Stars lined up for tour

The country's most romantic summer concert tour was born from a show at Upper Moutere's Neudorf Vineyards, Marcus Stickley reports.

Ease back - vino in hand - and enjoy the music. Sounds like a pretty good way to spend an end of summer evening in Nelson, doesn't it?

That's the idea behind the More FM Winery Tour 08 which ambles into the region for shows tomorrow and Friday at Neudorf Vineyards. On the tour this year are chart-topping singer-songwriters Brooke Fraser and Anika Moa, with pop darlings Goldenhorse.

Both concerts are expected to pull sell-out crowds of more than 1500.

At the start of this week there were only 100 tickets left to Thursday's show.

A Bic Runga show at Neudorf Vineyards in 2006 gave birth to the idea of doing a national winery tour, promoter Campbell Smith says.

The vineyard was chosen because the usual venue he used was not available.

"It was amazing - everyone was just raving about it," says front of house and event manager Kirsten Mabbott.

The concert, which also included performances from Neil Finn, Anika Moa and Flight of the Conchords, was a huge success.

Only one date was originally scheduled but it sold out so quickly that another was added, she says.

"We had two nights on straight away this year."

Neudorf missed being part of the first national winery tour because it was organised so soon after the previous show but Smith was keen to take the tour back there this year.

"It's just a beautiful place and a really nice environment."

Other well known wineries that have hosted this summer's tour include Ascension Vineyard in Matakana, Alana Estate in Martinborough and Mystery Creek Winery in Hamilton.

After Neudorf, the final dates are at the Mud House Winery in Waipara over the weekend.

The Neudorf concert will take place on the lawn in front of the home of winery owners Tim and Judy Finn.

It's become an increasingly popular venue since public concerts began to be held at the vineyard about three or four years ago says Mabbott.

"I think people like being amongst the vines and trees with the old homestead in the back," she says.

"It's great that Tim and Judy can open their gates and let everyone in."

Smith says so far the tour has been going "incredibly well".

He puts a lot of the success down to the beautiful surroundings each concert is held in.

"There's a romance that we're capturing with this."

At the concerts the music is "part of the whole rather than the main event", says Smith.

Smith also reckons letting children aged 12 and under in free helps create a "great vibe".

"You'll have adults sitting in the middle and kids running around out on the sides. It's a nice environment."

First on stage after the gates open at the vineyard will be Anika Moa, known for soulful performances and her rapport with the audience.

Moa recently released her third album In Swings The Tide. The bitter-sweet pop harmonies of the single Dreams In My Head should be instantly recognisable to anyone who's turned on the radio lately.

She had been listening to a lot of country artists like Johnny Cash and Gillian Welch at the time of recording the album and some tracks such as The Old Man, with its slide guitar, carry their influence.

Following Anika Moa are Goldenhorse, who are touring on the back of their new album, Reporter.

The five-piece group are probably best known for their song Maybe Tomorrow.

However the band is by no means a one-hit wonder.

Their debut Riverhead went triple platinum in New Zealand and sophomore album Out of the Moon went platinum.

Smith reckons Goldenhorse will be the band to get everyone dancing.

Their new single Jump Into the Sun is sure to be a highlight of the show.

This tour comes after an outstanding year for Brooke Fraser.

Her album Albertine was named the highest selling album at the New Zealand Music Awards in October.

Fraser also kept a busy touring schedule last year, including sell-out shows at the Aotea Centre in Auckland and the Enmore Theatre in her new home, Sydney.

The More FM Winery Tour is now set to become an annual event.

Mabbott says that hosting the tour is "fabulous" for Upper Moutere. She reckons this year's show will be as good "if not better" than Runga's first show there.

 

 

 

- © Fairfax NZ News