Our GrownUps Review – California Dreaming: the Music of the Mamas and the Papas

Six of our lucky GrownUps members got the chance to be concert reviewers for the night when they won tickets to California Dreaming: The Music of the Mamas and the Papas. Journeying back to the 60’s with a psychedelic trip down memory lane they got to enjoy the unforgettable sounds and harmonies of the Mamas and the Papas, the group that sold an incredible 40 million albums world-wide during their short and turbulent history.

See below to read their reviews and see how they enjoyed the shows.

Therese M, Auckland:
The show ‘California Dreaming’ was absolutely brilliant.  My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our night out.  The singers were really great and sang fantastic songs that we both knew and loved and still listen to now.  I would thoroughly recommend the show to others and would love to see another of the Mamas and the Papas shows in the future.  Thank you so much GrownUps for giving us such a lovely night out. Our memories of the show will remain with us forever.

Vincent Lyttle, Hamilton:
A very pleasant afternoon spent down memory lane listening to music of my era , a slick presentation of music and commentary with interesting stories of troubled life’s. It was all well put together and the story and the music were supported by a good backing band.

Elizabeth E, Auckland:
What a treat it was to win a double pass to California Dreaming at the Bruce Mason Centre. From our great seats, very near the front, we were able to enjoy the wonderful singing and follow along the story of The Mamas and the Papas.
The talented cast captured our hearts from the first song. Each member of the cast was an accomplished singer in their own right, and together they put together a performance in which they showcased the music of the Mamas and the Papas.
But it wasn’t just the music. Threaded throughout the show was the story of the Mamas and the Papas, from the beginnings of the group, and how they all came together, and the friendships and conflicts that were part of their life as a superstar group.
The music of the Mamas and the Papas is so unique and enduring that it came as a surprise to me to learn that they performed together for only about four years. The songs were beautifully matched to each chapter in the story. As well as their own songs, mostly written by John Phillips, the Mamas and the Papas sang quite a few cover songs, and we were treated to some of these as well.
Altogether a fabulous evening where the songs of the Mamas and the Papas transported us back to those heady days of the Sixties.

Terry S, Hamilton:
Firstly let me ask a question what makes a great show? Is it the theater’ s acoustics, the place and time of the show or does the audience set the mood for the performance? Or does it all hinge on the performance and those taking part?
Isn’t New Zealand know for it’s audiences and the way we cheer (or when it comes to our closest neighbors across the ditch and certain sports even boo) the performers.

For all those who attended the latest performance or California Dreaming the Music of the Mamas and the Papas in Hamilton we were able to watch a fine stage show made up of four singers and a great band and listen to the history and some of the songs that made the 60’s music what it was. An important part of that decade. While I will always personally believe that it was Bob Dylan who drove that era it was songs like Monday Monday and California Dreaming that I remember more readily.

The harmonies were tight and the band and the musicians, especially the drummer excellent.
But back to my questions the theater was adequate as it was less than half full. I had only ever been there to this theater once before and that was for a church service so was it like that because no one knows about this place. Was the sound off No the acoustics were good. Is a Sunday afternoon a bad time to perform I personally enjoyed getting out and doing something different rather than being stuck at home on a wet and soggy afternoon. James Cutler, Evan Lever, Alana Tranter and Michele Brasier and the band may have received standing ovations in Australia but there was a lack of audience at this performance but we tried to show our appreciation the best we could so that wasn’t it.

A last thought one i hadn’t touched on was it just bad advertising of this event and it’s performers that made the difference or am I in a dwindling age group who recognise who the Mamas and the Papas were and the important part they played in shaping music as it is today.