The Nudge

Overview

On a quest to devour the best pies in the land, Wellington band The Nudge embark on the Big Nudge Pie tour this August and September.

Whispers have been swirling like a mad nor'wester that the trio, first baked in early 2010, are themselves the next big pie. The tour is a chance for punters to judge The Nudge live, kicking off in Wellington and playing Christchurch, Dunedin, Oamaru, Invercargill, Queenstown, Wanaka and Auckland. For the band it's a time to sample and compare pies.

Describing their sound as many fingers in many pies, The Nudge pie is a concoction of a blues and rock base, with a deep swamp filling, and a raucous party crust. Singer, and principal songwriter Ryan Prebble is the swampy bluesman. His gritty tone and brutal blues vocals are laced with messages of social values, personal freedom and the ways of love. James Coyle produces savage tones on a vintage organ, that effortlessly swirl around like a Leslie Cabinet, with warm low frequency modulations of keyboard bass that will crisp any crust. Add to the mix the solid base of thunderous, tribal, uniquely funky jackhammer beats of Iraia Whakamoe, and you have The Nudge.

The tight three have paid dues in bands such as A Hori Buzz, Newtown Rocksteady, Hikoikoi, Spartacus R and Tropical Downbeat Orchestra, and channel influences ranging from Blind Lemon Jefferson, James Brown, Al Green, to Pink Floyd, Bjork and Can. To date The Nudge has delivered blistering performances to punters from the Catlins to Auckland, and opened for Little Bushman, The Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties.

Many home made pies, including mushroom, lentil, potato and cheese, and leek and mushroom, were consumed during the making of Big Nudge Pie.