What was the name of that gig again?
We may not have been sure of the official title of this gig, but we’re always up for a bit of Courtenay place action, so it was all good.
We were actually performing for two reasons: helping launch the multiday EAT STREET food and drink festival, and warming up people in Courtenay Place for the big All Blacks vs South Africa rugby test at the stadium.
Our Green Room was the lovely Lulu’s once again – a very pleasant little bar on Courtenay Place – we’re very grateful to them for giving us such a nice place to get ready and safely store all our gear.
A last-minute change of plan from the organisers meant that we were asked to parade all the way down Courtenay Place from the corner of Taranaki, and then do a static performance at the far end of Courtenay, where the EAT STREET food festival was taking place.
All good with us – we love a wee parade down Courtenay – and actually – parading on the pavement under the eaves of all the shops is especially good, because the acoustics are off-the-charts awesome. Everyone in the shops, cafes, restaurants and bars comes out to see what all the noise is about, and it’s just brilliant fun drumming and dancing right past all these super-happy people with great big smiles on their faces. They certainly weren’t expecting us, and it seems like we’re a lovely surprise for most of them.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon (if a little breezy!) which was a bonus. The sun was warm on our backs as we paraded down Courtenay, and once we reached the end of the street and pivoted round, we had its low-in-the-sky winter goodness shining right into our eyes. It was a bit like being on-stage with a massive spotlight right on you.
Our Director Tim did a great job of bringing out all our newest little breaks and turns, as well as our well-established repertoire pieces, which was good fun, with a couple of breaks being performed for the first time in public. Exciting!
All in all a lovely gig on a not-too-cold winter’s afternoon.
The less said about the All Blacks game, the better, sadly. The Wellington jinx lives on!
Photo gallery
Photos by Erin Krebs, Katrina Thomas, Kelly Etuata, Manoel Matos, Matt Robinson, Mini Rose and Solène Troussé. Click on any thumbnail to see the larger version:
