AOTNZ tour Whakatane

Sparkling Hawkes Bay weather when we set off; Taupo a bit foggy and the lake

very still and eerie. Rained off & on till Whakatane. Motel a bit cramped - my

room little more than a cupboard. Set up at the Baptist Church - scene of

triumphant gig two years ago. Had a meal that was only just satisfactory in a

dodgy sports bar. James had to ask them to turn the TV down. Smuggled a bottle

of Pinot Noir into the back of the church for half time sustenance. Huge crowd

of about 250 - even some youngsters; one of whom sent a lovely email this

morning. We'll crack the hip-hop market yet. Watched the All Blacks demolish

Australia afterwards. Gig at Mills Reef in Tauranga tonight organised by our

friend Derek Jacombs of Kokomo and Self-Righteous brothers fame. Venue looks

fantastic and there are oysters. Yippee. Sold out at around 120 apparently.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Hastings

Had the NOMS at a park in Woodville. Nice band rotunda. We've seen a few on our trip. How bout a tour of NZ band rotundas? Must explore. Set up at Hawkes Bay Opera House - not the main Theatre but an alternative called the Assembly Room - wonderful old Art Deco room - very reverberant. Turns out not half as bad when it's full of people.

Full house tonight About 250 keen folk....they got all the jokes and had a great time. The act is getting very sharp and the repertoire has nearly settled. Gave 'Concrete Block Motel' another outing and I think it'll be OK. Off to Whakatane tomorrow.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour New Plymouth

Sensational night at the TSB Theatre in New Plymouth. Good crowd of about 250

who were In The Mood. A few sound problems....we have a dodgy lead but they all

look the same so it's been hard to isolate. Al, the sound guy, kept it out for

us at the end so we might buy a couple of new ones in Napier tomorrow. Our good

buddy Dave Nepia came to the gig - a very accomplished local guitarist who sat

in with us once or twice when we used to come up here to play at Crawdaddy's.

Terry cooked us roast lamb in the motel beforehand and James went for a long

walk along the famous new Coastal Walkway, struck up a conversation with a

female fellow walker who, it turns out, works as a lady of the night. He now

claims to be a lot more knowledgeable about the sex industry than he was. As I

said back on the 11th, touring can be very educational.

Off to Hastings today - should take about 6 hours.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Opunake & Hawera

Seem to have dropped a day somewhere.....Taranaki - land of cows and boxthorn

hedges and more concrete block motels. Opunake was OK.....the venue a little

soulless but a good crowd, although there were a few cockies who looked like

they'd been dragged out by their wives to see some 'culcha', sulking with arms

crossed and being very unamused by the whole experience. A group of dancers

demonstrated at half time....Ceroc perhaps or something similar. They were very

good. Also met a very nice bloke who wrote a musical about Jean Batten, staged

it once in Opunake, and then had to shut it down under threat of legal action

from the copyright holders of a Batten biography.

Drove up to Dawson Falls and had coffee & muffins and a guided tour of the

lodge, which was made over in the '70s by a bloke called Keith Anderson, who

hand-carved all the room fittings, doors etc and themed every room individually

(there are 12) and the whole effect is startling. Very 'Swiss Alpine Chalet'.

Took a wet 5 minute walk to Dawson Falls - very spectacular.

Played in the lovely Hawera Memorial Hall last night to a rowdy crowd which

included some old friends. Mr Glen Nevis joined us afterwards for celebrations.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Dunedin

Dunedin gig fantastic. Steve Thomas from AOTNZ joined us for dinner at a pub (Mannequin?) across the road from St Martin's Hall , had a superb steak & kidney hot pot. We were delighted to see maybe 250 crammed into the old hall while singer Lindsey Shields played a lovely 30 minute set. Our stuff went down very well and we sold a few CDs. The New Edinburgh Folk Club had supplied some lights and what a difference it made.

Up at 5.00am yesterday to catch a flight to Welly - no hitches (except the one I am reading about). Finished a new song about concrete block motels. We're all enjoying 24 hours at home and start in Opunake tonight.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Fairlie

Frustrated with unusable internet at the motel we fled to EAT Cafe where the fire was roaring, the coffee was delicious and the ultra-fast broadband was free. Sorted the correspondence and read a long interview with Hitch from only a fortnight ago - post cancer diagnosis - no indication of religious conversion. Bullied Billers into an admission that he'd been having me on. Accused him of having no sympathy for a fellow hack.

Curried snarlers and a bottle of Pinot for dinner and off to a nice gig at the local Golf Club. About 110 turned out and the ladies did supper afterwards. They didn't know the phrase 'three buttered and two iced'. Maybe it's a Waimate thing. No bar service!

On the road to Dunedin we see the sun for the first time since Roxburgh. Tonight we farewell the South.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Waimate

Oamaru as cold and dreary as I recall from two years ago. Whiskey shop closed on

a Friday - of course. Had great mutton & plum pie from a Dutch bakery next door.

Arrived in Waimate and checked into 'yet another concrete block motel' - another

song idea I remember discussing with T & Nils in this exact part of the country

two years ago.

Very well looked after pre-gig by Linda and Rob at the beautiful Awatea Retreat

and B & B. We were royally treated here two years ago and nothing has changed.

Interesting chat with a city girl turned farmer's wife who introduced us to the

country saying 'three buttered and two iced' - an instruction relating to

shearing gang catering. Might be a song there. Responsive crowd at the Criterion

Hotel and an early night.

Off to Fairlie after being hastened out of our Waimate digs. Bought the possum

socks, thus contributing to the local economy in a modest way. Both Waimate and

Fairlie motels advertising wireless internet but both useless for any practical

purposes. Continuing amusing text dialogue with Billers concerning his claims

that Hitchens has converted to Christianity in the face of a cancer diagnosis

(very unlikely but he refuses to stump up with any journalistic evidence) and

that Dylan is a lousy harp player and a fraud (as Joni Mitchell claims). He's

certainly right about the first but I'm sure that history will disprove him

about the second.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Gore

And oysters there were. A dozen each with pepper and lemon juice. And crumbed

butterfish and bok choy on rice in our motel room courtesy of chef Terry. Gore

was sulking under a vindictive cloud that looked as brown as the over-grazed

paddocks outside town - which of course were bathed in brilliant sunshine, as

indeed was the entire countryside South of Roxburgh. But a lovely appreciative

audience and memorable hospitality from our host Jim Geddes at the Eastern

Southland Art Gallery.

Free internet at the Digs so we caught up on some correspondence. Saddened to

hear of Hitchens' cancer diagnosis. A cryptic message from Billington reporting

his (Hitchens') 'coming out'. Seeking clarification I am advised that this

'outage' refers to a latent religious belief rather than a public reversal of

sexual preference. I find this hard to believe of one of the World's most high

profile atheists so will need to grill Billers about it further. I suspect he's

just being mischievous, knowing how much it would upset me.

Off to Waimate for Wallaby pie and possum socks. Maybe stop at the whiskey shop

in Oamaru. They have a tasting facility from where, on our last trip, we

purchased some of the last remaining stock of the old Wilsons distillery.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Roxburgh

Stayed a while at the Warbirds Museum....very moving. Evocative of a time of

gallantry and chivalry even amongst enemies. Not sure the same mutual respect

and gentility would apply today. Short hop to Roxburgh. Pretty cold but warm

reception from the good citizens at the Town Hall - excellent venue with

dressing rooms and everything. 'Let's Have Friends Around for Dinner' shaping up

- also my new song 'Any Time at All' (I think sufficient time has lapsed since

the release of 'Hard Day's Night' for me to get away with the title) which seems

to suit James' low 'D' whistle adequately. Am enjoying Christopher Hitchens'

memoir 'Hitch-22', which I bought when faced with the seven hour bus trip

crisis. Terry still ploughing through the Denniston Rose. We'll swap shortly.

Another short hop to Gore - only an hour or so we think. There is talk of oysters.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Wanaka

The best laid plans. Flight from Queenstown eventually cancelled. Seven hours on

a bus to CHCH eavesdropping on a 20-yr old Australian oaf in the seat behind me

trying to chat up a much smarter and worldly 24 yr old English girl with a

triple degree in archaeology & English Lit & some other stuff - way out of his

league but he valiantly persisted with such priceless pickup lines as 'So have

ya ever tried a saki bomb?'

Got to CHCH but too late for a flight - stayed over with the Driftos and got the

6.45 to Welly. Train to PPM but they announced at Paekak that we would transfer

to a bus to go the last leg. Was having none of it and had K pick me up. Lovely

24 hours with the family then into town to catch the 9.15am to CHCH - no

problems this time and back in QTN for lunch. T & J had spent a day or two with

rellies, James even venturing out on a snow boarding expedition. Gig at Luggate

Hall sold out with about 140 crammed in, had pleasant dinner beforehand with

Festival director Philip Tremewan. Home to Wanaka for an appointment with Mr

Jameson. Off to Roxburgh today - James wants to check out the Wanaka Warbirds

Museum on the way.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Bannockburn

Sunday 18 July

Stuck at Queenstown Airport. Very flash these days. Good coffee & poached eggs

with mushrooms. Shouldn't have had the time but flight delayed from 9.00am till

1.00pm. Low cloud. Read Sunday Times in the crowded cafe. Listening to

Wellingtonian Mel Parsons' CD we were give by her proud parents at Cape Foulwind

Tavern. Bloody good. Weather was fab yesterday as we farewelled the Coast,

coming over the Haast to the majestic splendour of Central Otago. Great gig last

night at the Bannockburn Hall to about 60 - near capacity I would think. Old

mate Dave Marsh turned up and has offered to pick me up from QTN on Tuesday,

saving T & J a trip from Wanaka. Gig at Luggate Hall for Wanaka Arts Festival on

Tuesday night was sold out a fortnight ago apparently. We were joined afterwards

at the Motel by Mr Jameson from Ireland. Left the bottle for T& J as I head home

to see K & the kids for a couple of nights.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Okarito

Arrived at Okarito after a brief detour to scout Franz Josef Glacier. Incredibly

warm welcome from a community that numbers about 35 when everyone's home. Used

to be the third largest port on the West Coast during the gold rush of 1866 with

a population of about 2500. Pot luck dinner with the entire population then a

great gig in Donovan's store which has been there since late 1800s and used to

be a brothel. Holly and Carl put us up at the Beach Houise, ironically the most

luxurious digs we have had. Okarito has a huge shallow lagoon full of trout,

salmon & flounder which can't get out at the moment as the bar has silted up.

They open it up with a digger every now and then. Lee gave us flounder for

breakfast and then off to Raewyn's for coffee and whitebait patties. Set off at

11.00am for Cromwell. Still glorious weather all down the Coast road. Lousy

coffee in Haast. Should get to Crommers about 5.00 to set up at Banockburn Hall.

Andrew

AOTNZ Greymouth

Big day yesterday for the tourists. Stopped at Punakaiki and oo-ed and ah-ed at the rock formations etc. Very warm. Diverted to Blackball....cold & foggy - this is more like it. Had a pint of Miner's Dark in the (formerly) Blackball Hilton and went to the famous sausage shop. Bought a salami and were given a freshly cooked black pudding, which we had sliced on the NO Memorial Sandwiches we made at the skate park. Got to Frank's in Greymouth about 4.00 and set up. Nel had her Tibetan Chef whip up some pork & spinach dumplings to see us through till after the gig.....brilliant. The cafe was packed and the show went well. It's all falling into place.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Westport

Westport last night. Fabulous new venue called the NBS Theatre. Seats about 400 and we must have had 50 at the most but it felt great anyway. Fantastic acoustics and effective lighting. Excellent crowd including an old mate from Wanganui I haven't seen in years. Debbie the manager was terrific and sold CDs for us. I feel that the repertoire is at last falling into a logical sequence, and we included the debut performance of 'Let's have Friends Around for Dinner'. Forgot the words of course but the punters laughed at that as well. Inspired by our detour to Denniston a couple of days ago Terry bought 'The Denniston Rose' (Illustrated) and the sequel all-in-one and is right in the thick of it. Now he wants to go work in the mines. Apparently we are in for a big night at Frank's Cafe in Greymouth.....plenty booked and the town is on tenterhooks awaiting our triumphant arrival. I may be getting a bit carried away. I wonder if the interest they say they are experiencing is due to our having played there before? Still beautiful weather....apparently Central Otago is like Antarctica at the moment - we will find out on Saturday.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Karamea

We have been royally looked after in Karamea by David & Cathy at the Last Resort. We spent the morning rehearsing 'Karamea Cowboy' so we could pull it off tonight, also a couple of new ones. Interesting experience with the laundry lady. She took a bag of washing off each of us, mixed it all up in the washing machine, and delivered us each our own bag a couple of hours later with all our washing sorted out.....everyone had their own stuff in their own bag again. How did she do it? Working on a song about the West Coast Washerwoman. Then we drove half an hour North to Kohaihai and walked the first few kms of the Heaphy Track. Stunning bush and shoreline. Met a weka and peeled a banana to feed it but the stupid thing ran off with the banana peel. Back in time to set up & eat, then play the gig to a small but very enthusiastic crowd of about 20. Met some folk we got to know on the last couple of trips up here. It really is a special place. Kind of like Golden Bay in its isolation but in a different way....it's a bit less laid back....the West Coast influence perhaps...people here still have to carve a living out of a pretty wild landscape. It's not a forgiving piece of geography.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Reefton

Reefton. Bloody Hell. A town carved out of a coal seam. Significantly better than our gig two years ago, we had about 18. Not a lot of response and I felt we were going over like a cup of cold sick but they all thanked us effusively afterwards and seemed to have genuinely had a good time. Daisy, the organiser from the Inangahua Community Arts Council, is a delight. We dined in style at Alfresco's restaurant just up the road from the motel. The waitress had to wear a ski jacket as she had to go outside between the restaurant and the kitchen, and it was very cold. She was doing the cooking as well. From time to time the caretaker would pop in and tell us the rugby league score and all about his knee operation. We drank them out of pinot noir (they had two bottles) and slid home along the frozen footpath. The Lantern Court Motel was luxurious. They rushed us out at 10.00am so we stocked up on groceries and took off for Karamea through thick fog, emerging into brilliant sunshine at Westport where we assembled the Nils Olsen Memorial Sandwiches and Terry made coffee with his portable stove. Diverted to Denniston en route to Karamea and were all fascinated by the history up there on that bleak plateau. Must read the book. Karamea very quiet - apparently they have a few booked in tomorrow night.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Mussel Inn

Long drive from Rangiora to Onekaka in Golden Bay but a beautiful day. Stopped on the side of the road at Murchison to make a sandwich, which contained, amongst other things, some Nils Olsen Memorial Gherkins. Nils was most particular about his gherkins on our last AOTNZ tour two years ago. Sunny but deceptively cold and we were back in the van after half an hour. Also stopped for a cuppa at Terry's brother Ian's home in Motueka,. Said g'day to Ian's old dog Robber, who is 114 in human years. His front legs go faster than his back ones so he rolls down the steps rather than walking. Apparently possessing an active libido as a youngster, Robber was once caught 'in flagrante delicto' with a sheep on a visit to Great Barrier Island. Touring can be exhausting but educational. The Mussel Inn was packed and we did an extra set because we love it so much. Still probably the best venue in the country. Delighted to see Julian & Sally Manning from Pete Findlay's old gang there, also Philip Woolaston whose winery we played at a few years ago, also the venue for a brilliant Emma Pask concert there last January. Realised kind of late this morning that our gig in Reefton today is at 3.00pm. Should be there by 2.00 if we're lucky. Last time we played there the crowd numbered about 6, all related to Terry - we're hoping to build on that.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Rangiora

Rossburn Reception, Rangiora. That's more like it. Great venue with an attentive crowd,

close on 200 I would think. Standing room only. All organised by Sandra and

Dorothy from 'Events with Attitude', who have plenty themselves. Rossburn is the

home of Dawn & Richard Spark - Richard has lived there for 66 years and has

never thrown anything away. He has more sheds than NASA and a museum that would

rival Te Papa. Home cooked apricot scones (Richard has a sweet tooth) and a

typical South Island breakfast with home grown bacon & eggs. We had the best

Thai takeaways I have ever had before the gig. Mr & Mrs Drifto came out so we

could Ride With Bob and it was lovely to hear those lyrical guitar lines wafting

around. James sang 'Night & Day' and they were swooning all over the place. Bob

sang 'Your Feet's Too Big' and brought the house down. Sold a swag of CDs - even

a couple of our recently-reduced DVDs. It's 9.30am, just gassed up, it's a

glorious day and we are on the way to the Mussel Inn - it doesn't get much

better than that.

Andrew

AOTNZ tour Methven

Long day to get to Methven yesterday helped by Felicity the GPS girl. Stodgy

corn fritters at Robert Harris in CHCH opposite Steve's AOTNZ office at the Arts

Centre (what a building!). Passed through interestingly-named towns Glentunnel

and Windwhistle. Luke at the Blue Pub seemed a likeable enough fellow,

surprising as he is an ex-professional Australian cricketer. We soon got over

that shock and were able to be civil to him tho. He could not have been more

generous and hospitable. Big nosh up before the gig and a lovely Barossa Valley

Merlot after. Difficult gig tho - half the audience had bussed in from Ashburton

and knew what we were about, the other half were skiers just in off the street

who really weren't interested so it was too noisy to do our usual schtick. Nice

breakfast at Cafe 131 - eggs benedict & tomato juice. Once we got away that is,

after James locked our bags in the pub. stupid boy. Rangiora apparently sold out

tonight at 160 pax. Drifto will be there so there will be Riding with Bob.

Andrew