Horowhenua StarA popular Levin band with the coolest name ever is again supporting Levin Music Festival by playing a free gig in town tomorrow afternoon.
Peanut Slab – arguably and quite possibly one of the coolest covers band ever, too – will bring their repertoire of reggae, funk and rock to a stage inside Kings Sound Centre.
Peanut Slab, from left, Foggsta Heke (vocals/percussion), Gary (Guzz E Zee) Hibbs (keys/guitar/sax), Moe Tamaako (guitar), Mark Tui (bass), and Mario Kerehi (drums). Photo supplied
The band was started by talented multi-instrumentalist Gary Hibbs, who just put it out there that he was looking to form a band.
Peanut Slab have played together for five years now.
It was Gary that got everyone enthusiastic and started organising gigs. Since then Peanut Slab has played at venues throughout the lower North Island, including weddings, corporate gigs, birthdays, and gatherings of motorcycle enthusiasts.
They travel as far as Taupō, where they were a hit at Finn’s Irish Bar on New Year’s Eve, while there was only one band the Taradale Rugby Club wanted to book after the club won the Hawke’s Bay club rugby competition.
Drummer Mario Kerehi says the band’s ability to play a variety of genres means they can tailor their set to suit the crowd and the mood of the occasion.
“We try to play to a set list, but it doesn’t always work so its good to be able to do that,” he says.
Charismatic frontman Rangima Heke knows how to get an audience engaged. He sometimes tells a crowd the band name wasn’t borrowed from Whittaker’s – it came from “Whitti-cuz”.
The band initially started with Gary, Mario, Rangima and Mark Tui, with lead guitarist Moe Tamaako joining a year later. The band enjoys playing for charity, too, and are not averse to doing fundraisers if it’s for a worthy cause. While they enjoy doing covers of all genres, Peanut Slab is starting to work on some original material.
“We just love what we do and enjoy each other’s company,” Mario says.
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