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| | Reviews | | | | 'Oxo Cubans' BIG NIGHT OUT'
MAYFAIR THEATRE, Dunedin SAT AUG 28th, 8pm
Dunedin has developed an exceptional and diverse base of musical talent in recent years, and veteran local musicians Doug Wright, Craig Reeves, Marcel Rodeka are determined to develop opportunities for many of them to show their skills.
Wright, Reeves and Rodeka from top Dunedin band The Oxo Cubans, are doing something about it. The Oxo Cubans Big Night Out at The Mayfair Theatre on Saturday August 28 will be a showcase for this burgeoning southern talent, some of whom have already cut their teeth with the Oxos at the Isis Lounge Thursday night jam and open mic sessions. Hopefully this will be the first of many concerts at The Mayfair to fill what the three musicians see as a gap in the Dunedin music scene.
“There has to be a next step up for younger artists, like those coming out of the university rock music course” says Reeves. “To progress as performers they need to gain live theatre and concert experience and for that, the Mayfair is ideal”.
New Sony Music signing Annah Mac (her follow-up to the successful Focus single has just come out) is an outstanding example of the exciting young talent to have emerged here recently. Anna will be one of the Special Guests at The Big Night Out, along with her younger sisters Kristin and Rita Macdonald, already receiving critical acclaim as major singer-songwriter talents.
“Annah was singing with us on Thursday nights when she was still at school, as now are Kristin and Rita” says Rodeka. “These girls are just amazing.”
The Oxo Cubans (their live CD is now ready for release) have over the past few years clearly taken on a mentor role, not dissimilar to that of veteran 60s English bluesman Alexis Korner, who in the 1960s invited every aspiring young musician in London to sit in with his band and learn about performing. From this came a host of legendary rockers, including key members of The Rolling Stones, Cream and The Yardbirds. Another aspiring young musician who will feature at The Oxos Big Night Out is Bulgarian guitarist, Simeon Boyadjiev, currently studying at the university rock degree course.
“He plays like Hendrix and Clapton combined, he’s incredible for his age,” says Rodeka.
Around 150 musicians and singers can claim to have been an Oxo Cuban over the band’s 18-year career, but the permanent core of the band is Reeves, who played with, amongst others, The Bellamy Brothers while based in America, Rodeka, who went to Australia and found fame with Mother Goose, and seasoned local keyboardist Doug Wright. At The Mayfair, they are joined by award-winning Neville Copland on keys, fresh from his first movie soundtrack, The Insatiable Moon, and guitarist John Meddings. Featured artists include the 2010 Tui songwriting winner Matt Langley, who first surfaced in 1990s rock band The Fold, international country rock performer Jeff Rea, multi-instrumentalist Mike Hood and roots harmony group The Polyester Boys, who describe themselves wittily as New Zealand’s top artificial plastic covers band.
“Along with the “Dunedin Sound”, which has been great for the city, there is so much more happening here now, so many different types of music being made,” says Wright. “This concert is a win-win-win. The wonderful Mayfair gets a whole new audience, young musicians are mentored and get vital playing experience and a charity will benefit from the sale of refreshments on the night. We are hoping to run concerts like this regularly.”
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