I stopped by for a few minutes earlier this week and looked at the boarded-up shell of the Bureta Park Motor Inn.

I realise that the only constant thing is change, and that there have been enough farewell gigs there to get the idea bedded in, but it still seems sad to lose a venue that was home to so many significant musical events in the city's history.


Once upon a time the National Jazz Festival lived there. In the days after the event moved out of the racecourse and before it became the musical behemoth that currently bestrides Tauranga - from around 1991 to 1996 - the festival took place at Bureta. There was the big bar, Humphrey's, named after an errant sea elephant that foolishly attempted to have a beer on The Strand, the Rose and Fern next door and a couple of conference rooms, and that was the Jazz festival in those days.

A lot of bands played the Rose and Fern. The bar brewed its own beer which was pretty adventurous in the early nineties, years before anyone thought the term 'boutique” would actually help sell beer to a population which thought Lion Red and Steinlager were the pinnacle of the craft. Hard To Handle played there before anyone knew who they were, and Big Garlic Moon and Kokomo.

And for years the Bureta Park was home to Doctor Jazz, Neil McKenzie, and his regular Wednesday night jams where he kept a loyal week-in week-out following and musicians competed on how many times they'd been fired and rehired by Neil. There were a few more years led by Dave Proud after Neil died but, spirited though they were, it was never the same without without the irrepressible frontman and his awful jokes (one area where Dave always competed equally).

The very best

But Humphrey's Bar was the best of the venues. There were legendary nights in there. It was a big bar and, in the days when the powers that be were more forgiving of fire regulations, they used to cram a lot of people in.

Three or four hundred easily and punters would spill out into the car park. Hunters And Collectors played there and brought more gear than anyone had ever seen in Tauranga. Ian Moss played there. People still talk about those shows.

And there were the local gigs too, the Amnesty concerts throughout the eighties and nineties and others. Those Amnesty gigs were great: Ritchie Pickett and his various bands; Chris Gunn; Dr Jazz with guests from New Orleans; the Kaimai Cowboys; Jazz-a-Plenty; Jane Bonne in her hat; Kokomo Blues; good times for a good cause, I wish I still had a few posters from those days.

Sadly, I struggle to think of a venue in Tauranga now that equals Humphrey's Bar (or whatever they called it for the past decade – some names you just stick to, like Red Square which hangs on despite regular council attempts to 'rebrand” it).

The top spot

Humphrey's had several advantages over pretty much anywhere I can think of: it was big; it was affordable for bands; an it was respectable enough for any demographic. Where else can a band play and attract 200 people? Baycourt is expensive and a bit staid (no dancing!), Mills Reef is primarily a restaurant; Brewer's Bar is a bit too 'rock 'n' roll” for more well-heeled punters; and everywhere else is too small.

Atmospheric though it may be for bands to play for 50 people in an over-packed bar it takes a long time to conquer the world that way (and there's no money in it).

There's a lot of that at the Mount, where most of the music scene seems to happen in tiny venues, be it the explosion of Latin music that has emerged from Armazem or the profusion of touring acts at Major Toms. In the past week alone Major Toms have hosted Sal Valentine and the Babyshakes, Paper Cranes, Joseph and Maia,

Watercolours, Husk, The Libres, and a week today (Friday 24 January) country star Tami Neilson is playing there with her ma and pa on The Neilson's 'Family Reunion” tour. Great to have them in the Bay – but what a small venue for them!

You can find out more about the woman who has won no fewer than three Tui awards for 'Best Country Album” at www.tamineilson.com.