From the Bay to the Louisiana swamps

'Surreal” is how Tauranga musician and Swamp Thing guitarist extraordinaire Grant Haua describes their upcoming tour to the United States this April.

But well before Grant and bandmate Michael Barker fly half-way around the world, the swamp-blues duo will be down at Mauao Performing Arts Centre for a kick-ass, one-off show next week.

Swamp Thing, from left: Michael Barker and Grant Haua. The two-piece blues juggernauts are playing down at the Mauao Performing Arts Centre on January 31. Photo: Petra Paignton

'It's kind of a mix of excitement and anxiousness, but that's how you know you're alive man,” says Grant about their impending American tour. 'I'm very excited, a little bit intimidated too, but that's cool.

'I guess you always dream about it, but when it starts to happen it's a little bit surreal.”

Grant says he's a huge fan of the music that grew out of the American South, particularly the sounds and songs that meccas like Louisiana and New Orleans have given to the world.

So while there's nerves, nothing can take the polish off the fact Swamp Thing will be the artists in residence at Baton Rouge's Tipitina Foundation in Louisiana during April.

They'll also appear as featured international artist at The Baton Rouge Blues Festival ahead of a tour through Louisiana's juke joints, bar circuit and participate in music workshops.

Swamp Thing will also get to hang as AAA guests at the iconic New Orleans Jazz Festival, where the group hopes to network and build an 'open corridor for us to go back and forth,” says Michael, Swamp Thing's drummer and multi-instrumentalist.

'They have a very strong music scene and we were invited by a really cool guy called Eric Harowacs, who lived in New Zealand for a time and saw us perform in Australia a couple of years ago.

'Blues, and the sub-genre ‘swamp blues', is very much part of their culture so he [Eric] is hugely interested in how it's transmogrified into our culture.

'Eric's offering to help showcase what we do to music promoters in the States, so we'll be doing a bunch of shows in and around Baton Rouge, the swamps and some of the famous old juke joints.”

Not only will the music be amazing, both Michael and Grant are looking forward to getting stuck into some crawfish, which he says was actually the original purpose behind the New Orleans Music Festival.

Michael adds: 'In fact, all of the music festivals are actually crawfish festival, and the music was a secondary thing but is now the primary focus. Both Grant and I basically love eating anything that crawls.”

Swamp Thing have come off the back of a brilliant summer filled with gigs and they're both looking forward to their return to Mount Maunganui on January 31.

The Mauao PAC show is part of Swamp Thing's ‘Let's Get Live' tour to promote the release of their live DVD and album of the same name, which was recorded at Okere Falls Store in Rotorua last year.

Over the past four years they have received huge support from Tauranga audiences and they're looking to put on a show that'll energise and entertain.

'We don't play in my home town a hell of a lot,” says Grant, who hails originally from Welcome Bay. 'So it's good to get friends and family come along and check out the gig.”

Rotorua lad Michael adds: 'It's a really special place to me. We're looking forward to sharing our music with the locals.”

The show will also see Swamp Thing joined by a number of special guests on the night, which will be opened by newcomer and Michale's drumming student Liam Jolly.

There will be a few other surprise on the night, but you wont know what they are unless you get down to Mauao PAC next week.

'Things are going from strength to strength, we put a lot of focus on every show because you're only as good as your last.

'We get a lot of smiling, happy people along to our shows who dance and have fun and that's really neat for myself and Grant.”

Swamp Thing will be performing at the Mauao Performing Arts Centre in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, January 31.

Door tickets are subject to availability and cost $25, while online tickets cost $20 via website: www.eventfinder.co.nz

For more information or to buy a copy of Swamp Thing's ‘Let's Get Live' DVD and live album visit their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/swampthingnz

Watch Swamp Thing perform ‘Voodoo Doll' from their ‘Let's get Live' DVD below:

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3 comments

Brilliant!!!

Posted on 26-01-2015 17:33 | By Jimmy Ehu

you guys deserve all the accolades that come your way, great music, and great people, keep on sending those tunes my way!!!!


The greatest recording studio on earth

Posted on 26-01-2015 19:41 | By GreertonCynic

I hope you guys get to Mussel Shoals. Worth the trip.


Only the best, Brothers....Mean!!!

Posted on 26-01-2015 23:49 | By Te Kehua

Mean brothers....you both deserve this opportunity to fly....Your music rocks and soon America will become enthralled in it....Kia kaha korua


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