New city space to create
In the book, Ken Kesey and his eclectic band of Merry Pranksters trip across America in 1968 introducing people to the recently discovered hallucinogenic LSD, while tweaking them to the high heavens on experimental grooves.
The 1906 Frederick Street Church is like one of Kesey’s hang-outs, intriguing, eclectic, and essential to balancing a city’s underground needs.
Daniel Beban (aka Baba Rossa) took over the Church’s lease last year, opened it to the public, and has made it a Mecca of musical exploration.
He says the building is in danger of being destroyed by developers, as only the façade has heritage status, but for the moment it’s home to The Frederick Street Sound and Light Exploration Society.
The space is good for the city because it removes the pressure people feel in commercial joints to drink in order to legitimise their stay, says Beban.
“To give the place a sense of life we needed to open it up to the public. It’s unofficial and under the radar,” he says.
The Church was built by Frederick de Jersey Clere, an architect who designed 130 churches throughout New Zealand. The brick walls and high roof provide the perfect acoustics for recording.
Last December The Frederick Street Sound and Light Exploration Society held a four-day, 30+ bands, “Fredstock” and are planning another one in October.
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