Wright, Reeves and Rodeka from Dunedin band The Oxo Cubans, are doing something about it.
The Oxo Cubans' Big Night Out at The Mayfair Theatre will be a platform for this burgeoning southern talent, some of whom have already cut their teeth with the Oxos at their Isis Lounge Thursday night jam and open mike sessions.
"There has to be a next step up for younger artists, like those coming out of the university rock music course," says Wright.
"To progress as performers they need to gain live theatre and concert experience and for that, the Mayfair is ideal."
New Sony Music signing Annah Mac (her follow-up to the successful Focus single is due for release) is an example of the young talent to have emerged here recently.
Annah will be one of the special guests at the Big Night Out, along with her younger sisters Kristin and Rita Macdonald, who are also singer-songwriter talents.
"Annah was singing with us on Thursday nights when she was still at school, as now are Kristin and Rita," says Rodeka.
"These girls are just amazing."
The Oxo Cubans will also be joined by Bulgarian guitarist Simeon Boyadjiev, who is enrolled in the university rock degree course.
"He plays like Hendrix and Clapton combined, he is incredible for his age," says Rodeka.
About 150 musicians and singers can claim to have been an Oxo Cuban over the band's 18-year life, but the permanent core of the band is Reeves, who played with, among others, The Bellamy Brothers while based in America, Rodeka, who went to Australia and found fame with Mother Goose, and seasoned local keyboardist Doug Wright.
At The Mayfair, they are joined by multiple award-winning Neville Copland on keys, fresh from his first movie soundtrack, The Insatiable Moon, and guitarist John Meddings.
Featured artists include 2010 Tui songwriting winner Matt Langley, who first surfaced in 1990s rock band The Fold, international country rock performer Jeff Rea, multi-instrumentalist Mike Hood and roots harmony group The Polyester Boys, who describe themselves as New Zealand's top artificial plastic covers band.
"This concert is a win-win-win.
The wonderful Mayfair gets a whole new audience, young musicians are mentored and get vital playing experience and a charity will benefit from the sale of refreshments on the night.
"We are hoping to run concerts like this regularly," says Wright.
The Oxo Cubans' first live CD is about to be released.
The show
Next Saturday, August 28.
Tickets are available from The Rockshop, Beggs Musicworks and The Ra Bar.
The Oxo Cubans.
