Renowned blues artist to play Memorial Hall

March 31st, 2013

Memorial Hall will be the venue for another international music star in April when multi award-winning American blues singer/guitarist Watermelon Slim plays here as part of his New Zealand tour.

The booking arose from the successful staging of the fabulous Spooky Men concert here last October (see our story here), with the newly refurbished stage lighting and sound system drawing praise from the artists.

Watermelon Slim's group looked up New Zealand facilities on the internet, saw the comments about the Spooky Men concert, and rang staging manager Mark Wentworth to see if Memorial Hall was free.

This placed Motueka among the 13 larger towns and cities (including Nelson) as part of the tour itinerary. The concert will be on Thursday April 18th starting at 8pm. Hot Mamas will be running the bar and nibbles on site that night.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from State Cinema Motueka or Hot Mamas Café. Door sales on the night will be $30 with no guarantee of seats.

Born in Boston, Bill "Watermelon Slim" Homans has built a remarkable reputation with his raw, impassioned intensity. HARP Magazine wrote "From sizzling slide guitar . . . to nitty-gritty harp blowing . . . to a gruff, resonating Okie twang, Slim delivers acutely personal workingman blues with both hands on the wheel of life, a bottle of hooch in his pocket, and the Bible on the passenger seat."

Paste Magazine writes "He's one hell of a bottleneck guitarist, and he's got that cry in his voice that only the greatest singers in the genre have had before him."

Watermelon Slim & The Workers have garnered 17 Blues Music Award nominations in four years including a record-tying six in both 2007 & 2008. Only the likes of B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray have landed six in a year and Slim is the only blues artist in history with twelve in two consecutive years.

In Spring 2009 he was the cover story of Blues Revue magazine. Now, Watermelon Slim is making more waves with Escape From the Chicken Coop, his first-person account of the days he spent driving a truck. It is just one of many instances of a life spent changing gears.

Two of Slim's records were ranked #1 in MOJO Magazine's annual Top Blues CD rankings. Industry awards include The Independent Music Award for Blues Album of the Year, The Blues Critic Award and Canada's Maple Blues Award for International Artist of the Year among others.

Slim first appeared on the music scene with the release of the only known protest record by a veteran during the Vietnam War.

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

[ Return ]
[ Other news articles ]

We wish to thank these local community-minded businesses who generously sponsor our site. They recognise the value of supporting this community asset, and in return Motueka Online is pleased to use and recommend their services whenever appropriate.

Ray White Motueka, Motueka Floral Studio, Nelson Building Society, House of Travel,
Greenwood Active Health, Great Shape Today, T.O.A.D Hall, , Satellite Networks