Plenty of laughs at the Taupō Winter Festival with The Nukes ukulele artists, Ben Collier (left), Josh Parker, and Dave Parker (right). Photo / Supplied
Plenty of laughs at the Taupō Winter Festival with The Nukes ukulele artists, Ben Collier (left), Josh Parker, and Dave Parker (right). Photo / Supplied
Calling all ukulele lovers, The Nukes are back.
A trio of ukulele-playing musicians are touring New Zealand with their new album Homespun. Original band member Ben 'Country-boy' Collier says the unlikely band of musical miscreants has traipsed around Australasia for the past 15 years, bringing joy and harmony to all they encounter.
They are coming to Taupō in the July school holidays as part of the Malcolm Flowers Insurances Taupō Winter Festival.
The line-up includes a daytime workshop for kids and an evening workshop for adults, followed by an all-ages evening concert.
Ukulele artists The Nukes are performing a concert and holding workshops for kids and adults at the Taupō Winter Festival 2022. Photo / Supplied
Ben says a Nukes concert experience is always engaging, fun and uplifting and the audience should expect family-friendly entertainment.
"There'll be humour, as well as top-flight musicianship, three-part harmony and great songs."
The Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to touring but was good for songwriting, and Ben hopes audiences will enjoy their new music.
Ben is on tour with original band member Dave 'Fingers of Fire' Parker, with Dave's son Josh joining the band, adding a real family flavour to this trio.
The Nukes have three albums of self-penned tunes as proof of their creative endeavours, and well over 100,000 streams and views.
For the past 10 years, The Nukes have travelled around New Zealand schools, running ukulele playing workshops, and were last in Taupō in 2017.
Ben says the children's workshops are for primary school-aged children of any ability, with many past attendees having never picked up a ukulele beforehand. The first step is to teach some essential techniques, then the band members aim to teach each child one to four chords, then the kids get to play a couple of The Nukes' original songs.
Workshop participants need to bring their own ukulele, and over a 45-minute session can take part in singing, performing percussion, and ukulele playing.
The children's workshop is held at the Taupō Museum and is a free event but bookings are essential. Each child requires an accompanying adult, and Ben says it's fine if the adult wants to play along too.
A workshop aimed at adult ukulele players is set for early in the evening. Ben says wherever they go they get in touch with the local ukulele crew "who are renowned for their enthusiasm" and are generally a bit more advanced.
"The adults get to develop a few songs, we shepherd people through the process and get to the point where everyone feels like they have achieved something."
The Nukes are coming, quick get out your ukuleles! Ben Collier (left), Dave Parker, and Josh Parker (right). Photo / Supplied
An evening concert, suitable for the kids as well, will be held at Playhouse Centre Stage.
"There are only so many places you can go to on a ukulele, and we try and go to all of them.
"There is an inherent sense of humour with the ukulele, and we try and stretch the limits"
