Mike Brettell - Making sure the show goes on

Some people make more of an impact backstage than centre stage and Queenstown sound and lighting legend Mike Brettell is one of those people.

Renowned locally for his tireless dedication behind the scenes assisting at everything from kids’ shows and community concerts to Remarkable Theatre performances and autumn festivals, Mike’s been setting the scene and sound.

After 30 years in the business, much of that as a heavily discounted community service, at 60 Mike had been hoping to “wind down” a bit since branching out on his own in the audio-visual business eight years ago.

“I love my motorcycle collection and getting out on long rides with the guys, but I’m now busier than ever working 18-hour days, seven days a week,” he says. Much of that is due to the big increase in weddings – last year a huge one, with more brides and grooms opting for marquees brought alive with Mike’s fairy lighting, festoons and lighting bands. “They’re now seeing draped roofing and walls in Vogue Magazines so we’re getting requests for that this year.”

Funerals are increasingly requiring his skills too, recently managing a 700-strong crowd in a Central Otago barn with 150 more online.

No sweat when you’ve been sound engineer for the Queen’s Dunedin tour luncheon back in the day, getting up close and personal behind her glass security doors. Mike’s hung out on stage on the Crowded House couch during their 1980s tour, with UB40, and set the atmosphere for Sam Neill’s first big Jurassic Park launch.

Forced to employ three staff, he’s now in demand with an Australian tour company bringing older Australians on nostalgic trips to New Zealand commemorating icons like Sir Ed Hillary. Mike travels to Mount Cook every Wednesday to manage those presentations on Sir Ed’s legacy by his kids, either Peter or Sarah. “That’s grown pretty big and they’ve got big numbers coming through.”

For Mackenzie Country-raised Mike it’s like “being home”. Mike grew up in Otematata, near Twizel, his dad driving trucks and diggers on the hydro dam project. They moved to South Dunedin when Mike was six where his dad became a baker, the family living above the bakery. Endless hours were spent roaming the foothills on their bikes, home after dark for dinner. Despite attending Logan Park High School, renowned for its excellent drama programme, Mike “hated being on stage”, but the baking won him over. “Most days I still have an eclair from Arrowtown Bakery,” he grins.

He left school at 16 working for Cook Howlison in the parts department and got involved with the Otago Tramping Club in his mid-20s. Then the mountains beckoned and after a short stint in Te Anau he ran away to Australia to join the circus!

“We travelled all over Australia. I drove the tigers and lions and was the ‘tent boss’ because I was a Kiwi and we love camping,” he grins. “Perry Bros were real hard circus folk but welcomed me into the family. It was the days of paying through the caravan window. I treasure those days.”

However, after four years of sweltering Aussie heat Mike was longing for his “mother in law’s home knit jerseys”, his then partner’s mother pretty good at those.

Back in Dunedin working at the Town Hall Mike discovered his passion for sound and lighting. “It was quiet one day and I found all this gear out the back. I picked up the lights and started lighting up for symphonies and orchestras. I was self-taught really.”

From there he worked for Christchurch-based Shipleys who sent him to Queenstown 22 years ago.

For some years Mike was branch manager for AWF Labour agency, his phone again going 24/7, with huge demand at the time for construction workers. “It was crazy, dealing with 100 construction workers building the Hilton and Kawarau Village Hotels. That was a $2billion project.” Then in 2007 the GFC (global financial crisis) hit. “I lost 100 staff overnight on that project. We ended up supplying builders for the Bank of Scotland, who took over and project managed it.”

Things were tough for a while as Mike went through the highs and lows of that recession. “For a few years it was hard to find builders, but we had lots of jobs needing staff – 20 or 30 a day.” The biggest challenge was staff not showing up as promised on the day, up to 20% some days.

Then with a garage full of accumulated sound and lighting equipment, Mike realised he could turn his passion into a great business. He’s never looked back. “My phone never stopped ringing!”

He’s frequently done the sound and lighting for free at community charity fundraisers, many for cancer causes, recently a big breast cancer fundraiser at Highlands Motorsport Park. “People only have to ask. I just really like to help in any way I can,” he says.

For years he’s been on hand for Wakatipu High School productions, passing on his skills to the students.

While times are getting tighter, corporate events are still coming and he still does community events every week for a “seriously reduced price”. “My strategy is to take from the rich and give to the poor like Robin Hood,” Mike grins.

“I’m a DIYer and I love to problem solve. I get my thrills seeing the results in every show. I can’t stay away. I’m addicted to shows!”