Too Many Chiefs

Andrew London, Wayne Mason & Rob Joass

Mates on the road rolling out top quality songwriting and musicianship, with lashings of irony and humour. – East Auckland Times

Three songwriters argue over headline billing, playing order, and whose shout it is, while talking about themselves and playing their self-selected ’Greatest Hits’.

Wayne Mason is something of a Kiwi icon, having won the ‘song of the Century’ with his song ‘Nature’, first recorded in the ’60s with The Fourmyula, and also covered by the Muttonbirds in the ’90s. Also a founder member of Rockinghorse and The Warratahs, Wayne now records and tours under his own name. When on the road with the Chiefs his job is to deliver philosophical profundities such as ‘music is like water – it just seeps away into the ground’.

Rob Joass is a 3 times Tui Award finalist, singer/songwriter and leader of folk/rock troubadours Hobnail. His gritty songs are equal parts folk and country rock, with the occasional barb of satirical humour betraying a cynical perspective on the human condition honed by decades of constant touring through the highways and back roads Europe, Canada and NZ. Rob calls this ‘repeatedly smashing myself up against a wall’.

Andrew London tours and records with his own trio, imaginatively named The Andrew London Trio. He was previously Chief of swing trio Hot Club Sandwich, whose repertoire consisted mostly of Andrew’s whimsical, humourous and satirical ditties. He was also assistant Chief of Kapiti’s ‘Cattlestops’, a five-piece country band whose Tui-nominated album ‘Back to Rosetta Road’ provided much of the soundtrack to the movie ‘Second Hand Wedding’.

This was not a series of songs but a complete performance, and their banter and commentary was a part of that. It was like sitting down with a group of friends reminiscing – such a cool relaxed vibe – and then this great music kept being served up. Too Many Chiefs – Buy tickets. You won’t regret it! Nicola Voice, concert review.

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the evening begins at 7:30 pm with a blackboard of performers, where there is an opportunity for musicians to put their name up for an item. The guests perform after supper and the drawing of the raffle.

Admission, which includes a light supper, is $10 for members, $15 for non-members; Students: Uni $10, College $5, Primary $3. Cash only (no eftpos facilities).

The venue is the Horowhenua Scottish Society Hall, 155 Bartholomew Road, corner Bartholomew Road and Middlesex Street, Levin.

Come and enjoy a night of fun and music!

Wayne Mason, Andrew London, Rob Joass – Too Many Chiefs
Image source: Rob Joass