Trans-Tasman singer-songwriters take to the road

Talented trans-Tasman singer-songwriters take their talents to the road in New Zealand in October

Talented trans-Tasman singer-songwriters David Shanhun and Mark Moroney will be touring New Zealand next month on the ‘Acoustic Confessions’ tour.

Along the way they will be showcasing young singer-songwriters around NZ following a video recruitment drive that offers aspiring local secondary school students the opportunity to perform a song at one of the ‘Acoustic Confessions’ gigs and to have a ‘green room’ talk with Shanhun and Moroney and get some tips and advice that may help the students along in their musical journey.

“We are really delighted to give some talented local New Zealand singer-songwriters an opportunity to perform as part of our tour,” says David Shanhun. “Being given such chances was pivotal in our music careers and it’s great to be able to offer that experience to other people.”

Shanhun and Moroney are each acclaimed artists in their own right. Shanhun was a finalist for the Horizon award at last month’s NZ Country Music Awards, the only artist to ever be nominated twice in that award category. His new single released by US label Musik and Film entitled ‘I Believe In You’ reached number two on the NZ iTunes country chart in August. This month he has supported Paul Ubana Jones and Bryce Wastney for two of the gigs in their national ‘Songbook and Six String’ tour.

Australia’s Mark Moroney was recently nominated in the Queensland Music Awards 'Best Song' category for his songs 'Baby Bird' (highly commended), and 'Stranger' (finalist). He has performed at prestigious festivals in both Australia and New Zealand including Stone Music Festival (AU), The Big Pineapple Music Festival (AU), The Bay Of Islands Jazz & Blues Festival (NZ), Woodford Folk Festival (AU), and The Mosaic Music Festival (Singapore) sharing the bill with the likes of Billy Joel, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Birds Of Tokyo, Diesel, and Mark Seymour.

Moroney was described by NZ music reviewer Mike Nettmann as “tender, passionate, emotive and full of glorious phrasing…out of this world” after his only solo NZ performance to date at the 2007 Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival. (He also performed at the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival as a member of the group Jazzerati in 2010).

With the release of his second album “Walking Through Walls” in March 2013, Moroney has made a name for himself as one of the best emerging songwriters in Australia. He has performed in a variety of bands and musical styles, including roots, folk, jazz and blues – all of which inform his current performances. Along the way he has supported Renee Geyer, Katie Noonan, Jeff Lang, James Reyne, David Ross Macdonald (The Waifs), The Black Sorrows and Chris Smither.

Together Moroney and Shanhun will present an intimate evening of acoustic music and inspired stories which includes performances from local singer-songwriters in Auckland (Lee Gray), Hamilton (Joshua Gray), Palmerston North (Laura Evans), Wellington (Young August), Nelson and Blenheim (Jacquie Walters) and Christchurch (Rachel Hamilton).

“It’s remarkable to think that a chance meeting with David while was he was a guitar tutor in Australia on a school music tour has led to a national tour together five years later,” says Mark, “ but I’m thrilled to be joining forces with him for this great line-up of concerts.”

For more information about the opportunity for secondary school students to perform at one of the ‘Acoustic Confessions’ gigs go to http://davidshanhun.com/homepage/join-mark-moroney-and-david-shanhun-on-tour/.

For more information about David Shanhun go to www.davidshanhun.com. To view a clip of David Shanhun go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1GkLW4Ijg

For more information about Mark Moroney go to www.markmoroney.com. To view a clip of Mark Moroney go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drmr5Fqsueo

‘Acoustic Confessions’ tour dates:
17 October - Tauranga (Tauranga Acoustic Music Club, 7:15pm $15 or $12 members of TAMC)
18 October - Whitianga (‘Eggsentric Café’, 8pm $10)
19 October - Auckland (‘Vic Theatre’, Devonport with Lee Gray, 8pm $25) N.B. 10% of sales donated to Kidney Kids Charity
20 October - Hamilton (‘Biddy Mulligans’, with Joshua Gray, 1pm $15)
22 October - Palmerston North (‘Square Edge’, with Laura Evans, 7:30pm $15)
23 October - Wellington (‘Rogue and Vagabond’, with Young August, 7:30pm free entry)
24 October - Nelson (‘Rhythm and Brown’, with Jacquie Walters, 7:30pm free entry)
25 October - Blenheim (‘Redwoodtown Community Hall’ Weld St, with Jacquie Walters 7:30pm $15)
26 October - Christchurch (‘The Twisted Hop’, Woolston with Rachel Hamilton, 8pm $20)

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