'Mind connection' a key to success - June 2016

ON KEY: Te Paerata Tichbon (left) and Michael Peterson work closely together as Why Vibrations.

The band that won Whanganui's Smokefreerockquest is already doing gigs and looking for more, Te Paerata Tichbon says.

He and Michael Peterson played two songs as Why Vibrations at the Royal Wanganui Opera House on Saturday night. They are classed as a band despite being a duo, because Michael was playing the drums. Both go to Whanganui High School.

They played two songs in their seven minutes on stage. Joe's Wonder Time is psychedelic funk with a tinge of reggae, Te Paerata said. Vent Now is more emotional, and deals with something that has been worrying him.

Psychedelic funk is a good description of their music - sometimes intense and sometimes mellow and spaced out, with funky guitar grooves.

The two write their material together. Michael plays guitar as well as drums, and they collaborate on melody. Te Paerata writes most of the lyrics.

They've been playing together since September last year.

"We have a mind connection. You know when you're jamming and it all just feels right, like we just both know exactly when to build up and when each other are going to stop. It's awesome," Michael said.

Te Paerata has a fortnightly gig at Whanganui's Delicious cafe and six videos up on YouTube as Fortitude. The two have also played at Ratana celebrations, at Mint for Rocktober and at the Caboodle in the central city in January.

Both would like to make a career out of music, and Te Paerata is planning to start a bachelor of commercial music degree at Victoria University next year.

Playing to 150 in the opera house was enjoyable but lost liveliness because everyone was sitting down. That is not ideal for a musician who likes to "feed off the audience", Te Paerata said.