big gigs

New Zealand’s international star Stan Walker will headline Taupo2, along with a line up of famous New Zealand acts; including Anika Moa, Dane Rumble and Ivy Lies.

Taupo2, is an annual summer music extravaganza to be held on Sunday January 2, 2011 at the Taupo’s Unison Amphitheatre. Taupo2 is a pop concert for all ages - a great opportunity to bring the family, friends, kids, a picnic and spend a great Summer holiday evening listening to some chart-topping tunes.

Tickets are $37 + booking fee per adult with children under the age of 12 given free admittance. Tickets go on sale from Monday 29th November and can be purchased via Ticketek from the Great Lake Centre, www.ticketek.co.nz or 0800 TICKETEK. Gates open at 5:00pm with first act on stage at 5:15pm; show concludes at 9:00pm.

Jeremy Redmore, Brooke Fraser & Jason Kerrison (credit Steve Dykes)

New Zealand’s favourite songbird Brooke Fraser will headline the MORE FM Winery Tour 2011 summer series along with an all male entourage: chart-topping four-piece band OPSHOP and the popular Auckland rock band, Midnight Youth.

Now in its fifth year, the popularity of the MORE FM Winery Tour has seen the run more than double since its inception in 2007; now 19 shows nationwide. The tour returns by popular demand to Taupo for a second year, with the concert playing at Unison Amphitheatre on Sunday 20th February.

Brooke has already delivered a staggering number of hit singles and radio staples from her first two albums with songs like Better, Shadowfeet, Arithmetic and Deciphering Me. Her latest album Flags, released in October 2010, has just made an impressive debut in charts around the world and at # 1 in NZ, powered by her latest number one single, the irresistible Something In The Water.

OPSHOP’s third studio album Until the End of Time, was released in August 2010 and also debuted at # 1 in the NZ Charts, proving time together has done nothing but enhance the band’s ability at the song writing desk and in the recording studio. And with hits like One Day, Maybe, Waiting Now and Pins & Needles, OPSHOP is sure to be a summer crowd pleaser.

Midnight Youth, who will open all shows, achieved platinum sales for their debut album The Brave Don’t Run and picked up awards for Best Rock Album and Best Group at the 2009 New Zealand Music Awards. The Brave Don't Run has spawned two top 20 hits; All On Our Own and The Letter – both reaching # 1on the New Zealand radio charts, while current single Just For Once is their first new offering off their soon-to-be released sophomore album (2011).

Co-promoter Brent Eccles says the 2011 line up is a great blend of pop, rock & ballads; something for fans of all ages and musical persuasions this summer.

Concert tickets can be purchased via the Winery Tour website www.winerytour.co.nz, Ticketek, www.ticketek.co.nz / 0800 TICKETEK and www.ticketmaster.co.nz / 0800 111 999.