GROUP PLANS HAPPENING IN CHCH

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32777, 30 November 1971, Page 3

GROUP PLANS HAPPENING IN CHCH

The name is unusual enough: the Brunt Lawrence Electric Revellation Travelling Apparition. The reality is ever more so: a group of about 20 musicians and friends and 10 children travelling the South Island in a bus with a show that includes music, films and light displays. They are due to arrive in Christchurch today for shows at the week-end. The whole thing is led by

11 Bruno Lawrence, probably 0 the best known drummer in ■ New Zealand pop music and . I also a noted actor (he won a I- Feltex award for television n acting last year), and infl eluded in the group are the . pop group. Littlejohn, the a ’Acme Sausage Company, and n members of other Wellington h groups. Sons and Lovers and a Tamburlaine. s The troupe arrives in town t early in the week, creates its own publicity bv giving free shows for children and so on. and the climax of its visit n is a “happening” on the Fris day or Saturday night. In Christchurch it will be on - both days. BIG VARIETY The main shows begin with rock music, with each of the groups performing, and include plays in which all the troupe members will take part, films made by the Acme Sausage Company, and a light show. e “We want to get away j from the ordinary type of . dance and to broaden the s scene,” says Lawrence. Judging by some of the props—which include a film crane ' to suspend musicians above r the audience and an imitation _ space module—the shows ' should do just this. „ i “New Zealand kids have J[been getting a pretty raw _ deal lately and our idea is ’ to give them something they ' won’t forget,” says Lawrence, j But the troupe also plans to 3 get its own enjoyment from the tour, getting away from the high-pressure show busi-l ’ ness scene to have a relaxfjing holiday with all the farni-i 11 lies of those involved. “We only want to make > enough money to keep the 1J show going and the children ( fed.” SOFT ROCK Lawrence is now a member of Littlejohn, and until I recently was with the Quincy ■ Conserve. Since winning the • Feltex acting award last year ■ he has appeared in the television serial “Pukemanc..”

Other members of Littlejohn are Corben Simpsor (winner of the Silver Scroll award for songwriting at the recent Golden Disc awards) Tony Littlejohn and Allan Moon. The group’s music is a soft, country-style rock. Lawrence has long been [associated with the Acme Sausage Company which, besides being a rock group, is a film company and has made a number of interesting, highly-original films. The group’s major effort in filmmaking, “Tankbusters,” is in the final stages of preparation. The band part of the Acme Sausage Company has always had many members with a loose association. Members on tour, apart from Lawrence, are Geoff Murphy.

Kemp Tuirangi, Simon Morris (who still plays with Tamburlaine), Beverley Morrison, Beaver (a female singer), and a girl drummer named Robyn. The light show will be run by Pete Pharazyn. INVITATION I The troupe hopes to get in ! touch with as many local people as possible on the tour, and especially wants to ■meet local musicians, who will be encouraged to join i proceedings. I After the shows in Christchurch the troupe will travel to Ashburton and Timaru on December 10 and 11 and will then move south to Dunedin and on to some of the southern holiday towns, such as Queenstown and Wanaka.