Red Stick Sounds: Swamp Thing in Baton Rouge

New Zealand blues band Swamp Thing (pictured above) is taking over the city. Photo courtesy of Jenn Ocken.

Over the past few weeks, New Zealand blues band Swamp Thing has been everywhere on the local scene. Through a partnership with the Arts Council, the blues-rock duo is in the midst of a month-long visit in the Capital City.

When approached about the trip by former Arts Council President and CEO Eric Holowacz, the band agreed and started saving to get to Louisiana. Before arriving in Baton Rouge, Holowacz was an arts and culture manager in Victoria, Australia. He had met and seen the band perform at the Woodford Folk Festival. When Holowacz moved to Baton Rouge, he initiated the idea of a cultural exchange with the band. It was something the band didn’t want to pass up. Guitarist/singer Grant Haua says he looked forward to experiencing the American south.

“We’ve grown up with a lot of your guys’ stuff—the literature, the Mississippi River …,” he says. “To get over here and see it and to be treated so nicely has been a great experience for us.”

During the band’s extended stay, Haua and bandmate Michael Barker have been sitting in on blues jams at The Roux House and Phil Brady’s as well as checking out programs at Baton Rouge Music Studios. Next week, the band is hoping to record a song or two at PreSonus studios with local musicians such as Michael Foster. Then, with Rob Chidester, the band will shoot a video clip.

Barker says he’s been impressed with the musicianship in Baton Rouge.

“The artists coming out of here …,” Barker says, letting out a sigh. “There are forces for change here and it’s afoot.”

Swamp Thing is no slouch itself. The band is more than four years old and has released two studio albums and a live DVD/CD. Barker has performed with The John Butler Trio and Split Enz, a popular 1980s band consisting of Neil and Tim Finn.

During all this busy-ness, the band will play a few dates around town, and you won’t want to miss them. Check out the dates below and a video clip for the band’s live performance of “Can’t Eat.”

Friday, April 24 at Teddy’s Juke Joint, 9 p.m. $10 cover. 
Monday, April 27 at The Roux House during Michael Foster’s weekly Red Beans & Rice event, 6 p.m. Free.
Tuesday, April 28 at Phil Brady’s for a Baton Rouge Blues Society event, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29 at Brickyard South, time TBA. No cover. The event includes a crawfish boil.