Isolated from the rest of New Zealand for much of its history by the Remutaka and Tararua ranges, Wairarapa has always been somewhat off the musical beaten track.
But live music has always been an integral part of life for its residents, from brass bands playing on park rotundas in the early 1900s, to Māori gathered around a piano at church in the 1930s, to dance bands playing country halls in the 1940s, to rock’n’roll bands at town halls in the 1950s, to rock bands playing at private parties in the 1980s.
Touring bands took their chances as they passed through Wairarapa, depending on how well-known they were and the style of music they played. Talented musicians, born and bred in Wairarapa, left to enjoy successful careers in New Zealand and overseas, sometimes before returning home.
More recently, successful musicians from outside the region have made Wairarapa their home. The days of musical isolation have gone, but the beat goes on. – David Famularo.
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Other music maps on AudioCulture:
Central and Southern Hawkes Bay Music Map
Flying Nun's Early Years in Christchurch
Christchurch Post-punk Music Map
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