Livestock 2009 no place for sheep

FAMILY AFFAIR: Musician and Livestock 2009 organiser Glenn Bathgate and son Billy, who plays drums in their band Grandad's Wedding.

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It might sound like an event involving pens of sheep, geese and cattle, but Sunday's Livestock 09 festival actually features mobs of Nelson musicians.

The free festival features strictly original music written by 13 Nelson bands, who will take to the stage at the Moutere Inn between 1pm and 8pm.

The lineup has been organised by Nelson musician and festival enthusiast Glenn Bathgate, who is keen to hold the event annually.

Bathgate says it is about showcasing the talent in the region and making sure the musicians do not slip off the radar or be forced to only perform in bars late at night.

Livestock is also a chance for the diverse lineup of musicians to play in a welcoming setting, he says.

"It's a chance for people to see what original bands there are in Nelson in a non-threatening environment at a good hour.

"I want it to grow and make it better so people think, `Oh, Livestock, it's going to be a good day, let's check it out'."

Another reason for Bathgate organising the event is that there are a lot of dance and dub parties around the region but not so much live rock music, which is the dominant genre at Livestock.

There will also be something for the more mellow music lover, however, with some reggae and alt-country thrown into the mix.

The first Livestock festival was staged last year at the old Mountain Valley School in Graham Valley. It was really a birthday party for Bathgate, who says it was a bit random, with only a few posters thrown up here and there to advertise it.

Some people got lost while trying to find find the relatively isolated location and it was a cold night, but it was a lot of fun, he says.

This year, he planned to hold the event at Founders Heritage Park, but was told there were health and safety issues.

Despite this hiccup, he says the Moutere Inn has turned out to be a great venue and there has been plenty of interest from bands keen to play at the festival – although those wanting to play covers were excluded.

The festival will start with the more mellow music and will get heavier as the day moves on, with the lineup alternating between bands and solo musicians.

Bathgate, a former Dunedin musician, is also a member of headlining act Blistering Tongues, which originated in Dunedin. Although the band's style is hard to pigeonhole, they sit somewhere in the alternative-punk rock genre, with the lyrics injecting a dose of comedy into their high-energy act.

The band have been together for about 14 years, and the other three members live in Dunedin and Wellington. Because of this, they get together only once or twice a year to practise, but have recorded two albums, an EP and a DVD, and are putting the final touches to another album, due to be released in March, called Blame It On the Paper Boy. The title was inspired by the David Bain case, and there will be an album release tour.

Bathgate also plays in a garage rock band called Grandad's Wedding with his 10-year-son Billy.

The pair play original songs, with Billy (who attends Ngatimoti School) on drums and his dad on guitar. They recorded a self-titled album in Wellington last year.

• Livestock 09 at the Moutere Inn, Upper Moutere, on Sunday between 1pm and 8pm. Entry is free and the bands include Blistering Tongues, Gripper, Cloak and Dagger, Pants Off, Soulroom, Money for Jam, Ras Judah and Suzi Fray.

- © Fairfax NZ News