Café activists and coffeehouse academics will soon have a folk beat and French beatnik setting in Masterton for their conspiracies by candlelight.
Wairarapa musician and event organiser Stefan Brown said the performance venue, at Taste Café in Masterton, is to be known as Shades of Chez Paree and will at first
be a monthly event to gauge interest.
Brown, who has performed professionally in Wairarapa for 25 years during a career that includes capturing a Rata Award for best group and a gold record for 70s Kiwi anthem Big Norm, said the acoustic music evening draws its name from a café that ran in the capital during the 60s, Chez Paree.
"We're trying to create a venue where people can talk and meet with friends while candles burn on their tables and blues and folk musicians set the feel.
"My old man (Bernie brown) was a folk singer in Wellington at the time of cafes like Chez Paree and the Monde Marie Coffee House - you know, all berets, dark glasses and goatees. It was where I used to go to soak up atmosphere when I was young.
"We live in a disposable world today where things are fast - you listen to the music and get out quick and people tend to let the media set their opinions," he said.
"The idea behind Shades of Chez Paree is to provide a venue with a different perspective where music is the catalyst and, as much as possible, the folk culture is recreated of Paris and Wellington cafes in the 1960s.
"It's about more than just music. It's about discussion and new ideas, freedom of thought and expression."
Brown said guest musicians would be a feature along with an open mic session at the monthly events, which kick off on Thursday with music from Wairarapa performers Pat McKenna, Fran from London Town, and Face2Face.
He said a special venue meal would be available at the inaugural performance, which starts at 7pm and costs a gold coin for admission. The stage will be open to the floor from 8pm to 8.30pm, he said.
For more information call Stefan Brown at 3786918 or Taste Café at 370 1431.
