John Otway Returning To New Zealand In November

The UK's globally beloved two hit wonder John Otway had such a good time touring Aotearoa earlier this year that he's bounding back our way, playing six unmissable headline gigs nationwide this November. The rock 'n' roll underdog's last visit here coincided with the weekend of massive flooding in Tāmaki Makaurau and across the North Island (requiring the postponement of three shows), so crossed fingers no natural disasters this time around when the cult songwriter regales us with tunes from his legendary ouevre thus far.

Achieving his first chart hit 'Really Free' in 1977 with Wild Willy Barrett, and viewed by millions in the summer holiday episode of The Young Ones, Otway's heroic career was documented in Steve Barker's 2013 feature film Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure: Otway the Movie. His ever-growing legion of fans literally gifted Otway his second hit 'Bunsen Burner' (which made it to number nine on the UK charts) as a present for his 50th birthday. A prolific figure who has played more than 5000 live shows, Otway's back catalogue encompasses a whopping seventeen albums and counting — including 1991's Cheryl, a Rock Opera (with Attila the Stockbroker), 1995's Premature Adulation and 2014's festive A John Otway Christma5 EP, plus he has two books to his name — Cor Baby, That's Really Me! (1990) and I Did it Otway: Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure (2010). Read Kit Walker's interview with Otway HERE and get amongst at the dates following...

One the eve of his previous visit, Otway gushed: "I’d given up hope - for the last 40 years I’d been hoping that just for one year I’d somehow escape the miserable winters of Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham and perform somewhere warm and exotic like Auckland, Christchurch or Invercargill in spring. It’s taken longer than I expected — but it’s happening now and I can’t wait!"

UnderTheRadar proudly presents...

John Otway

Tuesday 7th November - Meow, Wellington*
Wednesday 8th November - The Wine Cellar, Auckland
Thursday 9th November - Space Academy, Christchurch
Friday 10th November - The Crown, Dunedin
Saturday 11th November - Southland Musicians Club, Invercargill
Sunday 12th November - Sherwood, Queenstown

Tickets available HERE via UTR
*Wellington tickets at www.meow.nz

Here's John Otway & Wild Willy Barratt's 1977 hit 'Really Free'...

Watch the trailer for Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure: Otway the Movie...

Sing along with Otway and Wild Willy Barrett's 1981 anthem 'Headbutts'...

In 1977 John Otway shot to nationwide attention in the UK after this 'testicular damaging move' that was aired live on the Old Grey Whistle Test (warning: not for the squeamish)...

Press release:

John Otway returns to NZ! John Otway's early 2023 debut tour of the Shaky Isles was well and truly shaken when Gabrielle had other ideas causing John to have to postpone three shows. He said he'd be back, and true to his word John returns in November.Those lucky enough to see the only three shows he did in Auckland are still stunned by his fearless one man (plus Deadly the roadie) show , and no doubt still giggling from the show that can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in one head bash of a microphone. For those new to the Otway experience read below .... you have been (slightly) warned

John Otway is an English singer songwriter who has built a cult following with extensive touring. He has also achieved two hit singles in the UK. For his 2000th gig he sold out the London Astoria sold out the Royal Albert Hall , he followed that up by selling out the Royal Albert Hall (only twice as big) with the (then) current incarnation of his first band THe Aylesbury Youth Orchestra, and last year he celebrated his 5000th gig with a sell out show at the Shepherds Bush Empire.