Proxy Music launch will be a picnic

Early next month the tranquillity of Bethunes Gully will be shattered as a collection of Dunedin's finest bands, from the up-and-coming to the well-established, share the billing on a large line-up.

John White and his half-brother Sam wanted to host an outdoor party, and settled on Bethunes Gully, as John White explains.

"Initially, we were looking at Chingford Park, but there's a lot of neighbours right next to the field there, so we thought Bethunes would be ideal in terms of keeping everyone happy.

"And because it's a daytime event largely consisting of family and friends of the performers, it will pretty much be a big family picnic with music to boot."

As well as being under the Radio One banner, the gig will also launch a relatively new Dunedin label, Proxy Music.

"At the end of last year, Sam and Lisandru were thinking of a place that would be good to show off lots of the bands from their Proxy Music record label.

"Doing something outside seemed like a nice idea, so we asked the council if it would be possible - and it was."

Outdoor gigs nearly always attract noise complaints from someone, but White says that is why Bethunes Gully was chosen.

"It has a clearing just up from the main picnic area that's a good little spot for having music.

"There are tall pines for kilometres around, which is good for keeping sound issues to a minimum.

"Plus it's got barbecue facilities and a good lawn of grass . . ."

The line-up includes Heka, TFF, Mountaineater, The Aesthetics, Horsehead Nebula, Sewage, Bastard Wisher, OPC and Communist Rainbow Relationship.

John White said that says if people wanted to "try before they buy", a compilation of the bands playing can be found at www.proxymusic.org.

The band line-up for the Bethunes party can also be found on the Proxy Music website.

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Be there
The gig begins at Bethunes Gully at noon on March 6.

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