Two mates with a masterplan for the Mount’s booming music scene
Day and night, there’s always something on the go at multi-functional Mt Maunganui venue Totara St.
As Tauranga and the Mount’s population skyrockets, the music and arts scene is growing along with it. The attraction of the city to touring bands isn’t just about the size of the audience, though – it’s also about the fantastic venues at which they can play. The Mount’s Totara St events centre is such a place. By day, it’s a music school, but at night, it morphs into a rock ’n’ roll superstar.
Totara St co-directors Ross Shilling and Jay Munro met almost 10 years ago through a mutual friend. Both share a passion for the music industry – Ross has been in bands, owned venues and worked for years as a sound technician, while Jay had been involved in the promotional aspect of the industry in his hometown of Whangamata, where he juggled making surfboards with promoting bands and acts on the side. Together, they set out to create a venue that incorporated multiple facets of the business and, says Ross: “The masterplan was what we’ve ended up with.”
Realising their vision was no mean feat. According to Ross, “We looked at this place and it seemed almost set up, so we decided to jump in boots and all, and build a venue.”
Patience and elbow grease brought the project to life. The final push was opening for the 2012 Tauranga Jazz Festival, which had booked Totara St to host a poetry reading. Jay says it was “a bit like being on The Block TV show, with things really running down to the wire.”
In retrospect, they’re surprised that the organisers put such faith and support in them, but they proved worthy of the show of confidence, as all was up and running in the nick of time. Except, that is, for the missing toilet doors; Ross and Jay say it was open-plan or nothing for that event!
Walking through Totara St today, it’s plain to see why it’s gone on to become so successful. The music school side of the business is front of house, and the layout perfectly suits its purpose – from the comfy, retro-feel lounge to the rainbow-bright classrooms. A staff of around 13 contract tutors offer lessons on most instruments, and pupils love that they have the opportunity at the end of every term to perform as a band on a professional stage.
The events side of the venue is another thing altogether. Access is through a side entrance that leads into a sleek space with pared-back décor, a mezzanine floor complete with bar, and a huge stage fitted with sound equipment that’d blow the boots off even the most experienced roadie. Considerable investment has been made into this equipment – the set-up boasts a Martin Audio sound system, built-in acoustic panels and a lighting rig that ensure a first-class experience for audiences and bands. Without the hassle or expense of having to haul in their own gear, the process is greatly simplified for performers, adding to Totara St’s appeal.
Totara St has earned its stripes, and today the line-ups here are a heady mix of local and international players. From British acts such as musician Midge Ure and ska band Bad Manners, to Kiwi names such as The Black Seeds, White Chapel Jak and LAB, the list goes on. Ross and Jay have been savvy enough to realise that variety pays dividends, so they offer a variety of genres – entertainment for all sorts of age groups and musical tastes.
Despite their success, the pair aren’t the type to rest on their laurels. They’re currently developing the catering side of the business, the Chur!Coal barbecue and eatery, which allows Totara St to tantilise the tastebuds of 20 to 400 people for parties and all manner of corporate events, from functions to team-building sessions.
Totara St is one well-run business, and one that has a huge appreciation for the community it operates in. Its ability to shapeshift to be as appealing to Millennials as it is to Baby Boomers and band members is amazing – and that’s rock ’n’ roll baby.