Too Many Chiefs returning to Hokowhitu Bowling Club

Too Many Chiefs: Andrew London, Rob Joass, Wayne Mason and Charlotte Yates.

Too Many Chiefs return to Palmerston North this weekend and as the name suggests, the quartet of Rob Joass, Andrew London, Wayne Mason and Charlotte Yates are all supremely talented musicians in their own right.

They’re getting together again for a gig at Hokowhitu Bowling Club at the invitation of Bent Horseshoe’s Steve Tolley, who said hosting Too Many Chiefs was one of the highlights of the year.

“Too Many Chiefs have been one of our favourites since they formed many years ago and did their first gig for us. Every time we see them, they seem to get better and better,” he said.

The event brings together four of New Zealand’s busiest singer-songwriters. They all tour their own respective shows, sometimes internationally, but once or twice a year come together as Too Many Chiefs to share songs and stories from the road.

Their individual influences and performing styles range from blues and jazz to country and folk, often with an element of social commentary, personal reflection and occasional satire.

London was a founding member of Hot Club Sandwich and The Cattlestops, and now plays and records mostly under his name.

His reputation stands mostly on his satirical and comedic songs, which lampoon many of New Zealand society’s obsessions, foibles and taboos. Songs like Middle-Aged Man in Lycra, Country’s Buggered and I Hugged My Mate have elicited chuckles from audiences all over New Zealand, Australia and Norfolk Island.

Joass is well known throughout New Zealand through his work with Hobnail, The Shot Band, and The Hard Core Troubadours. He writes compulsively, tours incessantly, teaches guitar and produces albums for other artists.

Mason was patriarch of the group and instrumental in the formation and success of some of the most revered names in Kiwi music history — bands like Rocking Horse, the Four-myula and the Warratahs

In 1969, he penned the song Nature, named by Apra in 2004 as Best Kiwi Song of the Century. That same year the Fourmyula were recording at Abbey Road studios in London, at the same time he had morning tea with John Lennon and Paul McCartney who were there recording Oh Darling!

Yates is an independent singer-songwriter and recording artist who has released seven solo albums, alongside extensive collaborative and compilation work.

Her first album, Queen Charlotte Sounds, was released in 1991, and the single Red Letter was an Apra Silver Scroll finalist.

Yates directed and produced Baxter, a compilation CD of James K. Baxter’s poetry set to music by 12 NZ recording artists, and has since completed similar projects honouring Hone Tuwhare, Witi Ihimaera and Katherine Mansfield.

The quartet’s collective repertoire represents a broad spectrum of songwriting styles and the songs are delivered with skill, enthusiasm and respect, despite a healthy dose of spontaneous mickey-taking banter and self-deprecating humour.

Who: Too Many Chiefs

Where: Hokowhitu Bowling Club

When: Saturday, September 7, at 7.30pm

Cost: $30 per person