Sweet Release's Dan Patea spoke to OurAuckland ahead of his Music in Parks gig this Saturday 19 February.
How did you get into music?
All of us had musical backgrounds, either through church or youth groups. We all sang or played some instrument, which lucky enough for us happened to form a band.
Where did the name Sweet Release come from?
Sweet Release describes the feeling when it's just you and your music, and you can let go of all your problems and just regain all that positive energy.
The majority of us met through school, at Sacred Heart College in Glen Innes. We used to just sit in the guitar room and jam out, and the harmonies came together naturally. Mrs Glynn, our music teacher at the time, forced us to make a band and enter the school talent show. We haven't looked back since.
What can audiences expect from the gig this weekend?
You can expect a lot of fun! We like to make sure people watching us feel everything as if they were on stage with us. We're real laid-back guys, so we just wanna let the audience know we're one of them, and our music helps us do that. It'll be a great way to spend your Saturday, just vibing out with us and having a few laughs.
What are you most looking forward to about performing in Glen Innes?
Probably returning to familiar territory. Our first actual gigs were done in G.I. and we know the type of crowd. That excites us the most; everyone's vibrant and ready to jam and they genuinely enjoy the music we play. And of course there's My Bakery. We all know that menu inside and out.
What's the funniest thing that ever happened to you at a live show?
We've had a few! Our guitarist's strap broke during a gig at West Wave Pools and the guitar fell straight down. We all looked and laughed at each other, and acted like we weren't performing. We also had a guy jump on stage with us once, flying his Bob Marley flag. That was an unexpected one, but cracked us up anyway!
Katchafire, Raiza Biza & Sweet Release
Saturday 20 February, 12pm-4pm
Point England Reserve | All ages | Free
You can catch Dan and the Sweet Release crew at Point England Reserve this Saturday from 12pm-4pm. They'll be joined by rising hip-hop artist Raiza Biza and the legendary Katchafire.
Thanks to support from Tāmaki Regeneration Company, this event will also feature local Māori and Pasifika cultural group performances, African drumming, food stalls, an under-fives activity area, face-painting and more.
This is an alcohol-free, whānau-friendly event, brought to you by Auckland Council Music in Parks and supported by Tāmaki Regeneration Company.
