AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE
31 March 2006

Board a musical bus in the CBD

Commuters should look out for a 'trio of trios' looking to transform their bus ride into a travelling musical carnival from 5 April as part of the Living Room series.

The 'happening', called Musical Bus Stops, involves a series of musical performances at Queen Street bus stops during shopping hours.

The performances will use three bus shelters as amphitheatres, and the waiting commuters as a ready audience.

When a bus arrives, a musical ensemble will board it until they reach a shelter already invaded by musical squatters, where they will hop off and join them. This cycle continues, with each trio commuting by bus to the next trio's bus stop.

Musical Bus Stops is directed by Kinsley Melhuish (Brassouls, Spargo), and features Jim Langabeer (Superbrew), Chris O'Connor (Don McGlashan and the Seven Sisters), Bruce Morley (Vitamin S), John Bell (C.L. Bob, Dominion Centenary Concert Band), Nigel Gavin (Jews Brothers), and Tim Sutton (APO).

The musical performances will feature on Stagecoach's environmentally friendly hybrid-electric City Circuit bus.

Musical Bus Stops is part of Living Room, a series of installations and activities funded by the CBD targeted rate that seeks to enliven the CBD's public spaces.

Other happenings taking place in the CBD as part of the Living Room series include Proverbial Auckland, Morning Tea, Axminster, Pallet Maze, Multicultimedia, Living Lamps and Skeletons in the Closet.

The Living Room series is a key action from Auckland's CBD Into the future strategy, which aims to transform Auckland's CBD into one of the world's most vibrant and dynamic business and cultural centres.

For more details on the Living Room 'happenings' or the CBD strategy, visit http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/cbd

ENDS

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