New Zealand legendary singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn is hitting the road again with a tour marking 40 years as a musician.
The two-and-a-half-week long Slice Of Heaven – 40 Years of Hits April tour, in partnership with NZME radio station Coast, will include Dobbyn returning to Feilding for a concert at the Feilding Civic Centre on April 20.
The announcement of the tour came before it was known that cartoonist and Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball had died on Sunday, aged 78.
The Feilding-born Ball had a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease when he died at his Gisborne home on Sunday, surrounded by family.
Dobbyn wrote the soundtrack for the 1986 film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale, the classic New Zealand film based on Ball's iconic comic strip. Dobbyn's hit song and Kiwi anthem, Slice of Heaven, was written for the film.
Dobbyn began his musical career with high school band Th' Dudes and co-wrote their debut single Be Mine Tonight. The song went on to win Single of the Year at the National Music Awards in 1979.
Four decades on, Dobbyn's music has become part of the nation's soundtrack. He has an astonishing 10 songwriting credits on Australasian Performing Right Association's Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time featuring songs released by Th' Dudes, DD Smash and as a solo artist. He's won Best Male Vocalist a record six times and the most awards of any New Zealand musician – three Silver Scroll awards and 29 New Zealand Music Awards across his career.
Dobbyn is looking forward to returning to Feilding and other provincial towns across New Zealand.
"Playing provincial New Zealand gigs is my favourite thing," he said. "I love it so much, it's pure pleasure. Just being aware of the community and community life – everyone's celebrating, there's an energy flow that's healthily contagious."
The legendary musician spoke positively on his visit to Feilding last April, where he performed a sell-out concert to 500 people and had lunch at the town's farmers market with the district's mayor.
"It's always a great discovery [playing provincial gigs]. You go to a place like Feilding – we were there last year – and we were invited to the town square to have a gourmet lamb lunch with the mayor. There were speeches, the whole deal - a police escort out of the car. It was amazing!" said Dobbyn.
"The theatre there holds 500 people, and it's beautifully kept. Beautiful leather, lovely seating, really good facilities - and they just go nuts, they love it. It's just really, really nice."
The tour will coincide with the release of a new greatest hits album, Slice Of Heaven – 40 Years of Hits, which will be released by Sony on April 7.
Tickets for the Slice Of Heaven – 40 Years of Hits tour shows, except Feilding and Putaruru shows (Tuesday March 14), go on sale at midday on Monday March 13. Ticketing information can be found at http://davedobbyn.co.nz.
DAVE DOBBYN'S SLICE OF HEAVEN – 40 YEARS OF HITS TOUR DATES
Wednesday April 12 – Forum North, Whangarei
Thursday April 13 – ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland
Friday April 14 – Waiheke Jazz Festival, Waiheke Island
Saturday April 15 – The Plaza, Putaruru
Sunday April 16 – Gaiety Theatre, Wairoa
Thursday April 20 – Civic Centre, Feilding
Friday April 21 – Opera House, Whanganui
Saturday April 22 – Old St Paul's, Wellington
Wednesday April 26 – Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Thursday April 27 – Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch
Friday April 28 – Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin
Saturday April 29 – CentreStage Theatre, Invercargill
Be the first to comment