TSB Festival of Lights

What a wonderful evening we had at the TSB Festival of Lights this year on January 20th. I was joined on stage by Jarrod Bakker from Wellington on keys/hammond organ and Wes James on bass/guitar. We have been collaborating for a couple of months, and it was a privilege to share the stage with these two talented and experienced musicians. 

Jarrod and I met through Dave Carnahan, who produced my EP, and he laid down a beautiful hammond organ part on one of my original songs 'Till You Can Be True'. We didn't meet each other until Jarrod and his girlfriend came to watch a show at Acoustic Routes in Wellington last year, which I performed with Janet Muggeridge. After that time we got to know each other a little better and I asked if he would collaborate for the festival of the lights. 

One time late last year when I visited Wellington for a rehearsal with Jarrod, we ended up practising in a very hot and sweaty yoga space (post hot yoga class) right off Cuba Street. The only issue being, that when I booked the space, I didn't realise it was up two flights of stairs!

Jarrod and I lugged his hammond, the amps, guitars, music stands and keyboard clumsily up the stairs, acting like a relay team, as one of us carried gear, while the other watched the car to make sure nothing was taken. We laughed about it afterwards and at the time I thought it would have made a really fun short video, if we had been able to capture all the intricacies of setting up a rehearsal in a new space. 

It was such a treat to perform in Pukekura Park, where there is such a diverse range of amazing trees and plants life, with so many hidden tracks to discover. It is the one place in this city that always brings calm to me, and it is such a blessing to have this kind of space in New Plymouth for everyone to enjoy. 

Thanks to the organisers of the TSB Festival of Lights, particularly Lisa Ekdahl for putting on an amazing event that was so well organised.

And thanks to William King for putting together this video of our version of John Lennon's 'Imagine'. You can watch it below. 

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