Lucky Bar has touring musicians flocking to Whanganui

Nadia Reid will play the final stop on her High & Lonely tour at Whanganui's Lucky Bar on Sunday night. Photo/Ebony Lamb

Whanganui's Lucky Bar + Kitchen has become a very popular venue for both touring and local artists since the Wilson St venue opened just over a year ago.

"The first few weeks were a road test really," says proprietor Georgie Ormond.

"We had a few gigs and discovered that the music wasn't too loud and everyone enjoyed the venue."

With a cosy, lounge-like atmosphere and great food on offer, the venue has really taken off.

"Whanganui is a perfect rest stop between Wellington and Auckland," says Ormond.

During the next week, Lucky Bar will host internationally acclaimed Dunedin artist Nadia Reid on Sunday night, touring magician and comedian Logan Kitney, who will perform a double bill with Wellington musician Finn Johansson who is on his Love Bomb single release tour next Friday.

Logan Kitney

"I'm really excited to have a magician performing here," says Ormond.

"We are getting such a great diversity of performers and that goes for local acts as well."

Finn Johansson

In recent weeks, Lucky Bar has hosted veteran Whanganui bluesmen Reset, DJ Samuel Samalamb Beard with local hip-hop artists Chey Diaz and Tyrel Marino and the Soulstice Songfest with Whanganui women artists to name but a few.

Ormond and partner Matt Edmonds have also begun a collaboration with Ken Chernoff, of Wanganui Jazz Club, to bring a series of concerts to town starting with Craig Walters, Paul Dyne and Geoff Culverwell on July 22.

"The jazz club have lost their venue now that the St Hill Street RSA is being sold and we are really pleased to host them here," says Ormond.

Jazz musician Craig Walters

Lucky Bar also provides opportunities for locals to test their talents with the regular Open Mic Night every Thursday and, on Wednesdays, budding DJs get to play their selections with Sharpen Up Your Shuffle.

"We have a new chef coming on board as well - Finn Cartwright is about to start work with us and he has a great menu."

Ormond says life is busy but satisfying and she and Edmonds are thrilled that their vision for a new Whanganui venue has received so much support.