Tuesday 25 October 2022 11:50am
Rachel Trainor performs in the recent Australian Rebel tour. Photo credit: Ivan Kemp.
A passion for music icon David Bowie has brought Otago alumna and professional drummer Rachel Trainor back to Dunedin after more than a decade.
Having started out performing as a student with her music lecturer, Dr Ian Chapman (aka Dr Glam), Trainor took to the stage on Sunday, 23 October with the touring Australian show Rebel, a live circus rock tribute to Bowie playing here as part of the Dunedin Arts Festival.
Trainor, who graduated with Honours in a Bachelor of Music in 2011, says, “I'm so excited to be coming back to where it all began for me. Dunedin will always hold a special place in my heart as my family are all from here, and it was so integral to my early years as a musician.”
The Dr Glam band outside Marama Hall in 2009, from left, David Harrison (then and now, School of Performing Arts Guitar Teaching Fellow), Rachel Trainor, Pania Simmonds (a student, now School of Performing Arts bass tutor) and Dr Ian Chapman. Photo credit: Ian Chapman Collection.
Now based in Melbourne, Trainor’s career has included being the house drummer at Dracula’s, Melbourne’s famous Dracula-themed theatre restaurant, and she is also a founding member of the indie band Honeybone (Dunedin and Melbourne). She is now travelling the world with Rebel.
Trainor says she will always be grateful to Dr Chapman and the University of Otago for introducing her to the amazing music of David Bowie (among others) and giving her the opportunity to tour the country with Dr Chapman’s Dr Glam band.
Dr Glam on stage in 2009 (from left) Dr Ian Chapman, Pania Simmonds, Rachel Trainor and David Harrison. Photo credit: Ian Chapman Collection.
“It was really a run-on effect from doing these types of shows that I'm where I am today, from doing Dracula's to coming full circle with Rebel, touring Australia and internationally.
“It's also pretty cool that our last tour with Rebel was to Edinburgh, UK for the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and then our next tour is to Edinburgh's sister city, Dunedin!
“I learned so much during my time at Otago that has helped get me to where I am today, so a huge thanks to the Uni and everyone in the Music Department for setting me up for success in my music career.”
Dr Chapman, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music at Otago, says, “My goal at the time was to give some of my talented students some ‘out there in the real world’ band experience. I’m thrilled to see how far Rachel has come. She’s always had a brilliant attitude and I’m very proud of her.”