Evermore first stars of ZooMusic 2008

Auckland City Council
Media release

7 January 2008

Multi award winning Evermore first stars of ZooMusic 2008

Evermore fans can expect a different form of “real life” at Auckland Zoo on Sunday, 20 January (6pm to 9pm), when they take to the stage for the first of six Wild Bean Cafe ZooMusic Concerts for Conservation.

Evermore is one of New Zealand’s most successful musical exports in recent years achieving a number one single in Australia for Light Surrounding You With over 300 live shows, an MTV Award, an APRA Silver Scroll, and six ARIA nominations, they won Single of the Year and Best International Achievement at the 2007 Vodafone Music Awards. Their album Real Life went platinum in Australia. Evermore will be supported by infectious indie-rock quartet The Electric Confectionaires and up and coming singer/songwriter Chris Sanders.

As well as giving music lovers an intimate experience with top Kiwi artists in a unique environment, the six concerts in the series (20 January to 29 February) will be raising funds for key conservation projects. Evermore’s gig will help to support a form of real life in the Waitakere Ranges - the Ark in the Park project, which is returning the song to the ranges through intensive predator control and re-introduction of “lost” native flora and fauna.

“ZooMusic is a great opportunity to let Aucklanders know what fantastic work is being done by fellow Aucklanders in our own backyard . It’s such an amazing legacy we’ve been left to treasure and protect. A love of Kiwi music sits well with our enthusiasm for all things native and a chance to raise some much needed funds to allow this great work to continue,” says Sandra Jack, Ark in the Park project manager.

The opening act (6pm to 6.30pm) will be up-and-coming singer-songwriter Chris Sanders who will perform an acoustic-based set of melodic pop/rock songs. Following on from Sanders, ZooMusic fans will enjoy the unique feel-good sounds of The Electric Confectionaires (6.45pm to 7.30pm) before Evermore take the stage at 7.45pm.

Your ZooMusic ticket is also your entry to the zoo – so come early to explore the zoo and check out your favourite animals. Please be aware the band rotunda area will closed off in the afternoon to enable safe equipment set-up.

Tickets are available from Auckland Zoo and Ticketmaster.

Wild Bean Cafe ZooMusic Concerts for Conservation series 2008, in association with Juice TV, The Radio Network, Monkey Bay wines, MusicWorks, Millennium Hotels & Resorts, and Vidcom.

ENDS

Notes to the editor

About Ark in the Park

The Ark in the Park is a community-driven restoration project protecting the northern Waitakere Ranges parkland. Volunteers bait and trap an area of 1100ha to reduce the numbers of pest species such as rats, stoats, weasels, possums and wild cats. This enables the native plants and animals to thrive and for species once extinct from the area, to be returned again, such as whiteheads, North Island robins and hihi (stitchbirds). Rat and possum numbers are very low, allowing robins, which were re-introduced in 2005, to successfully breed. The project aim is to increase the area of control and re-introduce further species. Ark in the Park is a Forest and Bird, Waitakere Branch Auckland Naturally project, partnered by the Auckland Regional Council.

The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund sponsors 30ha of predator control, and staff regularly assist with checking bait stations. In addition, zookeepers have assisted with the transfer of species back to these ranges, including the North Island robin, stitchbird (hihi) and the whitehead (popkatea) – a species that had been absent for over 120 years. Our vet team has also played a role – carrying out disease screening on animals prior to their release.

Event Details:

- Wild Bean Cafe ZooMusic 2008: Sunday 20 January – Friday 29 February (6pm – 9pm)

- Tickets available from Auckland Zoo www.aucklandzoo.co.nz (09) 360 3805, or Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.nz (09) 970 9700. Service fee applies.

- Limited capacity venue. With tickets expected to sell fast – advance booking recommended . Prices: Adults $27, Children (4 – 15yrs) $12 and $70 for family pass (2 adults, 2 children).

- For accommodation options in Auckland visit www.millenniumhotels.co.nz

- Friends of the Zoo receive a 20% discount on above prices

- ZooMusic is a licensed event and no BYO is permitted.

Six “Concerts for Conservation”:

- Evermore: Sunday 20 Jan, supporting Ark in the Park, Waitakere Ranges, Auckland

- Liam Finn: Friday 1 Feb, supporting Wildlife Protection Unit in Sumatra’s Bukit Tigapuluh National Park

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- New Zealand Symphony Orchestra : Saturday 2 Feb, supporting Maui’s Dolphins

- Hollie Smith: Saturday 9 Feb, supporting 21st Century Tiger, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra

- The Phoenix Foundation: Sunday 17 Feb, supporting Asian Rhino

- Katchafire: Friday 29 Feb, supporting native frog recovery.

ENDS

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