Hopetoun Brown and The Genius Of Finn Scholes

Some may recognise Tim Stewart and Nick Atkinson as the horn section from local chart toppers Supergroove, others may have heard Atkinson on Radio New Zealand covering local music for the station. The duo are now known as Hopetoun Brown, a unique ensemble that relies on the big booted stomp and golden tonsils of lead singer Tim Stewart hollerin' over the deep down parps of Atkinson's bass clarinet and tenor sax.

The pair have wowed crowds at WOMAD, Splore Festival and the Waiheke Jazz Festival and some Banks Peninsula locals may have caught their recent Arts on Tour set in Akaroa last May. They've also been known to surprise revellers at Lyttelton's funkiest haunt Civil & Naval. Hopetoun Brown also recorded their first two albums with Ben Edwards above the port town so the Peninsula has almost become a second home for this tiny band with a big sound.

On Friday January 4th they're bringing a very special guest to The Gaiety Theatre in Akaroa; the amazing Finn Scholes. Arguably the finest young trumpet player in the country he was recently hand-picked by Neil Finn for an Austral-Asian tour and he joins Hopetoun Brown on brass duties. Yet this musician brings so much more than an extra horn. During their visit last May the three musicians drove over the hill to Okains Bay, where their puny Auckland minds were blown away by the incredible scenery and the fine museum. Scholes taught the Hopetoun Brown boys a fresh tune near the beach called Down The Misty Hill and since that moment these three have been itching to play the new song to the people of Akaroa.

During their last visit the kind folks at Mr Peacock decked the boys out in fancy shirts after their performance. It was one of many touching gestures from Akaroa locals and Hopetoun Brown can't wait to return with their festival of brass and blues on a balmy summer's eve.

Expect trumpets, trombones, hollerin', sing-alongs, tubas, saxophones, bass clarinets, all manner of stomping, clapping, tambourine shaking and dancing!

The show will start at 8pm with doors opening at 7.30pm