Category Archives: Videos

All Blacks tickertape victory parade in Wellington

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Performing for 100,000 people – and the All Blacks!

The Webb Ellis CupMonday – Auckland, Tuesday – Christchurch, Wednesday – Wellington.

On Tuesday morning I was vaguely wondering where I should stand to watch the All Blacks victory parade in Wellington the following day, when an unexpected BatMail from Caroline arrived in my inbox.

Subject: URGENT RESPONSE REQUIRED!!! BATUCADA IN THE TICKERTAPE PARADE TOMORROW!!!
Importance: High

The email began with “Good morning everyone and whoopdeedooo!!!” and closed with “DRUMMERS ONLY if you are keen and available for this please email pronto as please with YES YES YES TO THE ABS PARADE in the subject line.”

Yup – Wellington Batucada had been invited to perform in the All Blacks Rugby World Cup 2011 victory parade. We’d be playing in what would turn out to be Wellington’s biggest ever event of its kind, and I went a little weak at the knees at the prospect. Whoopdeedooo all right! Continue reading

Our World Champion All Blacks

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We did it!

Well OK, our awesome All Blacks did it – but I’d like to think the stadium of 4 million may have helped just a little…

Wellington Batucada has been honoured to play our own small (and loud) part in the Rugby World Cup 2011, and we’ve had an absolute ball performing as part of Wellington’s Festival of Carnivale. The fans have been fabulous, the games have been thrilling, and the end result couldn’t have been more exciting if it’d been written as a Hollywood movie. Continue reading

RWC 2011 – opening night

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Batucada performing in the Fanzone

Click any image to see the full-size photo gallery.

It seems like we’ve been counting down the days for ever, but the Rugby World Cup 2011 is finally here! Wellington Batucada has been invited by the City Council to do a series of performances for the World Cup celebrations, and our first gig was in the Fanzone on opening night. Continue reading

Wellington Batucada at the All Blacks game

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A trial run for the Rugby World Cup? We hope so!

It’s very industrial underneath Westpac Stadium – all concrete pillars and not much lighting to speak of.

Somehow, when I was imagining us playing at the All Blacks vs Springboks tri-nations match last week I was picturing it being quite dimly-lit on the field as well, so it was a bit of a shock as we walked around the corner and could see the far end of the player’s tunnel in front of us, with the field and thousands of yellow seats beyond. I’d forgotten there’d be floodlights! It was brighter than a very bright thing out there! Crikey!

We gathered in formation on the edge of the field just in front of the tunnel, Tim gave the signal to begin, and we began our parade. Continue reading