18 Mar 2018

Live: Hopetoun Brown at Womad 2018

From the collecton Womad

Auckland-based musicians Tim Stewart on vocals, trumpet & trombone and Nick Atkinson on bass clarinet & sax have played together in one form or another for much of their adult lives. Their totally acoustic show on the Dell stage was impressive and the crowd just loved them! 

Hopetoun Brown

Hopetoun Brown Photo: Steve Dykes

Songs: 'Demanding Blues', 'Blind', 'Misty Frequencies', 'Own It', 'Burning Fuse', 'Let's Not Be Friends', 'Put It Down', 'Knitted Into My Bones', 'Dirty Shame', 'Future Never Came', 'Look So Good', 'Sweet Dreams', 'Sorry You're Sick'.

Both men played in The Low Down Dirty Blues Band some 20-plus years ago, before they evolved into the wildly popular band Supergroove, who went on to usher in the era of multi-platinum selling albums, sold-out shows and band posters on teenage bedroom walls. Supergroove toured globally and in the tradition of all good bands, split up on the release of their second album.

Tim and Nick later re-connected and formed Hopetoun Brown with the intent of playing their own compositions, informed by their mutual appreciation for jazz, blues, hip-hop and soul.

Hopetoun Brown started out busking on the street, but within a short time, not only became a horn section for hire - playing with Tami Neilson, Dave Dobbyn and Don McGlashan - but also touring the country, playing anywhere and everywhere, developing an audience with their original songs, minimalist grooves and energetic stage presence.

They now have three albums under their belt and their booking at Womad 2018 saw the band determined to make an impression.

Their totally acoustic show on the Dell stage was indeed impressive and the crowd just loved them! 

Hopetoun Brown was mixed and produced by Graham Kennedy for RNZ Music

photo: Michael Flynn

photo: Michael Flynn Photo: Copyright (c) 2009 Michael L. Flynn