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It's taken a reshuffling of flights home from the Big Day Out, but Marlborough band Remastered will be back just in time to take the stage with international rock star Marty Casey at Shapeshifters on Saturday.
Casey was the fans' favourite and runner-up in the 2005 United States reality television show Rock Star INXS, and he will play on Saturday at the Loft Shapeshifters as part of a 10-date Making it Happen tour to raise money for CanTeen.
Five bands competed over six weeks for the chance to play with Casey, and Remastered's performance last Saturday night impressed the judging panel.
Remastered lead singer Tom Knowles said the band was "pretty stoked and ready to rock.
"It's our stairway to heaven, our road to the top, and it's our first gig with a renowned artist."
The band had to change the time of their flights home from the Big Day Out to be able to play on Saturday night.
"It's cutting it pretty close, but we didn't want to miss the opportunity. We didn't want the sun to go down on us, like a candle in the wind." There would be a cross-section of musical flavour in their playlist, with a few acoustic ballads to kick the evening off before rocking it up for the "go-go girls".
Knowles has also had a crash course in the lyrics of Trees, a Marty Casey original, which he has to sing with the international star on Saturday night.
"It's going to be interesting, but I quite like the song. I'll be practising pretty hard until we take off for the Big Day Out."
Shapeshifters judge Peter Jameson said bands in the competition were assessed on audience interaction, their show and how they worked with one another, and their ability to present an entire show. It was not necessarily about who was the best technically or the best band, he said.
"All the bands we saw had at least one or two of these criteria, but Remastered were the ones who had the best mix overall."
The judges were impressed with the quality of the bands, given that some of them had been together for only a short while. "Some of the bands we saw had great potential, but needed more work," he said.
Event organiser Julian Campbell said ticket sales had been going nicely and door sales would be available at the same price on Saturday night.
"The concert will be simultaneously played in to the sound system downstairs, and donations to CanTeen from those in the bar would be appreciated."
Mr Campbell said he would like to thank the judges for their time and effort, while Shapeshifters would also be shouting all the bands into the concert who vied for the chance to play with Casey.
Marty Casey, with support from Remastered: Saturday, January 17, at the Loft, Shapeshifters. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets $30 from Ticketek.
- The Marlborough Express
