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The Waiheke International Soul Orchestra (W.I.S.O.) promises to turn the Leigh Sawmill Café into one big dance party.
The nine-piece electronic, soul, drum and bass, funk and percussion collective from Waiheke Island freely mixes its broad range of musical styles, sometimes even within the same song.
The band burst into existence last year to headline one night at the Okere Falls Winter Beer Fest and since then has gone from strength-to-strength.
W.I.S.O has supported Kiwi acts such as Yoko Zuna, Sorceress, Latin Aotearoa, P-Diggs and Sunshine Sound System.
But band spokesperson Derek Solomon says first and foremost W.I.S.O. is a group of friends who all get to share a wonderful life on Waiheke Island.
“We get together to see what can happen and we try to utilise our surroundings as much as possible,” he says.
That includes recording at Waiheke’s Eco Village Hall, which is made from adobe mud brick and offers “an astounding resonance”.
The owners offered the hall at little cost and W.I.S.O. put on a show for them and their children as payment.
“That’s the essence of the Waiheke community,” Derek says.
W.I.S.O. will be joined by 10-piece Latin Ska powerhouse Radio Rebelde, also from Waiheke Island, for their Leigh Sawmill Café concert.
The concert is on Thursday, December 28 at 9pm. Pre-sale tickets are $15 from undertheradar.co.nz. Door sales $20.
