Source: Radio New Zealand
Taranaki music fans are being urged to forget the disappointment of Womad taking a break and instead pull on a black T-shirt, a pair of skinny jeans and get ready to rock.
Full Metal Orchestra – which marries heavy rock with a live orchestra – is headed to the Bowl of Brooklands this weekend in a stark contrast to the three-day world music festival.
Shihad frontman Jon Toogood is one of the headliners at Full Metal Orchestra which also includes Phil Rudd of AC/DC, a host of guest vocalists and live sets from acts such as Devilskin and Blindspott.
Shihad’s Jon Toogood.
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“When I was a kid my Aunty Jean used to take me along to the NZSO Sunday Pops at the Wellington Town Hall and it used to be the thing like ‘wow’ this the best thing I’ve heard in my life,” he said.
“So, I was always a fan of orchestras, but I ended up playing in a speed metal band and then with a rock band, so with this I was like how does that sit with metal?
“Well it turns out metal is the perfect sort of dramatic sort of rock music to go along with a symphony orchestra because symphony orchestras can do drama better than any band.”
Taranaki music fans urged to get ready to rock Morning Report
Then it was a case of – why hasn’t anyone done this before?
“When you’re doing a song like Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’, which is an eight minute sort of orchestral metal piece basically, it is just a wonderful thing.
“But even then in saying that, things like Slayer, I mean, who would’ve thought of putting Slayer’s ‘Reign in Blood’ with an orchestra well they did and it works insanely well.”
Blindspott will also be playing at the Bowl of Brooklands concert.
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This summer the Bowl of Brooklands has hosted Rock The Bowl – headlined by LAB and Rudimental – and Kingston Calling with UB40 topping the bill.
While not keen to talk numbers, the district council’s manager of venues and events, Chade Julie, was happy with efforts to fill the void left by Womad’s absence .
“One hundred percent we’re very proud of what the team has delivered so far across all of our venues.
“We’ve had two very successful concerts that have happened at the Bowl and we’ve got Full Metal Orchestra happening at the weekend which is going to be absolutely epic and we’re really excited and the team is really amped about that.”
Devilskin will also be playing in New Plymouth at the weekend.
Ash Muir
Taranaki metal fans were primed. Craig McDonald won a double pass in a competition at the Vinyl Countdown record store in New Plymouth.
“Mate, it’s going to be epic. You don’t really get things like this at the Bowl too often it’s more summer music and laid back,” he told RNZ.
Alexis Gyde was bringing a crew along from the Get Up street art festival currently running in the city.
“The Bowl creates an amazing atmosphere for live music and I think with the Full Metal Orchestra it’s not only going to be an audio event, it’s very much a visual display with all the pyrotechnics.
“So, it’s going to be quite loud, heavy and I feel strongly it’s going to be amazing.”
Jenny Skudlander is another artist who will be playing on Saturday in New Plymouth.
Steve Dykes
Toogood promised the show wouldn’t disappoint.
“It’s a spectacle for the eyes, it’s a spectacle for the ears.
“If you like hard rock or metal the programming – the songs chosen covering really all the classic metal songs that we all know with a kick arse band behind us as well on stage with the orchestra – it’s just a joy.”
Taranaki music fans urged to get ready to rock Morning Report
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
