Southern skifields band to play here

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 18, 29 September 1987, Page 7

Southern skifields band to play here

A band familiar to Queenstown, the Rutherford Brookes Band, is to visit Ohakune this weekend. January and February of this year saw this Band put together an extensive and ambitious National Tour, playing 45 venues from Queenstown to Auckland. The Band met with enthusiastic response at every stop. "People had no idea they would see and hear such a professional and polished show" comments Steve Brookes, band leader and organiser of that first, all important tour. "Two months is such a long time on the road but the gigs and the fun we all

had on stage made it possible to pull it off says Brookes "some of the crowds in the North were small but it's the only way to get your name and reputation out there, and hopefully the word is out!" On completion of the tour the band went their separate ways, back to their original bands, while Steve Brookes and Annie Rutherford returned to Queenstown. Steve worked with the Walt Disney film crew until Top horn section from Auckland "The Newton Hoons" became available to rehearse for the coming ski season in Queenstown. 'The Hoons' having just completed tours with

'When the Cats Away' and 'Chris Tompson' arrived in Queenstown and the new Rutherford Brookes Band started to take shape. The new R.B.B. at present consists of Steve Brookes and Annie Rutherford up front, with Chris Green on sax, Michael Russel on flugel horn and trumpet. (The Newton Hoons) out to the side. On the other side is Steve Larkins on keyboards also recently returned from 'When the Cats Away' tour and up the back on bass Stefan Edstrom (of Swedish origin) and on drums, James Uluave (originally from Rotorua and now Queenstown based drummer and Ski Instructor).