Sam Scott at Downstage this Sunday

The gig to see this weekend if you live in (or near) Wellington is Samuel Flynn Scott and his band Bunnies on Ponies at Downstage Theatre.

I spoke with Sam Scott, best known as one of the singer/songwriters in The Phoenix Foundation, about this special gig, a one-off for him, this Sunday night in a venue better known for putting on plays than rock gigs.

"There are a few appealing things about this show. The staff at Downstage has been great and they were very keen on the idea of me doing the show. They also have it all set up - lights and PA in place. And with the solo records, for me, they tend to be quieter, more low-key; they don't always translate to the idea of a pub gig, so to be in a more intimate situation, to play to a seated audience - that definitely appealed to me."

Scott released The Hunt Brings Us Life in 2006 and followed it up, in and around Phoenix duties, with 2008's Straight Answer Machine. In between albums his sideline/solo-career morphed into a new band - "the Bunnies on Ponies concept definitely solidified with the second album. The nucleus of it has been getting the three of us [Scott, Cassette drummer, Craig Paul Terris and Little Bushman bassist Tom Callwood] together. And there are other members but that was the core. All of those players appeared on the first album but by the time of Straight Answer Machine it had been confirmed as a band."

He says "it's not so much about me changing hats, it's about us getting the band together whenever we can - and playing some music together when we have the opportunity".

Almost all of the Phoenix Foundation members have released solo albums; all are involved in other musical projects. Scott says he believes it is part of the reason the band has stayed together for so long.

"Phoenix has been around a while compared to some of the other New Zealand bands that started around the same time and I think this ability we all have - this freedom - to go off and try other things, to play with other people, it has helped us stay together. When we work on something for Phoenix Foundation we concentrate because we are all able to get other things out of our system with solo albums and other projects. We have no agenda when we are together as Phoenix; no one is pulling in one direction."

It's not a case of deciding "which song suits which project"; it's more a case of working organically. Scott admits there have been times when he and other Phoenix members have heard solo songs and thought "that'd be a pretty good Phoenix song".

The Bunnies on Ponies sound is described by its leader as "acoustic indie dirge".

And the show on Sunday night, part of Downstage's new Soundstage project (Woolshed Sessions and Little Bushman have already played; there are more to come), will feature a full set of Bunnies on Ponies material. "We will be playing stuff from both albums, maybe some covers - at least one cover anyway". Scott says, "I like playing covers; I approach them from the point of view of a person who likes the song. It's that simple really, if it's a good song sometimes it is fun to do a cover of it."

The one-off performance will take place on the stage which is set for Jo Randerson's play Good Night - The End. Scott says "it's a great fit; the stage looks superb so that's another reason this show will be fun for us to play".

Another project that Sam Scott has recently been involved in, with fellow Phoenix Foundation singer/songwriter Luke Buda, was composing the music for Separation City.

It's written by his father, Tom Scott. Sam says, "Dad was not forceful in pushing it. We had a connection, of course, through people who knew who the Phoenix Foundation were and he certainly made the offer, thinking it would be great for us to be involved." He chuckles and adds, "I'd say it was 20% nepotism that got us the gig."

Of course Luke and Sam, with band, composed the music to Eagle Vs. Shark and "we're working on Taika Cohen's new film now; that's the next Phoenix Foundation project."

Interested in working on more soundtracks ("it's hard work but it's a lot of fun, I'd love to do one or two a year if possible"), Scott says he would like to do a film project with Bunnies on Ponies but for now it will be Phoenix Foundation that will complete the next score.

If you want to check Sam's other band out this Sunday, from 7pm for just $35, you will see "material from the two albums and some covers, probably one long cover [he tells me it is not American Pie] and there will be a solo acoustic bit in the middle there". He also reckons "there will be one or two surprises".

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Bevan M   #1   09:11 am Sep 17 2009

Nice to see an early gig in Wellington for a change. Those of you who have to work the next day can finally go out knowing they'll still get a good night's sleep.

Tomatohead   #2   10:02 am Sep 17 2009

Downstage is a great venue with great sound (saw Verona there in 2004). Sam Scott is such a talented singer and songwriter. I wish I had a teletransporter to get to the show from California. It would be great, too, if David Long turned up. He's a Bunnies on Ponies alum.

Chris   #3   01:21 pm Sep 17 2009

Sam Scott and the B.O.P also played live on Good Morning earlier this week. Can check it here:

http://tvnz.co.nz/good-morning/goodmorning-s2009-e150909-bunniesonponies-video-2991472

Sam   #4   02:51 pm Sep 18 2009

That's a mighty fine photo of Sam Scott (The bottom one)! The person who took that photo surely deserves a free double pass to the show...