Photography: Jo Currie.
Meet New Zealand’s rock ’n’ roll answer to the von Trapps –the Thomsons! Sure, they don’t sing Edelweiss, but their band, Sonic Boom, is a genuine family affair, with mum Nicola as lead singer and dad Brad as the band’s tech support guy. Ten-year-old Indy is on drums, while younger brother Adler rocks out on pretend guitar and helps sell merch.
“It really is a dream come true,” smiles Nicola, 41, who takes centre stage under her rock-star alter ego Nikki Monroe.
The Hamilton mum is already well known as the powerhouse singer of covers band The Monroes, but after becoming a parent, life on the road became more complicated.
“Travelling to gigs all over the country was so easy before being a mum,” she tells Woman’s Day.
“Once I had kids, I still gigged, but we didn’t travel as far and everything was much harder.”
Leaving her boys behind with babysitters was tough.
“We’re very close and they didn’t like being away from me,” says Nicola.
“This new stage of life where my two loves combine is a dream come true.”
Meet the family band
While Nicola belts out the tunes, husband Brad, 48, keeps everything running behind the scenes, as well as being emergency back-up drummer. But the star of the show is 10-year-old Indy, who’s already a seriously impressive drummer, although Nicola and Brad are conscious of letting Adler, five, be part of the action.
“So far, he’s really into it,” says Nicola.
“He’s had a couple of slots where he’s come on stage and played a bit of pretend guitar. He helps sell the merch, sets up and packs away the gear, and thinks of it very much as his band too.”
Born to be a drummer
For Indy, his musical destiny may have been sealed before he was even born as Nicola performed with The Monroes while pregnant with him.
“Even in the womb, he was around music, so it was inevitable that he’d probably end up going down this road,” tells Nicola.
“He’s really got that beat and rhythm.”
Brad, a drummer since the age of 11, began teaching Indy the basics when he was tiny.
Brad explains, “It started with clapping hands and counting to four, which is the basis of drumming and Western music. We got him a little drum kit when he was about three and he liked playing – especially to Kiss!”
Indy became obsessed with the legendary rockers because, as his mum puts it, “they were a band of monsters”!
Indy takes centre stage
At just eight years old, Indy took to the stage for his first solo performance at the 50th birthday celebration of former Monroes band member Layton Lillas, smashing out the Kiss classic I Was Made For Lovin’ You.
That was when his parents realised they had something special on their hands.
“We tried so many things with Indy, from rock climbing to karate,” recalls Nicola.
“But drumming is something he’s stuck at.”
Indy’s drumming goes pro
These days, the young rocker receives private lessons from Alan Grady, the retired drummer from Kiwi hard-rock favourites Knightshade, who have supported the likes of Bon Jovi, Deep Purple and Guns N’ Roses. Alan noticed Indy’s talent during a band practice at the family home and offered to take him under his wing.
Indy has now performed in 10 Sonic Boom concerts and is already learning the glamorous realities of life as a professional musician – including the cost of broken equipment!
“He broke his first drumstick and was so proud!” laughs Nicola.
“But we’re trying to discourage that because they’re expensive. He earns his own money now, so he has to pay for his own drumsticks!”
More than just a family band
Sonic Boom’s mission is about more than just having a good time. The family wants to inspire Kiwi kids to learn to fall in love with live music.
Nicola shares, “We see so many kids falling out of music because of video games and social media. We love seeing more kids being motivated by music.”
And Indy is proving to be a powerful inspiration.
“I often get people emailing me, saying, ‘My kids want to play music now and join a band.’ We love that.”
The joy of sharing music with her kids
With epic singalongs, wild dance moments, memorable guitar solos and costume changes, Sonic Boom is designed to give tots and tweens their very own rock-concert experience – without the eye-watering price tag of seeing a global superstar.
“I wanted to be Britney Spears or one of the Spice Girls when I was a young girl,” says Nicola.
“If your daughter likes Taylor Swift, it costs so much more to take her to that show. “This is giving kids a more affordable option to hear songs they love.”
And as the Thomson family prepares to hit the road again, Nicola couldn’t be happier that she gets to mix motherhood and music.
“I love giving the gift of music to people and seeing them have a really good time,” she says.
“It’s such a cool job.”
Sonic Boom tours the lower North Island from 28 September to 7 October. For tickets, visit Eventfinda.
