Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate / Lifestyle

Tahuna Breaks going out with a blast

Jordan Bond
By Jordan Bond
Reporter·NZME. regionals·
11 May, 2016 09:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Tahuna Breaks. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Tahuna Breaks. PHOTO SUPPLIED

After 12 years, four albums and numerous appearances at major music festivals, award-winning Kiwi band Tahuna Breaks is calling it a night.

The electro-funk band will play its final show to a sold-out crowd at Auckland's The Studio on Saturday night, an occasion band member Jonny McClean says will be "bittersweet".

"We're really excited about it - it's basically one last party. We've got some friends and some original band members coming to play. It's going to be a really good show."

The band mixes elements of funk, disco and soul music and pulls it all together into a big, bouncy, dance-oriented sound.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

With between six and 10 members on stage for any one show, the energetic live act has been a regular on the New Zealand scene for more than a decade.

McClean, the band's saxophonist who joined as a fresh-faced 22-year-old, says the show signals the end of a chapter for him - and the start of a new one.

"I'm more concerned about turning 30 the day before the show - it's all going downhill for me this week," he laughs. "I'm moving to London, too. Things happen in threes, that's what they say."

In the eight years he's been part of Tahuna Breaks, he has recorded three albums, played summer festivals - including the Big Day Out, Rhythm & Vines, Homegrown and Highlife - and to top it all off last year, a seven-date, two-week European tour.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The band played the esteemed Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and possibly the pinnacle of global festivals, Glastonbury.

"That was amazing. It was definitely something I'll remember for the rest of my life. We had a dream run there," he says.

However, McClean says it felt right for the band to call time, and they hope to go out on a high note.

"It's a natural conclusion. We're all good mates, and some guys in the band are at a different stage of their lives where they can't afford to or don't have the time to put into the band.

Discover more

SoundBites: NZMM, Shihad, Mint Chicks, Bailey Wiley

28 Apr 05:00 PM

SoundBites: Guy Wishart, Broods, Wendy James

29 Apr 05:00 PM

SoundBites: Fly My Pretties, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead

09 May 05:00 PM

"We thought it would be better to go out when you're on your game rather than be walked out the door."

One thing he'll miss is weekends away touring with the band in new cities or countries.

Tahuna Breaks. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Tahuna Breaks. PHOTO SUPPLIED

"We had so many laughs, just socialising with your mates and having a few beers, and to top it all off you get to play a gig. You go away for these weekends and it's sort of a dream, and then you come back and go to work on Monday - it's like you're living a double life."

McClean says he has been "tinkering" with his own music and would look for a musical project to be involved in once he was in the UK.

After being part of the band for more than a quarter of his life, he has mixed feelings about the end, but says the show will be a celebration with friends and fans doing what he loves most - playing music.

"I'll definitely miss playing with the boys - there's nothing quite like playing live in front of an audience.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Each gig was one more than we expected to play, so we never took it for granted. To be here eight years later and have achieved the things we have, it's been a dream ride, but all good things must come to an end.

"I'll walk off with some great mates, and we'll be celebrating long into the night after the show ends."

She's a sell out! So stoked :) :) Looking forward to sending it with you guys on satdee!… https://t.co/DUUO6GiDEt

— Tahuna Breaks (@TahunaBreaks) May 10, 2016
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Northern Advocate

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

Lifestyle

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

05 May 12:37 AM
Northern Advocate

'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

24 Apr 05:00 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

On The Up: Bocky Boo Gelato's sweet success

Bocky Boo Gelato stores have popped up in Rangiora and Blenheim since the first store opened in Whangārei over five years ago. Video / Brodie Stone

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

Typical wedding $87,000, wedding planner says

05 May 12:37 AM
'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

'We could see the bone in our hand': Navy vet's vivid memories of hydrogen bombs

24 Apr 05:00 PM
‘Means a lot’: Toa’s record-breaking triumph at world manu champs

‘Means a lot’: Toa’s record-breaking triumph at world manu champs

03 Mar 11:53 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP