News release:
Monday 26 September, 2011
CIVIC EVENTS & 63 PRESENT:
Civic Events and Classic Hits announce the
2011 Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour dates for November
Bic Runga is one of just a handful of New Zealand musicians who have truly earned the title ‘iconic’. Her songs are
etched into the country’s consciousness. This supremely talented writer, recording artist and performer will return to
headline the 2011 Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour this November & December.
Runga, who played the first Acoustic Church Tour in 2004, releases her fourth studio album, due out in mid November.
Fans will get to hear not only the old favorites like Sway, Something Good, Get Some Sleep and Winning Arrow, but her brand new material, including her first single in five years – Hello, Hello - in New Zealand’s most majestic Churches, Chapels and Cathedrals.
Now in its fourth year, The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour has expanded to 17 shows in 12 cities, with Whangarei,
Pukekohe, Masterton and Timaru added to the bill for the first time. The tour will return to Auckland, Hamilton,
Tauranga, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Since her first single ‘Drive’ in 1996 – a top ten hit when she was just 20 – Bic has been awarded almost every musical
honour in the country, including the APRA Silver Scroll Songwriting Award, countless Tuis and multi-platinum discs. Her
debut album Drive (1997) went platinum seven times; Beautiful Collision followed in 2002 (eleven times platinum) and Birds in 2005 (triple platinum). In January 2006, The Queen made Runga a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Zealand New Year's Honours List.
Bic is looking forward to returning to the Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour:
“This will be my first major tour on my own for several years and I’m really happy to be performing again. I'm excited
by the ambience of Churches and looking forward to returning to a number that I played at in 2004. In these Churches,
Chapels and Cathedrals I'll be playing with my band, Mint Chicks’ Kody Nielsen & Michael Logie (bass) and at times solo.”
Says co-promoter Brent Eccles “It's a pleasure as always to be working with Bic again, her first Church tour in 2004 was
unforgettable and her voice and songs really suit the Church environment. I'm sure that this tour will be special.”
The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour is an acoustic show in three parts commencing with an opening act followed by
Bic’s performance in two sets. Doors open at 7.00pm and show concludes at approximately 10.30pm.
The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour launches at the City Baptist Church in Whangarei on Thursday 17 November and
concludes at First Presbyterian Church in Invercargill on Thursday 08 December. Full dates and venues are listed below.
Tickets are on sale from Monday 03 October through the Acoustic Church Tour website and Ticketek. Full tour, date and
venue details can be found at www.acousticchurchtour.co.nz or www.classichits.co.nz.
Runga’s fourth studio album - Belle - is due for release on Monday 14th November. Listen to the first single Hello, Hello here.
Dates:
Thursday 17 November Whangarei Central Baptist Church
Friday 18 November Tauranga Holy Trinity
Saturday 19 November Hamilton Chapel of Christ The King
Monday 21 November Pukekohe Franklin Baptist Church
Tuesday 22 November Auckland Holy Trinity Cathedral
Dates continued:
Wednesday 23 November Auckland Holy Trinity Cathedral
Friday 25 November Napier St John’s Cathedral
Saturday 26 November Palmerston North All Saints Church
Monday 28 November Masterton St Matthew’s Anglican Church
Tuesday 29 November Wellington Wellington Cathedral
Wednesday 30 November Wellington Wellington Cathedral
Friday 02 December Christchurch St Michael & All Angels
Saturday 03 December Christchurch St Michael & All Angels
Monday 05 December Timaru St Mary’s Church
Tuesday 06 December Dunedin Knox Church
Wednesday 07 December Dunedin Knox Church
Thursday 08 December Invercargill First Presbyterian Church
- ENDS -