NoneTreeHill

The Wine Cellar, St Kevins Arcade (K Rd), Auckland

08/03/2011 - 12/03/2011

Auckland Fringe 2011

Production Details



Not since The Feelers’ groundbreaking Playground Battle have New Zealanders had as much reason to be excited about mid-tempo, guitar-driven soft-rock as they do with NoneTreeHill. 

From the leafy suburb of Devonport, ‘NTH’ as they are affectionately called by lead singer Jason, are pumped and rehearsing around the clock Fridays and Saturdays from 5-6:30 at Devonport Anglican Church in preparation for their debut show at legendary establishment, The Wine Cellar. 

NoneTreeHill’s breakthrough single ‘U-turn’ has been described as ‘easilydownloadable’, ‘recorded’ and has been sent in for air-time consideration to almost all of the main Auckland radio stations.

With up to four different chords in every song and lyrics that sound as if “a human heart grew arms and learnt to use a pen”, NoneTreeHill urge you to catch them while they are still together and so inexpensive.

Brought to you by the writing/performing duo of Nic Sampson & Joseph Moore (Comedy Festival hit, The Burn), 2010 Billy T Award winner Rhys Mathewson, and actor Barnaby Fredric (The Irrefutable Truth About Pet Food), NoneTreeHill: Live at the Wine Cellar is an outrageous new musical comedy that invites Fringe audiences to witness the world’s most disastrous debut gig unfold in real time.

From forgotten chord changes to chemical biohazard spillages, NoneTreeHill have everything thrown at them. Will the power of their decidedly average music be enough to keep the band together and (literally) save everybody’s lives? 

With the involvement of some of Auckland’s finest comic talent, an array of annoyingly catchy songs, and the added bonus of a (genuinely) good support act every night – NoneTreeHill: Live at the Wine Cellar promises to be one of the most entertaining nights out of the 2011 Auckland Fringe calendar.

The Wine Cellar, St. Kevins Arcade, 183 Karangahape Rd
Tue 8th – Sat 12th March 8.30 pm
Adults $16 / Conc. $13 / Group $13
For bookings or general enquiries, please e-mail the band manager at nonetreehilllive@gmail.com  

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1hr

Fast and loose farce

Review by Stephen Austin 09th Mar 2011

Who are Nonetreehill? They’re Auckland’s favourite newest mid-tempo, radio ready rock band. No surprise that you’ve never heard of them; this is their first gig. 

Front-man, Jacob (Nic Sampson), has aspirations that the band is going to make it big and is playing this show for his Dad’s accountancy firm’s annual wine and cheese mixer. He’s trying to prove that he has what it takes to be a musician, before his father sends him to accounting college. His ex-girlfriend and sometime bassist, Lily (Edith Poor), has a bit of a chip on her shoulder about their relationship and has just been to South America, and she wants everyone to know about it.

DARREN! (Rhys Matthewson) is the self-obsessed stoner drummer, who thinks he’s in a metal band. His brother, Bruno (Joseph Moore), plays guitar and is the paranoid, off-the-map, hipster of the group. 

One of the accountants joins the band on-stage for the evening, forcing Lily to play tambourine for the whole gig and causing ructions within the band. Before long the situation turns fully pear-shaped and the band reaches breaking-point right in front of a room full of blood-thirsty accountants, with no means of escape. 

The script here is a well written farce and is paced just right. This cast of young talented comedians carry the load equally, wringing every last laugh out of the ridiculous situation.

At times it does feel like this may have been intended as a short film, as there are moments when spatial constraints and believability are a little strained – stepping away from the mic indicates that the ‘audience’ can’t hear what’s going on, and steps us out of the moment of the gig itself. The Wine Cellar, while lending nicely to the rock ‘n’ roll vibe, isn’t quite believable as a venue for a white-collar work mixer. 

The music shows some talent in the writing and execution too.  Great rich sound is created in the small space to carry the snide comical lyrics. 

Played as fast and loose as you’d expect a band gig at the Fringe to go, this is a great fun piece that works well and should go down favourably with a broad, younger audience looking for something fun in their Fringe diet. The opening night crowd had a rocking good time.

This review kindly supported by The James Wallace Arts Trust http://www.wallaceartstrust.org.nz/


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