The Winery Tour 2018 – Songbook, Together in Concert

After 10 years and 149 shows around New Zealand, the annual Winery Tour will be shaking things up a little for its 2018 run. While maintaining the key elements that have made the tour so successful and beloved since 2007 (all kiwi talent, great local wine and food, in stunning, family-friendly locations), the all-star laden 2018 tour will come with a twist.

The 3-set format that is another staple of the Winery Tour stays in place, but the presentation gets a reset. Tami Neilson and her Hot Rockin’ Band of Rhythm will open the show, with what is sure to be a high octane blast, showcasing Tami’s incredible voice and multi-award winning songs. For the middle set, some of the greatest voices in NZ music history will take the stage together, supported by one band, performing the hits from each of their storied catalogues. Annie, Che, Jason, Betty-Anne, Hollie and band will then take a short break before returning to the stage for the headline set: Songbook – Together in Concert. Together, the kiwi music legends will present their takes on their all time favourite songs – songs that have influenced them, by the artists that inspired them. Featuring the music of Prince, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Blondie, the Eagles, Tina Turner and many more, ‘Songbook – Together in Concert’ is destined to be the ultimate Winery Tour showstopper.

The Winery Tour 2018 will present ten shows around New Zealand in January and February, celebrating the kiwi summer in the best way possible, with outstanding music, great wine and food in some of New Zealand’s most idyllic wineries and outdoor venues. Two new venues are added for 2018 – the Canterbury show moves into the heart of Christchurch at Hagley Park, while the beautiful Kainui Road Vineyard in Kerkeri hosts its first ever Winery Tour show.

Annie says “It’s a dream come true, to share the stage with music icons of Aotearoa. We’ll be serving up epic waiata under the summer sun, come join us!”

Che: “I’m absolutely stoked to be on the Winery Tour for 2018, and I’m looking forward to rockin’ out through NZ with my super talented friends – woop!”

Jason: “I’m excited about reconnecting with the fans and NZ’s fine wine and cheese this summer.”

Betty-Anne: “What great company to be sharing and doing what inspires us – The Winery Tour is gonna be simply blissful!”

Hollie: “I’m so excited to be a part of the Winery Tour again and with this awesome group of people. How can you possibly go wrong with great music, great wine and a kiwi summer?!”

Tami: “Me and my Hot Rockin’ Band of Rhythm cant wait to be the soundtrack to your summer, New Zealand!”

Promoters Brent Eccles and Campbell Smith are re-energised with the new look Winery Tour and particularly with the star-studded line up of talent: “We were determined to shake our favourite tour up a bit and we are so thrilled to be able to present such an impressive array of kiwi talent in one show” says Eccles. “Tami Neilson blows us away every time we see her play and to be able to see and hear legends like Annie, Che, Jason, Betty-Anne and Hollie performing big songs in the ‘Together in Concert’ format, will be something special. Fans are in for a real live performance treat, there will be singing and dancing in the vines!”

Early Bird Tickets are on sale 16 October for $69 (+booking fee) for a limited period. From 1 December, GA tickets will be $79 (+booking fee). Children under the age of 12 will be granted free entry when accompanied by an adult ticket holder (one child per ticket holder). Special bus tickets will also be available. For ticket information and to purchase please go to The Winery Tour website www.winerytour.co.nz

Civic Events presents The Winery Tour 2018
Songbook – Together in Concert:
Annie Crummer, Che Fu, Jason Kerrison, Betty-Anne Monga and Hollie Smith; Tami Neilson and her Hot Rockin’ Band of Rhythm

JANUARY

Friday 19                   Upper Moutere          Neudorf Vineyards

Saturday 20               Christchurch             Hagley Park

Monday 22                 Wellington                Lower Hutt Eastbourne Days Bay

(Wellington Anniversary Day)

Saturday 27                Matakana                Ascension Wine Estate

Sunday 28                  Kerikeri                   Kainui Road Vineyard

FEBRUARY

Friday 2                      Havelock North         Black Barn Vineyards

Saturday 3                  Auckland                  Villa Maria Winery

Sunday 4                    New Plymouth           TSB Bowl of Brookland

Friday 9                      Hamilton                   Vilagrad Winery

Saturday 10                Tauranga                  Wharepai Domain

In brief:

• The new-look Winery Tour returns for its 11^th year in 2018 with ‘Songbook – Together in Concert’ feat. Annie Crummer, Che Fu, Jason Kerrison, Betty-Anne Monga and Hollie Smith; together with Tami Neilson and her Hot Rockin’ Band of Rhythm
• 10 shows nationwide in January and February from Kerikeri to Christchurch
• Early bird tickets on sale on Monday 16^th October midday for the special price of $69 + booking fee
• Full price tickets available from 1^st December at $79 + booking fee
• Gate tickets (if any) on day of show at $90
• One child under the age of 12 will be given free admittance when accompanied by one adult ticket holder
• Gates open 5:00pm, first act on stage 6:00pm and concert concludes at 10:00pm except for Wellington – Gates 2:00pm, First act on stage 3:00pm concert concludes at 7:00pm

For more information go to www.winerytour.co.nz

About the Artists

Annie Crummer A member of the New Zeland Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to music, Annie Crummer has sustained a multi-award winning career across multiple music formats, including pop, stage shows and musicals, from providing her trademark powerhouse vocals for hits such as For Today, Melting Pot and See What Love Can Do, through smashing the lead role of Killer Queen in the Australian production of the Queen/Ben Elton hit We Will Rock You.
www.anniecrummer.com

Che Fu A winner of the APRA Silver Scroll, eight NZ Music Awards, more top ten singles than any other individual, and a member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to music, Che Fu started out as a teenager with the legendary Supergroove (You Gotta Know, Sitting Inside My Head) before rolling into an unparallelled career as a shapeshifting solo artist, with hits such as Chainz, Scene III, Fade Away and Misty Frequencies.
https://www.facebook.com/therealchefu

Jason Kerrison Yet another Winery Tour artist who is a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to music, Jason Kerrison is also an APRA silver scroll winner, a writer of way too many ear-worm pop songs to count, who together with his band Opshop has nine x platinum album sales, has won nine NZ Music Awards, was a judge on New Zealand’s Got Talent, mentored on X-Factor, and sometimes finds time to sleep.
www.facebook.com/jasonkerrisonmusic

Betty-Anne Monga A founding member and the formidable, inimitable voice of the seminal NZ band Ardijah, Betty-Anne Monga has won numerous awards, sold platinum albums (Take A Chance), had hit singles including Give Me Your Number, Time Makes A Wine, Watchin’ U, and the #1 Silly Love Songs, all the while building an unrivalled standing as a legend, inspiration and totem of music in the Pacific.
www.ardijah.co.nz

Hollie Smith With an unmistakeable and original voice that sounds like an act of God, Hollie Smith burst on to the scene like a bolt of lightning in 2006 with the jaw-dropping Bathe in the River, followed that with multi-platinum selling, #1 charting albums (Long Player, Humour & the Misfortune of Others) and multiple New Zealand Music Awards, and she continues to reign as the queen of Aotearoa soul.
www.holliesmith.co.nz

Tami Neilson Not many singers come close to the power of the incomparable Tami Neilson, with a voice straight from the golden age of soul, country and rockabilly, she too is a past winner of the APRA Silver Scroll, has cupboard-loads of NZ Music Awards, fronts one of the hottest bands in the land, and just like the title of one of her #1 NZ chart albums….she is quite simply Dynamite!
www.tamineilson.com

Godfrey De Grut (Music Director) Charged with assembling the crack band that will back the artists on the Winery Tour, and arranging the selected songs for performance, Godfrey de Grut brings with him a glittering resume of achievement including an APRA Silver Scroll, collaborations with countless New Zealand musicians, numerous awards, producer credits and music directorships of the Silver Scroll Awards, NZ Film Awards and Christmas in the Park.