Byron Bay Brewery | Thursday 23 August | 7pm | $30
The Big Electronic O
Darling of the electronic scene, the boy from New Zealand’s South Island, Opiuo makes his way to the Byron Brewery for some serious dance stylings. He had a quick chat with The Echo.
When did you get into music? Did you learn a classical instrument as a kid?
I was always around music. From parties at home, to my parents’ friends in bands letting me play their instruments. My uncle built my little brother a drum kit out of honey pots that we loved playing on, and eventually that led to my playing real drum kits, bands, and learning drums as my instrument throughout high school.
When did you get into electronic music and how did that happen?
I grew up around festivals and party culture owing to my parents providing the land for some of the early music festivals in NZ. My first real proper electronic music experience was through a festival in the late 90s called The Gathering, a New Years festival located 30 mins from where I grew up on top of a mountain range. I was blown away by the power and intensity of electronic music, and proceeded to buy as much as I could on vinyl afterwards, then DJing at local raves and festivals in the years to follow.
When did you begin to produce your own music? How did that come about?
The very first self-produced electronic track happened 17 years ago, in 2001. My parents’ friend had given me a program called Reason. And I spent any spare time making little electronic dub, hip-hop, and drum’n’bass beats. It was just a random hobby, so would finish maybe one or two songs a year on it.
What piece of equipment do you love the most?
Right now I’d have to say my Prophet 6 synthesiser by Dave Smith Instruments. It’s a beast and I use it all the time. All the synthetic sounds on my song Ginger Lizard were made with this synth.
You’re pretty much a big star now. When did it start to really take off for you? What was that time like?
I first noticed something starting to happen in 2010, right after I released my debut album Slurp & Giggle. I’d show up to random cities on the other side of the world to people knowing all my music, wanting autographs, just wanting to hang out. It was totally surreal as I was still very, very shy in so many situations. I never realised or knew that eight years later I’d still be in the incredibly fortunate situation of being able to travel the globe, living out my dream, creating my own huge live shows, in the hope I too can inspire people just like I was all those years ago.
You play Byron Brewery this Thursday. You have a massive following up this way. What can the people here in Byron expect from the show?
A new live solo show packed with a tonne of newly made funkadelic bass music with a seriously fun dance-fuelled atmosphere of good times and even better people.
Opiuo plays the Byron Brewery on Thursday at 7pm.
Tix are $30 and can be bought on www.byronbaybrewery.com.au
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