Bandsman, bar owner strikes the right note

Tim Smith's not one to blow his own trumpet but he's happy to beat the drum for the Rotorua Brass Band.

This weekend the band, its numbers boosted by Tauranga players, is hosting the National Brass Band Champs and it's Tim who'll be leading the euphonium section, his hopes high the home town will be on the winner's podium.

"We're only C grade but play like A-graders, I'd like to think we'll win."

Tim's the civil union partner of former TV personality and Rotorua's 2014 Labour candidate, Tamati Coffey, reincarnated as co-owner of Eat Streat's newest hotspot, Ponsonby Road.

It's a joint venture between them (their signature cocktail's christened TimTam) but until now Tim's been the low-profile part of the pairing. With lots of folk asking about him we reason it's our duty to bridge the knowledge gap.

One of the first facts excavated is that it was Tim's skills with the euphonium that brought him to the world's far side.

As a native of England's industrial north where brass bands are as numerous as dark satanic mills, it was a virtual given he'd play in one. His mother hocked herself (went into debt) to buy his first euphonium at 12.

"It was a huge investment she made in me."

It was one that paid off. Tim has a BA, majoring in euphonium and piano, plus an MA in musical performance, bolstered by a Diploma in Education.

He's no academic slug this Tim Smith fellow, with music embedded in his epicentre. However once out of Huddersfield University he changed tack, working for the UK's equivalent of Winz, before moving to a charity specialising in job placement for the disabled.

He was still playing the euphonium when, in 2006, a "random" call came from well-known New Zealand brass band conductor, Nigel Weeks, urging Tim to play for Auckland's Dalewool Auckland Brass at competition level.

Keen for "a look around" he took a year off work, buying a return ticket; the return part remains unused.

"One of the band members called me saying Alfriston College, a new school in South Auckland, was desperate for a music teacher, it was a perfect fit for me."

But with "a bit of debt" to clear before he left the UK, his beloved euphonium was sold.

"I arrived in New Zealand with very little money, it took time for my qualifications to be verified by NZQA, I was so broke it was three months before I went into Auckland from Manukau."

With his qualifications authenticated and pay adjusted, he saved enough to buy a BMW - for $800. "It ended up costing me $4000 to get a warrant [of fitness]".

Newly acquired friends convinced him Rotorua was a "must see", he was captivated but Auckland was where the work was.

From Alfriston, he crossed the bridge to Albany Junior High, becoming founding head of performing arts.

Enter Tamati: They met in a K (Karangahape) Road bar.

"He was in a group with a nice atmosphere, I was invited to join them." At the time Tamati was Christchurch-based, presenting What Now.

"I didn't know what it was but we became friends, I used to go to the South Island quite a lot, or drive to where he was in the North Island."

When Tamati scored his TVNZ weatherman gig it was logical he moved in with Tim and his female flatmate "in a very obviously converted garage".

Much as Tim enjoyed Albany where he formed a "band factory" for North Shore youngsters to explore music, the time came for a career change, Tim became a waiter. "I loved it, it was a good experience for working here [Ponsonby Road]" but schools weren't keen to let him out of their grasps. King's College persuaded him to become a relieving music teacher.

"I was blown away by King's, it was like Hogwarts [Harry Potter's school]. After I left I was invited back to judge the house music competition, a really big deal in the Telstra Events Centre."

Tamati proposed between Christmas and New Year 2010.

"We were at his parents' [Rotorua] home, had a few drinks, went to bed and he said 'why don't we get married?' I said 'of course'. They became civil union partners in 2011.

"We'll get legally married one day." Their "togetherness" ceremony, with TV personality Jason Gunn MCing, drew a parade of A-listers.

"We were so busy making sure everyone had a good time we didn't have a drink all night but made up for it the next day at an after-party on Auckland University's marae."

The following year was designated "travel year". Tamati's parents (Our People, November 2, 2013) spent two months away with them. "We came back with our eyes wide open from seeing the world, after a month locked down at Tamati's mum and dad's we bought our place at Kawaha Point."

Neither had any desire to return to Auckland, their commitment to Rotorua confirmed when Tamati won Labour's candidacy nomination, Tim became his campaign manager.

"It was an amazing experience, a huge learning curve, we were really sad Tamati didn't get in because so many local people supported and helped him."

The idea of becoming bar owners came, ironically, at Brew Bar. "We'd be there staring at this empty space almost next door saying 'I wonder ... what if?'"

The "what ifs" became a reality in March when Ponsonby Road opened.

Eleven months earlier Tim joined the recently-resurrected Rotorua Brass Band after seeing it play at the Anzac Day parade.

"The band had recently reformed, it was short on numbers, I thought I'd like to help out. I went into the band hall and there were these pictures of famous players who'd been my university lecturers, I immediately felt at home ... Rotorua is our home, the smell of sulphur smells like home."