Tauranga Acoustic Music festival

Last weekend Hard Candy, the band in which I am a drummer, were invited to perform as part of the Tauranga Acoustic Music Club Festival. Our hosts Penny and Paul made us very welcome. That's Paul and Penny performing.

The day started at 10 am with a range of very talented local musicians on a smaller stage and then later in the day the attention focused on the large stage.

One of the challenges for Hard Candy is that we all live in different parts of the North Island of New Zealand so practicing prior to gigs is challenging. Our friend Christine arranged for us to practice at a neighbours place. We could have stayed at Little Weed all day - beautiful environment, homemade ginger beer and ice - but we couldn't. Thanks Anne.

The highlight for me - apart from our own gig and an originals band from Raglan - The Hand Me Downs - was playing with one of the world's best harmonica players - Brendan Power. That's me and Brendan and a really hot guitarist Peter Charlton-Jones. I got to play a duel with Brendan - him on the harmonica and me on the Cahon [the box that I am sitting on] and trying to match Brendan rhythm for rhythm. Hopefully the video clip will come out and I can out it on a later blog.

A great festival and great people whose spirits were only slightly dampened by a thunderstorm. But that's what festivals are all about - the unexpected!