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New Zealand’s boundary-pushing bluegrass outfit You, Me, Everybody are heading to Whangateau Hall this month to promote their latest album Midnight.
Released on January 30, Midnight was brought to life through a grassroots Kickstarter campaign that reached 70 per cent of its $10,000 goal within the first 24 hours, a testament to the band’s dedicated fan base. True to their hands-on ethos, one of the campaign rewards was a hand-crafted guitar built by band member Laurence Frangos-Rhodes, from a reclaimed mahogany bookcase – an emblem of the creativity and craftsmanship that defines the group.
The album was recorded in Wellington with Nashville-based producer Rachel Baiman and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Sean Sullivan (Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway), giving the project both international polish and local soul.
You, Me, Everybody is a five-piece band that has, over the past five years, been touring, recording and refining a sound that stretches well beyond traditional bluegrass. Their music blends virtuosic acoustic musicianship with inventive arrangements and thoughtful songwriting – a combination that has earned them a loyal following in New Zealand and abroad.
The band features Frangos-Rhodes (guitar), Sam Frangos-Rhodes (mandolin), Kim Bonnington (vocals and guitar), Rob Henderson (double bass), and Ti Point local Nat Torkington on banjo.
Their audience expanded significantly when their song Stranger featured on Netflix’s Sweet Tooth, introducing their sound to viewers around the globe. Writing for 13th Floor, reviewer Robin Kearns observed that “the democratisation of contribution is evident both in recordings and live performance. All members shine.”
For vocalist and guitarist Kim Bonnington, that collaborative spirit is central to the band’s identity.
“One of the best things about our band is how we all bring something different to our sound, whether it’s a song, a tune or a perspective,” Bonnington says. “We have a rule where we try things before saying ‘no’ in rehearsal. It isn’t always easy, but it means we explore avenues we wouldn’t find on our own.”
You, Me, Everybody will play at the Whangateau Hall on March 15. Tickets and full tour details are available at www.yme.nz/tour.
