About this concert
This is one of three shows around the South Island that hometown hero, and award winning singer-songwriter, Arun O'Connor will be opening the evening.
ARUN O'CONNOR BIO
Born and raised in the deep south of New Zealand, Arun O'Connor is a highly-revered musician who has made significant contributions to the local music scene over the past 17 years. With extensive experience as a session musician and musical director, O'Connor has had the privilege of collaborating with renowned international artists including Jody Direen, Kayla Mahon, Susanne Prentice, Tom Sharplin, and The Heartleys. Additionally, he has also showcased his exceptional vocal abilities as the frontman for local cover and tribute bands.
In 2018, O'Connor's exceptional talent was recognized when he won the prestigious NZ Gold Guitar Awards Senior Overall Award. As a result of this achievement, he was granted the opportunity to record his debut single, Following The Line, in Nashville with producer Jay Tooke. The song quickly gained popularity, reaching the impressive positions of #2 on the NZ iTunes Country Charts and #11 on the Official NZ Music NZ Hot Singles Charts. Building upon this success, O'Connor's subsequent single, Let Go Of My Heart, soared to the top spot on the NZ iTunes Country Charts.
Despite facing the challenges posed by the global pandemic, O'Connor remained resilient and began writing songs for his highly-anticipated debut album, Songs From The Reading Room. Released on April 22nd, the album features captivating tracks such as Too Far Gone, Star Of Your Own Show, and When The Lights Go Down (In This Town). Notably, the music video for Too Far Gone has already amassed over 50,000 plays on YouTube within its first month.
Last year in July, O'Connor had the fantastic opportunity to embark on his very first tour with fellow NZ Gold Guitar Winner, Jaydin Shingleton. Together, they journeyed through the South Island, captivating audiences in Invercargill, Gore, Dunedin, Christchurch, Lyttelton, Kaikoura, Blenheim, Westport, and Queenstown. It was an incredible experience for both musicians, and they were thrilled to share their music with Kiwis far and wide.
In addition to his successful debut album, Arun O'Connor has exciting news for his fans. Thanks to the support of NZ On Air funding, he will be releasing a new single called Repeat Heartache later this year. This opportunity enables O'Connor to continue sharing his music with the public, further solidifying his reputation as an artist to watch.
SOUTH FOR WINTER BIO
With a blend of dreamy acoustic duets, foot-stomping folk and bluesy murder ballads, New Zealand-formed and Nashville-based South for Winter’s sound is as eclectic as their origins. The act is comprised of New Zealander Nick Stone and Coloradan Dani Cichon, and together the two multi-instrumentalists and songwriters combine elements such as percussive acoustic guitar, resonator guitar, mandolin, suitcase stomp, and effortless harmonies into a genre-bending sound described by American Songwriter as “impeccable”.
South for Winter recorded their debut album Luxumbra with GRAMMY award-winning producer Matt Leigh. Luxumbra’s release, coupled with the act's captivating live performance, has landed them accolades such as Official Artist at South by Southwest Music Festival in 2023, Finalist for Best Group in the 2023 International Acoustic Awards, Official Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance International in both 2022 and 2024, Semi-Finalist in the 2022 International Songwriting Competition, and “Most Wanted” Emerging Artist at Falcon Ridge Festival in 2018. South for Winter returned to the studio with Leigh in Summer 2022 with Leigh to record their upcoming sophomore album, Of Sea and Sky. Soon afterward they reached over 140% of their crowdfunding goal to independently release the album, which is officially due in Spring 2024.
Around preparing for the album's release, South for Winter have been completing tours throughout the United States, Europe, New Zealand, and Canada.
