Celebrating Tauranga's inner punks in style

Simone Anderson (left) from the Incubator and judge and punk legend Rocky Horror Picture Show's Richard O'Brien join punksters at Chaos to Culture event. Photo/Andrew Warner.

The success of an evening that paid homage to one of pop culture's most defining moments has meant the celebration of the punk era could potentially become a regular thing in Tauranga.

Organisers of the Chaos to Culture event, which marked the 40th anniversary of the first punk single to be released, say it was now a matter of "watch this space".

''We've just had the most amazing feedback,'' the Incubator's Simone Anderson said.

''Everyone's fizzing.''

The Saturday night event was designed as a one-off celebration of the Sex Pistols releasing their first album, introducing punk to the wider society.

The idea of Chaos to Culture was born about a year ago when the Incubator music managers and punk enthusiasts Michael and John Baxter thought about how best to celebrate the punk milestone of the 40th anniversary. What followed was an interactive punk music, fashion and art extravaganza.

"That's the whole point. It's not something you go and watch. You become part of it. That's really important. You go away feeling you were part of it, not just an audience member.''

Ms Anderson said many expressed a deep gratitude at having a punk-themed event to take part in. Many of the punksters who attended the Saturday night event were in their 50s and hadn't rocked out to their punk roots for years, she said.

''The [punk fans] are there under the surface but their interests don't often get catered for with events. So we provided something that people didn't often get the chance to be at.''

Ms Anderson said the bands formed especially for the event, with some members travelling from Hamilton to take part. Tauranga's fashionistas were also involved, with a fashion show using everything from builders' nails, whistles to non-slip mats.

Rocky Horror Picture Show creator Richard O'Brien was a judge of the fashion show.

The fashion show winner was Mandy Pieters, whose entry was a team effort with friend Donelle Schilling, while second prize went to Ms Schilling with Ms Pieters' help. Third equal was Tanya Savage who had been encouraged to give it a shot by a friend who had also entered - Tarnished Frocks wardrobe designer Robyne Dowdall.

There was little time for rest among the Incubator team. While the art exhibition would be open to people from today , they would be heading straight into their entry in this year's Garden and Art Festival.

''It's all worth it. It's worth all of the effort,'' Ms Anderson said.