By Samantha Hayes
The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra are about to release their third album
The Dreaming EP, which was recorded at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios.
The original 12 members say they are happy the band has taken over their lives, even if some like Brett Mckenzie from Flight of the Conchords couldn't make it along to today's record store performance in Auckland.
The band are a diverse bunch, made up of graphic designers, a nurse, a television producer some musicians.
Age Pryor has been busy this year with the critically acclaimed Woolshed Sessions and his ukulele.
“We practice weekly, we probably practice the most of any band I know,” he says.
It is the 60th anniversary of the song ‘Blue Smoke’.
Gemma Gracewood from the ukulele orchestra says the band recorded a homage to the New Zealand pop song.
“They've figured out that it was New Zealand’s first official pop song,” she says.
“Because it was the first record that was recorded in New Zealand and put onto vinyl and sold and went up the charts to number one.”
The band have given it their special treatment and are planning a vinyl release.
Aside from the EP, winter has kept most of them busy with ukulele workshops, where they teach the musically inept how to play.
Meanwhile, band member Brett McKenzie has been working on conchords related business and has missed the in-store performance.
He is in LA for the Emmy Awards.
The ukulele orchestra begin their first nationwide tour later this month and for conchords fans, word is McKenzie "may" pop up towards the end of the tour.