2010 Pacific Music Awards

Wow!  What a great night out.  The performers were just oozing with music, rhythm and talent.  The MCs for the night (Yolande Ah Chong and Alphonso Maiava) where wonderful and highly entertaining.  I usually think of the MCs as people who get in the way of the acts I've come to see, but this pair were a quality act in their own right!  Wonderful.

Something else that struck me wasn't just the family focus ... even though I think every artist had extended family members in the audience AND the audience was made up of people whose age in years ranged from single to those I guessed were getting close to three digits!  No, what really impressed me was the acknowledgement of their Heavenly Father as the gracious provider of their musical talents.  These artists and performers weren't there basking in their own glory, they were exercising their God given talents for the enjoyment of those around them; their Pacific Island families and friends, and they weren't afraid to acknowledge from where their talents had come.  I almost wished I was a Pacific Islander myself!!

Privileged to be associated with such a wonderful group of people?  Well, our mayor Len Brown certainly is.  He was back on stage this year and had brought along a few of his fellow councillors.  This man really loves the Pacific people he represents, and I think it's fair to say they're rather fond of him too.  He was having a ball!  You could tell he relished every moment.  Great to see him looking so well and having so much fun.

I was keen to go to get some shots of MIT presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ardijah.  I'd met Betty-Ann Monga the previous week when she performed at the Mangere Town Centre Mangere Love event and she was superb.  On the Saturday night she was missing, but her fellow band members came along to collect the award.  I was quite looking forward to hearing Betty-Ann sing again, but no such luck.

The other reason I was keen to go was to see Malcolm Lakatani perform.  Malcolm is truely a highly talented musician.  He collected together some friends to perform what for me was the best performance of the evening ... but perhaps I'm biased?

Disappointed that even though nominated for three awards on the night, he only played one number and didn't win an award.  Never mind ... next year!!

So there you go.  I had a great time and am really looking forward to next year's event.  I took heaps of photos, met many lovely people, heard some wonderful music and laughed and enjoyed myself like I hadn't done for quite some time.  If you'd like some photos, just email me and I'll help out where I can.  My email address is over on the right ->

Are you my Facebook friend?  If you are here's some shots of the event, and here's some shots of Malcolm and his band.