The illustrious Neil Finn is hitting the road for a pair of rare and intimate shows in Sydney and Melbourne this May.
The New Zealand-born tunesmith will play the Melbourne Recital Centre on Wednesday, 27th May — his birthday, no less — followed by a Sydney show at the City Recital Hall on Saturday, 30th May.
Finn’s setlist will be plucked from across his entire massive catalogue, spanning Split Enz, Crowded House, The Finn Brothers and three solo albums, with the troubadour set to perform a mix of acoustic and electric on guitar and piano.
“I find playing solo to be a very free environment where I’m able to explore strange tangents, reinvent old songs, reminisce with friends and lampoon at will,” Finn says. “I love it.”
Apart from two shows at Sydney’s Seymour Centre last year and a set at the Meredith Music Festival back in 2010, these forthcoming dates represent Neil’s only solo East Coast performances in Australia over the past decade.
In other news, Finn has partnered with 95-year-old Jim Carter, a former bandmate of New Zealand’s Ruru Karaitiana. Karaitana penned ANZAC anthem Blue Smoke just before he was deployed to fight in World War II alongside the Maori Battalion.
Finn has re-recorded Blue Smoke with Carter in honour of ANZAC Day 2015, with a portion of the sales to go toward the Royal Society of Anzac’s Poppy Appeal, which funds support services for veterans, former and current servicemen and women, and their dependents.
Tickets for both of Finn’s exclusive solo shows go on sale from 10am, this Friday, 17th April.
UPDATE 20/04/15: Due to demand, Neil Finn has added a second show in Melbourne on 29th May at Melbourne Recital Centre and in Sydney on 31st May at City Recital Hall. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
Watch: Neil Finn with Jim Carter – Blue Smoke
Tour Dates
Wednesday, 27th May
Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne
Tickets: Live Nation
Friday, 29th May – NEW SHOW
Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne
Tickets: Live Nation
Saturday, 30th May
City Recital Hall Angel Place, Sydney
Tickets: Live Nation
Sunday, 31st May – NEW SHOW
City Recital Hall Angel Place, Sydney
Tickets: Live Nation
Live Nation by arrangement with Artist Voice presentsA Very Special Evening with Neil Finn – Intimate Melbourne and…
Posted by Neil Finn on Sunday, April 12, 2015
Neil Finn's re-recording of New Zealand World War II song "Blue Smoke", with 95-year-old Jim Carter, is available at…
Posted by Neil Finn on Saturday, April 11, 2015
