The Scene - Arrowtown preview

South Island Tour continues

news, tour

Suffice it to say the Arrowtown gig went very well and we are planning another one so if you would like a ticket to it let me know. Here is what Leanne Malcolm wrote on March 29, 2024. Stop, Luke and listen (link below) and the first couple of paragraphs here

Singer-songwriter Luke Hurley’s feeling optimistic, which surprises him.

The Auckland-based muso’s preparing for a weekend gig at Arrowtown’s The Fork and Tap and says getting older’s had a positive influence on his music and state of mind.

The 66-year-old’s slipped under the commercial radar his entire musical life — he seems unfazed by once being labelled ‘‘one of New Zealand’s great unknown musicians’’.

He first became known as a busker and still enjoys street performing, but likens it to taking a ‘‘cold plunge’’.

‘‘Often times I feel shy or embarrassed about it, but if a musician wants to cheer themselves up, they should take the cold plunge and busk and find there’s kindness not cruelty in an audience.

‘‘It never fails to amaze me how much I misread people.

‘‘You see a distasteful expression, but you never know what’s going on in that person’s life.’’

He quotes Shakespeare to make his point: ‘‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.’’

Anyways in the prelude to that gig a very prominent journalist in Queenstown walked into Bean Around The World Cafe Queenstown where the two Craig’s and me were having a pensive dish of coffee. Journalist had only two things to say.

“Three musicians” he says.
Then he looks at me with a twinkle in his eye and says
“One has been”.
And he was right but Indian Craig pointed out that my career never has been better as this article written by another prominent journalist can attest to…

Read the full Scene review over here.

One thing you could do for us. Would really appreciate support for my recordings spanning back  more than 40 years. If you can spare the time go to my site www.lukehurley.co.nz and have a listen for free to 14 albums.

Any you like and decide to buy so much the better…. It’s not like Spotify as the artist gets most of the koha. It’s an app called band camp. It’s good news for musicians as it’s the kindest music seller online.

As we are looking for work between theses gigs GOLDEN Bear (Nelson) 12 April from 6pm.

The Gantry Port Chalmers 29 April call me for ticket 021 0259 2919
Ruby Bay Store 25thMay

Anything on a date in the gaps between these gigs and we will be there with tubular bells on. Just call me and book 021 0259 2919  do it.

We like little gigs…… Anything under 300000

Since we signed out of Taylor Swifts tour we have plenty of dates to fill but hurry.
It has been great talking to you. Don’t hesitate to contact us 021 0259 2919 if you need some great is was and has been inimitable music. OK?

Chris Benjies makes these stunning chess sets (see below). If you want one gis a call. I believe in his work. He’s an expert writer and woodist.

 

Arrowtown and More (John Dodd)

Arrowtown and More

news, Song Stories

This time away has been awesome. Got to pitch a song called “Before The War” to the director of a neo western being shot in Arrowtown. As a result of this we got a gig coming up at the Fork and Tap Arrowtown on March 30.

The day before pitching the song Craig offered me a spot in Queenstown where we met a German lady who was touched by my song “The Bridge” dedicated to my late brother Chris. She was moved to tears because the song reminded her of her tragic loss…her father passed away under similar circumstances at the same age within a few weeks of my brothers passing. There is a silver lining to the cloud as the song concerns a recognition not only of the tragedy but also the transition into the mystery…..the original recording times out at 9.28 which is about the time of night it happened.

I will write more on this when the song is released. I recorded it long before Chris passed away. Why am I telling you this? Because it astonished me that the song predates his passing and for years I could not understand what the song was about. One friend after hearing the original studio recording of the as yet unreleased song told me I am lucky to have been given a sign like this.

Tuatara Invercargill was a 🏆 and we again were congratulated by the bar manager. The secret was finding the sweet spot and turning up hours early to get warmed up and invite friends to be the white mouse in the experimental pre gig performance/warm-up . It went well and gave us great confidence in the pre gig melding into the gig itself. I am told that this is a key to getting a better main performance ……there’s no doubt that it is and in more ways than one.

The next stage was Dunedin playing in a house by the sea. We didn’t need to plug in as the acoustics were great. During this visit we also visited Lee and his amazing family. Absolutely beautiful venue he’s making at the hobby farm.

Cedar House the place that Lee returned to its former glory. It was built by the guy who set up the Otago medical school a century or more ago. A lovely place to stay

And the next gig is at a highly esteemed venue in Mapua called The Ruby Bay Store this Saturday from 7pm. Be there or be square.

Many thanks if you read this far and don’t forget to listen to the albums linked to www.lukehurley.co.nz and call me 021 0259 2919 if you can suggest any spontaneous gigs we can do anywhere anytime no matter how big. Got it? Good!

God bless ya’all
Luke

Cedar House the place that Lee returned to its former glory. It was built by the guy who set up the Otago medical school a century or more ago. A lovely place to stay

Main picture is John Dodd – the guy who kindly agreed to play on Make Room way back in the day. Was Midge Marsdens wingman and head of the music department at a high-school in Dunedin. Here we are at 7 Balmac in Dunedin. Great Cafe…superb hospitality.

Waitati & Invercargill This Week

news

Was in Queenstown the other day and a prominent journalist told me I am a has-been while at the same time someone very lovely told me my music was just what the doctor ordered. What do you think?

The next gigs are Tuatara in invers this Saturday from 7pm with my friend Craig Hubber and Sunday at the Blueskin Gallery from 1pm to 4pm. Note: Waitati gig was double booked by them and cancelled at the last moment so sorry to all those who were coming along. Might be some other events in Dunedin or Queenstown instead but will update later on.

After this there is a huge hole in the itinerary so beam us up 👆 if you can. Call me on 021 0259 2919 if you have any leads. No gig too big

Band camp.com holds many albums so have a heart to listen close…OK?

Go there NOW
happy trails
Talk soon
Luke

14 Albums up now

14 Albums up now

music, news

Just letting you know there’s some postings on Bandcamp worth checking out especially Mona Lisa. just type in. lukehurley.bandcamp.com and you can listen to a number of songs you won’t be familiar with . Arnie Van Bussel at Nightshift Studios baked the reels and saved these recordings from oblivion.

Grateful for his help and Jan Billes production of the tracks back in the early 90s. Have a listen and if you like it season your admiration with a donation.

There are 14 albums posted up. Be great if you could listen to them and send us some feedback. Eds Note : You don’t have to be logged in to listen to all songs for free.

Also have to mention I’m playing a gig with Craig Hubber tomorrow in the Queenstown market from 11am to 3pm. Come listen and have a yarn with us. Bring your favorite musical instrument.we could be inclusive. ha ha

Also am playing Tuatara Invers next week but it’s as yet unconfirmed.

Have worked for years on a song called Before The War which is based on a poem by Ardie based on his horrific experience of the Iran Iraq war which cost a million lives in which he lost a lot of his friends.

That song will be released very soon.

There’s a possibility of Basant Madhur turning up to play a spot in our show as he happens to be touring this at the moment  see poster below.

India to Ireland

We lost a great friend Patric Casey who set up a radio station called Hope City FM and who campaigned tirelessly for civil rights. He loved in abject poverty in order to promote the music he loved and the attitudes that make for a family based society as apposed to our current bag it or shaggy it carry on.

Today I met with my old buddy Steve Garden who brought me up to date with the adventures of his Rattle Records label. It now boasts a catalogue of 200 titles and is exclusively dedicated to recording unplugged music unique to this forgotten colonial outpost. He’s the Peter Gabriel of K1W1 music. The breadth and scope of his assembled talent is astonishing. Also on bandcamp for free listening to rattle.

We have some more music to release but need some feedback from you. The best feedback is when you visit Bandcamp and buy something. Prices are going up shortly so why not stock up on the albums you aren’t familiar with and while you are at it visit the website of Rattle Records. You will get a nice surprise. Acoustic music of great originality abounds in God’s own country

Call me if you have a need for live music of the unplugged variety. I will be in QT. Arrowtown, Invercargill, Dunedin and Nelson. Call me 021 0259 2919

In closing please check out www.marklapwood.com if you need pics….he’s vastly experienced in stills and movies so check him out if you have a project that needs great imagery

Over for now
God bless

Luke and the Tacoma

I’m in love with the Mona Lisa

news

I expect  this finds you in a good space. We all in the same old boat aren’t we? in the  mind forged manacles of media it’s easy to believe we are doomed but another way of seeing it is that this is just another ground hog day and we been through this before many times. A kind of pass the parcel until the four horsemen arrive. Something to look forward to.

But that’s not what you are reading this for is it? No.

You are wanting to know what the latest recordings are and I’ve been remiss by not announcing the long awaited Mona Lisa released not so recently on Bandcamp but totally unheralded. It’s not the original track of ” Im in Love With The Mona Lisa”…this is kinda like  The album I meant to release but better. It’s a Mona lisa sandwich.

Here’s a link to the Mona Lisa which I hope you will download. A Koha would be nice but that’s up to you. You can listen to the whole album and stream or download in the format you prefer.

First and last tracks are different  versions of the song and between them there’s a bunch of recordings you will never have heard. This came about because Arnie at Nightshaft Studios Christchurch  was able to bake some reels from long ago and discover these lost singles recorded long ago.

Jan Bille produced and mastered it using a new mastering system….which he can explain   if you are interested. By the way…if you are looking for a fast efficient and profoundly capable producer I can recommend Jan. Give me a call 021 0259 2919 and I can pass you on. Also I can recommend Alex Sound in Auckland if you want purist acoustic (of which more to relate soon).

There haven’t been many calls of late and I’m counting my fingers waiting for the announcement of a gig*. I will play anywhere  so long as expenses are covered. I live in Auckland. Airfares are cheap if you go standby 0800 737 000.

*Actually doing a mini tour in South Island starting 15th of Feb so more dates soon.

See you at yours soon once you invite me.

One day I will write at length about these songs and the circumstances around the recording thereof. It’s a tale from long ago when life was harder but perhaps less scary.

Talk soon
God bless us and save us!
Luke