Reviewed by John Hastings

Some concerts are designed simply to entertain. Others aim to inspire, provoke or unite. The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra aspires to something even more ambitious: the creation of a shared, immersive world where music, art and imagination converge, if only for a few extraordinary hours.

Over the last decade, The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra has emerged as one of the most inventive and distinctive forces in Aotearoa’s live music landscape. What began as a bold collaborative project within Auckland’s independent arts scene has evolved into a large-scale multidisciplinary spectacle, bringing together songwriters, orchestral musicians, poets, performers and visual artists in a vibrant celebration of creative expression. Guided by the boundless energy of creator, arranger and conductor Joshua Worthington-Church, the project has earned a reputation for breaking down traditional barriers between artistic disciplines and replacing them with something far more colourful, inclusive and adventurous.

For The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, each event feels not only like the culmination of months of preparation but also the temporary construction of an entire universe. Contemporary songwriting is fused with orchestral arrangements, theatrical staging, elaborate costumes, immersive lighting and visual storytelling to create an experience that extends well beyond the expectations of a conventional concert. The result is neither orchestra, festival nor theatre production alone, but a unique synthesis of all three.

This latest production, Jukebox of Joy, is the Orchestra’s most expansive undertaking to date. Featuring more than forty performers and collaborators from across Tāmaki Makaurau’s creative community, it transforms the venue into a living kaleidoscope of music, movement and visual wonder.

At the centre of this ever-expanding creative universe stands Worthington-Church, the artist whose vision has guided the Orchestra from bold concept to one of our most distinctive cultural phenomena. composer, arranger, musician, conductor, designer and creative director, Worthington-Church occupies a uniquely multifaceted role within the city’s arts scene. Clearly, he has strength in his ability to unite diverse creative voices behind a shared vision.

The Orchestra succeeds because it operates less as a traditional hierarchy than as a collaborative creative network. Indie musicians, orchestral players, cool jazz kids, spoken-word artists, dancers and visual creatives each contribute their own perspective while helping shape something larger than themselves. The result is a project that thrives on artistic diversity while maintaining a remarkably coherent identity.

That philosophy extends beyond the music. Worthington-Church recognises that contemporary audiences increasingly seek experiences, not simply performances. As a result, visual storytelling has become inseparable from the Orchestra’s identity. Elaborate costumes, imaginative staging, immersive lighting, projected imagery, mirror-ball glamour and theatrical spectacle combine to create environments as captivating as the music itself.

With each production, that world continues to evolve. Yet at its heart remains a simple idea: music can connect people, dissolve boundaries and create moments of shared joy. Few projects embody that belief more completely than The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, and Jukebox of Joy is its most vivid expression yet.

This year’s move to the larger up market Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre attracted a line-up heavily populated by past participants and artists deeply embedded within Tāmaki Makaurau’s creative community, reinforcing the Orchestra’s role as a showcase and of local talent.

Throughout the evening, Dominic Hoey served as master of ceremonies, bringing his trademark blend of sharp one-liners, political reflections and poetry. His most effective moments came through his more personal pieces, while his relaxed humorous presence helped maintain the momentum and cohesion of an ambitious programme.

Worthington-Church opened proceedings with the preacher-funk energy of Welcome to the Family, a fitting scene-setter and heartfelt acknowledgement of the community that sustains the Orchestra. Behind him, the Orchestra established the evening’s tone immediately, layering brass, strings and rhythm into a vibrant communal call to arms. Priya Sami followed, emerging from a wash of woodland-inspired textures before launching into the R&B-infused pop of Stupid Lame Clichés, the Orchestra adding warmth and depth to her keen melodic instincts.

Long-time collaborator Princess Chelsea brought her unmistakable dulcet tones to Heaven, a whimsical composition paired with decidedly less whimsical lyrics and a playful arrangement by Joe Kaptein. Accompanying Tom Tuke puppetry added another visual dimension, although perhaps it may have benefited from stronger sightlines or projection. Hollie Fulbrook then stepped forward alongside a sympathetic string arrangement to deliver the soulful Time Goes, her voice carrying the weight of lived experience. Samara Alofa’s Harp in My Heart followed, one of the evening’s most ambitious orchestrations, building from gentle water-like textures into a soaring soundscape that culminated in a thunderous, emotionally charged crescendo.

A sharp change of pace arrived with long-time Orchestra member Chelsea Prastiti and her up-tempo punk-rap tirade Charity Case, propelled by a punchy brass section that amplified every ounce of its attitude and swagger. One of the night’s undeniable highlights followed as Grecco Romank delivered the dark cinematic drama of Asbestos Tarot, accompanied by the striking visual artistry of Copper MaeSteal. Romank’s gothic sensibilities were perfectly matched by the Orchestra’s brooding arrangement, which expanded the song’s industrial foundations into something genuinely epic in scale.

Closing the first half, Rachel Clarke stepped from the backing vocal ranks to centre stage and proved herself utterly captivating. Her performance of Haiku #3 left the audience momentarily breathless, the Orchestra exercising impressive restraint before gradually elevating the song into something breathtaking. It was the performance of an artist made for a stage of this size, delivering power, vulnerability and emotional precision in equal measure. The evenings defining moment.

Roa Records founder and multidisciplinary innovator Rahana Tito-Taylor opened the second half with the improvised Rangatūone, inviting the Orchestra into a swirling, discordant avant-garde exploration that showcased the ensemble’s versatility and willingness to embrace risk. The sounds of the earth awakening introduced Na Noise and the electronic pulse of Just Like That, with the Orchestra cleverly translating synthetic textures into a grand, cinematic arrangement.

Elizabeth Stokes settled the atmosphere with the widescreen pop anthem Dogfights, supported by one of the evening’s most sensitive orchestrations, the ensemble accentuating the song’s emotional undercurrents without overwhelming them. Steph Brown then delivered a folk-pop masterclass with I Got Problems, brought further to life through an interpretive dance performance by Zoe White and an arrangement that steadily grew from intimate reflection to stirring release.

The standout performance of the second half belonged to Mainard Larkin and recent release Rattlesnake Boy. Larkin starts in deep soul territory, then evolved through a hypnotic rhythmic groove before arriving at a country-tinged finale driven by a huge, punchy refrain. Throughout, the Orchestra navigated each stylistic shift with remarkable confidence, reinforcing the song’s constantly evolving character.

Before the finale, Worthington-Church took a well-deserved moment to acknowledge the Orchestra members individually, a reminder that such an undertaking succeeds only through collective effort. Diggy Dupe and Teez then brought the evening to a close with the infectious On The Run, the Orchestra providing a joyous, full-bodied backdrop that transformed the song into a communal celebration.

As the final notes rang out, the audience rose almost as one, rewarding Worthington-Church, the Orchestra and the assembled artists with a prolonged standing ovation that continued until the house lights finally came up.

The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra remains both a celebration and a demonstration of what is possible when an artistic community comes together in pursuit of a shared vision. Jukebox of Joy succeeded not merely as entertainment, but as a reminder of the artistic possibilities that emerge when collaboration becomes the central performance

It always delivers a night to remember.