As far as concert venues go, The Exponents broke new ground in Arrowtown on Monday night.
The New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductees raised the roof of the Arrowtown Bowling Club during a ‘‘not-so-secret secret gig’’.
Attended by about 180 people, the semi-surprise event, which also featured local muso Shane Woolridge, unofficially kicked off The Exponents’ national tour to celebrate their 40th anniversary, albeit a couple of years late.
Initially formed in 1981 as The Dance Exponents, Arrowtown bassist Dave Gent says that band was around for several years before coming back in the ’90s as The Exponents.
The band, featuring lead singer Jordan Luck, guitarist Brian Jones and drummer Michael ‘Harry’ Harallambi, tried to keep Monday night’s gig under wraps, but their cover was blown after someone tipped off the masses in an Arrowtown community Facebook group.
‘‘It’s not a town for keeping secrets in, as we all know,’’ Gent laughs.
‘‘It was a cracker, it was awesome, all the guys in the band loved it, and the crowd seemed to … enjoy it.’’
The $50-a-head gig, featuring a setlist full of bangers, doubled as a fundraiser — all profits will be split between Arrowtown’s volunteer fire brigade and Cyclone Gabrielle relief.
- Additional reporting: Philip Chandler
