Shake N Bake 2010
Western Park, Auckland
Saturday 6 March, 2009
Review and photography by Renee Kirk
The name lends itself to some sort of easy-cook, packet-mix cake. Possibly a seasoning for roast chicken – put it in a bag, shake it and bake it. Or maybe a cooking competition where the winner comes away with the title of Shake N Bake Champion for 2010.
But it is none of the above, in fact Shake N Bake has nothing to do with food at all. The title belongs to one of Auckland’s lovely little outdoor music festivals, organised and run by the Base FM crew.
2010 marked the sixth year for Shake N Bake but was the first time I had ever been along. And what a nice day it proved to be, with plenty of good people, great music and a really easy-going summer vibe.
Held at Western Park in Ponsonby Shake N Bake attracted an eclectic crowd. There were couples dotted over the hillside, families with pushchairs and small children, and plenty who came for the beats and a boogie.
It wasn’t just about the music either. Base FM Breakfast DJ’s Chip Matthews and Tyra Hammond did a great job of MC-ing and providing commentary as it was broadcast live. There were reasonably priced food and drink stalls and you could even shop... buy some cheap vinyl or a cool printed tee from the Learning Curve stall.
The live art added to the day also. A couple of local freestyle graffiti- artists worked on the port-a-loo’s throughout the day while Cut Collective transformed an ugly trailer into a beautiful work of art. This not only gave the spectators something else to watch but was a great way to expose people to the idea that tagging and graffiti is indeed a skill and an art.
Cut Collective
The music started at midday with Base DJ’s Gemma and An Pham, then moving on to Scratch 22 (Rodi Kirk). Having a chat with Kirk after his set he told me what a great day it was for all the artists involved, a bit like show ‘n’ tell, getting to see what each other were up to.
JC/DC played a set and then it was time for two of NZ’s finest, Julien Dyne and Riki Gooch, to take to the stage. Throwing out some tasty treats for the crowd, Dyne and Gooch slipped and sashayed between beats while adlibbing over pre-recorded elements. These guys delivered some fresh and funky cutting-edge sound that got under your skin.
And chatting to these two after their set was indeed a pleasure; two very talented muso’s, each with many fingers in many musical-pies and humble and to boot. .. keep an eye out for new albums from these mistro’s.
Shine Forum delivered a lively and energetic hip-hop-inspired set, followed by Producer Showcase from Charizma. Then Koru Licks and their band got people’s feet tapping with a jazzy soul-funk-fusion that was catchy and full of feel-good flavour.
Ben Wah and Chef D did their thing in style despite an afternoon shower making the crowd run for cover. The park was most accommodating in this respect though, with plenty of big trees providing good shelter, while others huddled under umbrellas and tarpaulins.
The crowd shelters from the rain
But the rain couldn’t keep the fans away when Homebrew came on! All of a sudden the crowd really came alive, cheering the group on and throwing themselves into enthusiastic rain-dancing. Needless to say Homebrew had a great reporte with the audience and gave back to the fans by delivering a fun and feisty set.
With the sun once again shining and on the high of Homebrew, Shake N Bake 2010 came to an end.
A well organised, action-packed arvo with something for everyone. Take some art, music and community, add the flashest port-a-loos you’re ever likely to see, shake it, and Voila!
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