Local young musos are getting a little bit country as the Raglan Country & Blues Festival tunes up for Labour Weekend.
A youth concert has been added to the line-up on Saturday, October 24, at the Harbour View Hotel, showcasing some of Raglan’s rising musical talent.
Raglan Area School Year 11 student Sophie Gaustad is looking forward to taking the stage after performing with friends at a pop-up street busking performance last year.
“We played outside the library and people stopped by to listen, but this year there will actually be a proper audience, so that’ll be cool,” she says.
Sophie will perform with Emergence, a band formed at school, alongside Kaiden Rossiter on guitar and bass player Kenzie Tewhau.
The trio will perform five or six classic country and blues-influenced songs, including ‘Jack and Diane’ and ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain?’
“We’ve tried to pick common songs that people can sing along to,” Sophie says.
For the mainly self-taught guitarist, music has been a passion from an early age.
“I used to play on Dad’s old guitar, which didn’t have all of its strings. I had guitar lessons when I was younger, but I didn’t like them because I just wanted to do my own thing.”
These days, Sophie says Vicki Greetis and her current guitar teacher, Nathan Aish, have played an important role in her musical development.
“They’ve been inspirational mentors and have helped me so much with my music,” she says.
The festival performance won’t be Sophie’s first taste of performing in front of a live audience.
Last year, she and a group of friends auditioned for Rockquest, gaining valuable experience despite not making it through to the next round.
“It was very hard, and we didn’t get through. Not many people did, but they gave us good feedback,” Sophie says.
One of the lessons Sophie took away from judges’ feedback was the importance of stage presence.
“They were looking for energy, and I think it shows experience. If you’re moving around, then you’re comfortable in what you’re doing.”
For all her growing confidence as a performer, Sophie says stepping up to the microphone without a guitar feels very different.
“I love singing but I feel naked without a guitar… there’s nothing to hide behind.”
Festival coordinator and long-time local muso Dave Maybee believes it is important to foster and celebrate young, up-and-coming musicians.
“Our kaupapa going forward has always been to ‘pass the torch’ of musical skills on to next generations, so there will be more songs, and musicians performing them – the youth are that vehicle.”
