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Luke Hurley guitarist and singer songwriter from New Zealand. View all posts by Luke →

Gold Streets In Tiny Town

August 17, 2018blog, newsLuke

It was great to visit Dunedin and play at the K&Q. Lovely venue. Made me realise that it’s important to have a place that’s purpose built for a show. Not a venue that’s purpose built to sell grog. Ha ha.

All you performers out there and this includes anyone with a message of any kind to deliver. My unsolicited advice to you is this. If you gonna do an event then put yourself and the people you invite in a place free of distractions.

Another venue of note was Players Theatre in Marton. Pleeeeeeease if you are in the game of putting it out there…..please do a gig there. Fantastic room and pa /lights and top notch management They put the word out and made me feel totally at ease.

Barrytown Hall. Soooooooooooooo Cool. They totally care for the performer and their audience. It’s like coming home to family for Christmas. And if you do a show there be sure to have a very long interval. People like to catch up. They yak and yak and yak. Let them. And don’t play canned music in the breaks. That’s why it’s called a break. You have a break from any distractions and let people convivialise.

No such word ay? not in big cities anyway.

Invers has great venues. The back packers on the Main Street. Try that. Ok there are the usual distractions of alcohol and food but they are smart. They allow for this by getting a great sound system and put the word out real well. Puts to shame the venues of the big smoke.

It has one of the worlds best transport museums and a super successful company called Richardson. 3000 trucks and 7000 employees and a very generous community spirit. i.e. their wealth gets shared with the town of origin. If Fletchers did this in it’s town of origin South Dunedin’s streets would be paved with gold. Family business any day.

And that’s the essence of it. Think family. You do a show with people who treat you and your audience like family. That’s the way of the past and that’s gonna be the way of the future ay brothers and sisters?

Happiness is more important than 💰 and fame but being happy won’t necessarily exclude them either.

More to come about venues in NZ but enough said for this blog except to say please support the cause and get me to play at yours or something. Phone me now 02102592919. I promise to play like a bastard.

Coming up. If you are in Auckland there is a showing of the short movie mentioned a few weeks back.

Lopdell House Titirangi Flicks

Robin has the movie ‘To Be Or Not To Be’ and it’s screening on the 12th. He runs the cinema In Titirangi. He is a serious film maker and he wants to screen it.

Wednesday 12th September, a series of short films including two from this year’s Doc Edge Festival, details of all films out soon already booked ‘To Be or Not To Be’ a short film about musician.songwriter Luke Hurley and ‘In Search of the Bone People’ ‘Sailing Away’ and others. Showing at 10-30am / 6pm / 8-pm Lopdell Theatre .

There is a very high chance that I will be at one or more of those screenings (TBC) to support Jing Chen so come along and say hi. More details here

Adult: morning screenings $12 Senior/Student: $10 includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits 10-30am
Evening Screenings Adult: $14 Senior/Student $12 5-30pm or 6pm depending on film duration and 8-15pm
14 years old and under $7 (with an adult) dependent on film rating.

Flicks at Lopdell says: Text bookings to 0210 222 5558 (they text back to confirm)
Telephone bookings 09 818 2489
They take EFTPOS on tickets sales as well as bar sales… (finally !!) at the venue

Thank you Dunedin

July 25, 2018news, tourLuke

It’s been fun. Especially good in the old capital. Dunedin is a place I wrote most of my best songs in. The ODT preview for the show was a really pleasant surprise. The show itself was huge fun. I think I managed to pay the heating bill…

Thanks to all who came out at night in Dunedin last week. Thanks to those who shared on social or told to your friends about the gig. Thanks also to Lee Vandervis and all the others who wrote on their timelines such kind words.

Thanks also to the ODT who wrote this.

“Luke Hurley was once a fixture in Dunedin, busking in its streets and playing its halls, but after leaving in 1992, he’s hardly been back. That’s about to change.
What have you been doing since leaving Dunedin?
Since moving to Auckland in the ’90s I have been practising, writing and recording. I’ve been releasing the odd album. Much of the time that has involved getting nowhere, but then discovering a new way of approaching it all. But I’ve never understood the art of marketing.
It’s possible to have the work ready to share but it isn’t easy to find a way to share it effectively, unless you play like crazy wherever you can, from on a bus to at a Tedx Auckland event; which I have done and was fun, by the way. The Tedx event was quite literally 15 minutes of fame (and is still up on YouTube).
But a turning point for me was in 2007, in Dublin, when this amazing man gave me the best advice ever. “Just play,” he said. `”Play like a bastard.”
From then on, it made sense to forget the remote and futile goal of making the grade, whatever that means, by surrendering to something way greater. Just playing and growing by accident rather than by design. It’s the blues approach and I am an old blues man, qualified with dues paid many times over.
The music industry has changed a lot. No-one buys CDs any more, for a start.
As a result, I invested in playing live. It works. The live presence is vital, the rest is virtual. Literally.
That’s why my new album is called one take one voice one guitar. There are no gimmicks, just organic music from a certified music nut.
It’s not available yet. It has taken ages so far and may take ages yet, but I’m in no hurry.”

The read the full story see here. New approaches from an old identity

Dunedin – faces from the road

July 17, 2018news, tourLuke

Touring is easier than in times of old. Please if you are reading this do me a big favour. Share the info of where and when I am playing in Dunedin this Thursday night.

It’s a biggie and we stand to lose by playing this one. The costs of the gig are not gonna be met unless there is a big turnout. 500 seats to fill. 02102592919 for ticket details. Update: Added some ticket buttons over here if that is more convenient.

Here are some faces from the road. Thanks to all these people. And see more down the page.

One needs to entertain thoughts of the good old days with a pinch of salt. They often weren’t that good. Touring for instance. It was a nightmare. The gigs had to be planned well in advance. Posters had to be sent out. Newspapers and radio had to be approached and often wouldn’t respond.

Now it’s all easier. Social media gets the word out. Posters can be run off from a PDF and word can spread way easier. Sound systems are affordable and even transport costs are greatly reduced. So instead of losing you can almost break even but we still need help anywhere we can get it.

So please let folks know on social media and by word of mouth. Come to the gigs – get off the couch 🙂

Call me if you need more info 021 0259 2919

Here are some more stills of my journey so far.

Barry producer of "Make Room" — Barry producer of “Make Room” which BTW we want to reissue on vinyl if enough interest?

Picton tonight

July 5, 2018newsLuke

Le Cafe. Picton. If you are reading this and know anyone in Picton who needs to hear my sounds please call them and let them know I am playing at Le Cafe Picton tonight from 7.30pm.

Tell them to ask for me. Or call 02102592919. It’s a big deal going without Netfix for a couple of hours but they can do it. I know they can

Last night played at a tiny gathering in Island Bay where you enter the venue thru a cupboard. I played a few from back in the day including Make Room which has always been a warning call regarding the distinct possibility of more un-civil wars.

I also played a new song called Crossing The Bridge. Life is a bridge. You cross it and you don’t look back. I played Mona Lisa as this is the Secrets Of The Mona Lisa Tour.

That’s how it started. I got asked to play the opening of the secrets of the Mona Lisa exhibition

All the tour dates

June 30, 2018news, tourLuke

Well what do you reckon about touring? It’s been more than ten years since last I toured these 🌴 islands. A tiny record company organised a tour for me and we did about 40 gigs.

It ran at a big loss as most all tours do. It was fun but sadly didn’t pay the bills. Why? Elementary dear Watson. It’s a tiny country. Geographically as big as the Britain but peoplewise it’s the size of Manchester. And this presents formidable problems. No matter who you may be.

There just aren’t enough residents to make staging shows all over the country a professional proposition. Not only that but the people are generally not that interested and if they are they certainly don’t wanna pay when they can get multi billion dollar budget shows on Netflix for nicks.

There is a slight challenge with that in the sense that Netflix isn’t live entertainment but who cares?The less real the more popular. Living breathing humans don’t count for much it seems.

And this presents a problem and only mad dogs and rebels would try to make it pay. That’s where I come in. I am touring again and unashamedly need your support. It’s impossible to tour without support so please ease the pain if you wanna see me more often than once in 11 years. Ha ha.

Fact is artists have to revert to the ancient support system of patronage coz selling their work isn’t so viable in the age of socially sanctioned kleptomania. What happened to copyright law? For instance. Why is my material all over the place freely available. I didn’t allow it. You did. Ha ha.

So please if you like my sounds give something back. Come to a show. Buy an album on band camp or Invite me to play at yours where I can sing for my supper. Call me anytime 02102592919. Here is my itinerary. If you see holes in it then those are dates I can play for you. Got it? See Gig Guide for more details

01. Marton. Concert
02.
03. Levin. Concert
04. Wellington concert
05. Le cafe Picton
06. Tui Community
07. Moutere Inn
08 Barrytown Hall
09.
10. Christchurch house concert
11.
12.
13. Invercargill
14.
15.
16.
17.
18. Sombreros Queenstown
19. Dunedin concert – Kings & Queens Tickets $20 – doors open at 7pm
20.
21. Arthur St Kitchen Timaru- daytime 11am-2pm 02102592919
22. Fairfield House. Nelson – evening concert 02102592919
24.
25.
26. Event is at Benedict’s Cafe, Dowse Drive, Maungaraki at 8pm on Thursday 26 July. Adults $10, ~~children $5~~ (kids now free) tickets on sale on the door. Family friendly community event , will finish at 9.30pm. Call 02102592919

And 23 27th onwards is free so pls invite me someplace!

If you wanna go to any of the above pls call me for details 02102592919

So you see the holes in the itinerary? Help me fill them ok?and if you can please throw some bones. I got a thirsty car and a lot of expenses. We can’t let the stadium contractors dominate everything. Our fav stars only play one or two gigs and bugger off for a few years. Ha ha as for me. You are stuck with me on these happy isles

But wait. I can play anywhere. Invite me to China please. would love to do a continent now and then!

Moutere

Tour connections

June 23, 2018news, tourLuke

Just having a coffee at Olaf’s on the eve of my prospective tour.

So far we have bookings in a few offbeat venues. Perfect!probs run at a loss as all tours always do but it be fun and people be more important than things ay? If I were successful I wouldn’t have time to connect.

Luke tour

“This name on the latte is connection.”

It wouldn’t happen unless I were loyal if only to where I sip a pensive dish of caffeine. Ha ha. Let’s hope my loyalty presents itself to my sponsors. That’s you. If you read this blog and listen to my sounds then that’s great support already.

If you throw a few bones my way then even better.

July 2018 tour. No gig too anything. Call me now 021 0259 2919. First confirmed gig is 7th at Moutere. And The secrets Of The Mona Lisa concert July 30 in Palmerston North. Updates to come. Invercargill July 13th, 14th.

One take ensured the final result – new album in progress

June 8, 2018news, philosophyLuke

It’s been a long time. I had nothing to say. Frankly it was a tough time since the last post. The writing is on the wall for me and other impossible believers. There is only a tiny ledge to stand on and it’s a long way down. In other news a new album has been recorded so there is that 🙂

278 and Mischief 278 on the right is a star cow.

But one things certain. There will always be die hard fans for simple acoustic music just as there are patrons for tiny fine dining cafes. We are not aiming to compete with Mac Donald’s. Ha ha. Hence the new album which was recorded here.

It took a few days to record. The studio is a marvel. It was designed around the superb microphones. It’s so good in fact that bare minimal mixing ensured to get the final result. THE BRIDGE. a song I wrote in 2005 was captured sooooo well. I don’t care what the critics say. It captured what I have wanted to convey since 2005. It’s 9 minutes long and breaks all the rules.

Then there’s FAR AWAY, TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY. which is a song based on a tune I wrote 40 years ago. Finally we captured that also. The recording quality is astonishing. Here is the studio.

Inside the studio where we recorded the album

Working title ONE TAKE “Ensured the final result”
So simple. A tiny studio in the middle of a field perfectly sound insulated and proportioned to record one voice one guitar in one take where the capture is so good little needs to be done in post production.

Recording is the first step. Need to pay for that and also for mixing and mastering and other production logistics – hopefully with your help.

Pick an amount below to donate $NZ 5, 10, 20, 50 or $150 to Luke for the new album. A shopping cart will display immediately below ( or in the sidebar if that is easier) and this will allow you to make secure payments from your credit card via PayPal. So far the recording has cost $4k and a typical “no frills” budget is around $7k so it would be great if we get some help. We are thinking $20 and above gets you an early release of the album…

Donate $5 to new album (NZD)

Donate $10 to new album (NZD)

Donate $20 to new album (NZD)

Donate $50 to new album (NZD)

Donate $150 to new album (NZD)

On another front Crystal Chen’s movie TO BE OR NOT TO BE got a great response at the documentary film fest. Let me know if you want to see it. We can post it online now but it might be a good idea to use it as a fund raiser for the main feature we wanna make. Anyone interested in this project?we need all the help we can possibly get

If you feel inclined to donate to the realisation of impossible beliefs please do so.

Pick an amount below to donate $NZ 5, 20, 100 or $200 to Luke on behalf of Crystal. A shopping cart will display immediately below ( or in the sidebar if that is easier) and this will allow you to make secure payments from your credit card via PayPal. This gives us an idea of how much practical support there is for the film / extended video and will help it get made. We need to get permission from Crystal to show a copy of the clip but we are working on that.

Donate $5 for film (NZD)

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Donate $100 for film (NZD)

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PRESS FOR MORE SONGS AND MOVIES

Subscribers to this blog have been a huge encouragement and it’s great to know there is support without the need to sell albums and flicks. No one wants to buy music or flicks. We have become accustomed to getting it free that’s why it’s ok for the creators of music and flicks to unashamedly ask for patronage and keep on regardless.

Just like medieval times. Artists had patrons. The only difference is the new patrons are the everyday folks. Let’s help each other.

Any of you readers with a good idea you wanna promote please send it to us. You might want to get the word out for support of your impossible belief also! Let’s have a look at it anyway. I have to go return my guitar to the warehouse before it closes.

FINALLY one last thing…

The month of July is tour month so please let me know if you have a gig for us. Houseconcerts a specialty. I can play at yours in return for accomodation and a nose bag. We pass the hat around at the gig. Best way to arrange that is for you to phone me on +64 21 025 92919 or landline +64 9 629 5179

It’s a low key working holiday and no one gets rich but we get to catch up in real life outside wwwland See over here for updates.

To your safety
God bless
Luke