“Come Together” for a musical, cultural, comedy performance
Former Pop Mechanix member Chris Moore. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Musician and all-round entertainer Chris Moore is promising a unique musical and storytelling experience when he presents “Come Together” at Takaka’s Village Theatre next Saturday 13 August from 7.30 to 9pm.
“It’s an interactive tour of the history of popular music from the time of the Blues up until Woodstock,” says Chris. “It’s part cultural history, part musical performance and part comedy. The main character,The Ghost of the Blues, narrates the story, using little bits of popular songs and kind of pulling things together to make sense of them.”
Chris devised the show after an experience he had busking in Wanaka. His act that involved explaining all the meanings of Don McLean’s hit song American Pie.
“An entertainer called Kevin Lynch, aka “Len the Loser” was in the crowd and came up to me after my show and encouraged me to build a whole show by extending the time scheme back to the Blues and forward to Woodstock. I like to play around with words and song titles, so I made the show and practised it up. He told me that if I did it well I could take the show on the road and aim it at the corporate audience, something he knew a lot about. He said they’d love it – and he was right. Actually everyone loves it, that’s why I’m putting a show on in Takaka.”
For some years Chris has spent his winters living in his yurt at Totaranui, so he says he has a great connection with the Bay. As a gesture of goodwill, he has been doing free previews of “Come Together” in the Bay’s schools.
Chris says that the interactive nature of the show is what goes over the best at conferences. He has attracted rave reviews at corporate events here and in Australia.
“The audience gets to play along as well and they really like it. I never liked the idea of getting a cheap laugh by making someone look silly. No one gets picked on in ‘Come Together’.”
Chris was once a member of Pop Mechanix, so he has been playing music professionally for many years. He says that “Come Together” is a show with the kind of integrity and durability that means he can tour the country in the footsteps of entertainers he admires, like Sam Hunt and Gary McCormick.
“I’ve created something that’s bigger than me.”
Tickets ($20/$10 children and OAPs) are at Brief Affair in Takaka.
Neil Wilson
