musicians beyond Wairarapa.

The inaugural event will be held at the Horse & Hound Cafe & Bar in Masterton with Masterton musician Mike Rigg as the special guest artist.

Rigg has played in several Wairarapa bands including Deaf Lemon and still works as vocalist and lead guitarist with Mr Groove.

Also set to perform tomorrow night will be Nick Wilsden, 3 Guesses "and many more", organiser Steve Corbett said.

It was planned the Tall Poppy evening would become a regular event to give Wairarapa performers a venue where their songs could be heard and a home market fostered for their recorded work, he said.

CDs will be available on each night from artists who have appeared and at Masterton music retailer Vinyl Heaven, a loyal supporter of Wairarapa musicians. Mr Corbett said he is also negotiating a future performance by Kiwi musician, songwriter and artist Fane Flaws.

Fane was a member of the 70s Kiwi band Blerta, probably best known for their 1972 smash hit Dance All Around The World and their colourfully-painted bus in which they toured the country.

The owner of the bus and former performer with the band, Kemp Turirangi, was originally from Mauriceville and has been living and working in Masterton as a truck-driver over recent years.

"Fane is a hugely talented guy and his appearance as a special guest at Tall Poppy will be mind-blowing," Mr Corbett said.

His work for The Machinations' 1984 song, My Heart's On Fire, was runner-up for the Best Video award at the Australian Music Industry awards and his clips for the Narcs' tune, Diamonds On China, and The Holidaymakers song, Sweet Lovers, won the Best Video category at the New Zealand Recording Industry Awards in 1985 and 1986 respectively.

Fane also created the TV show Radio With Pictures title animation in 1987 and also wrote many of the songs used in Sir Peter Jackson's film Meet the Feebles and was also co-author of The Underwatermelon Man and Other Unreasonable Rhymes.

He has been inducted into the Massey University Design Hall Of Fame and the New Zealand Film Archive Music Video Wall Of Fame, Mr Corbett said.

"As well as very positive feedback from both musicians and the general public at home, the Tall Poppy evening is getting the same from musicians outside Wairarapa.

"This is very exciting and could lead to more great artists coming along from across New Zealand."