Spotlight: Bill Withers Social Club Tour ft. Dallas Tamaira, Troy Kingi, Rio Hemopo, L.A. Mitchell + More

Celebrating the transcendent works of US soul / R&B legend Bill Withers, the all-star Bill Withers Social Club collective of vocalists Dallas Tamaira (Fat Freddy’s Drop), Rio Hemopo (TrinityRoots), Troy Kingi and L.A. Mitchell (Terrible Sons, Fly My Pretties) with bandmates Iraia Whakamoe, Ryan Prebble (both of The Nudge, Fly My Pretties), Adán Tijerina (The Yoots, AHoriBuzz), and Daniel Hayles (Lord Echo, Hollie Smith) are reuniting for three special events. Selling out Auckland Town Hall as part of Auckland Arts Festival last March, the eminently talented ensemble will pay homage to the songwriting great at Wellington Opera House on 26th April, Auckland's Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on 27th April and Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal on 10th May.

Bill Withers Social Club invite audiences to join them on a "journey through the timeless catalogue" of the Grammy Award-winning West Virginia-born artist, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Stevie Wonder in 2015, before passing from our realm in 2020 aged 81. Creator of such epochal songs as 'Ain't No Sunshine', 'Lovely Day', Lean On Me', 'Just The Two Of Us' (with Grover Washington Jr.), 'Grandma's Hands' and many more, Withers's early retirement from the music world was explored in 2009's career-spanning documentary Still Bill (named after his 1972 album), described by Roger Ebert as "about a man who topped the charts, walked away from it all in 1985 and is pleased that he did." Don't miss this chance to salute the icon alongside some of Aotearoa's finest this autumn — brought to you by Loop and Wild Turkey...

Bill Withers Social Club

Friday 26th April - Wellington Opera House
Saturday 27th April - Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland
Friday 10th May - Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch

Tickets on sale at www.loop.co.nz

Experience vintage footage of Bill Withers and band playing 'Ain't No Sunshine'...

Listen to Withers' 1977 classic 'Lovely Day'...

Watch Bill Withers singing 'Just The Two Of Us' at the 1982 Grammy Awards...

Press release:

After a sell-out debut at the Auckland Arts Festival, the Bill Withers Social Club comes to Wellington for a special show not to be repeated. Join this all-star group of musicians on a journey through the timeless catalogue of a true legend in this intimate yet epic homage. Bill Withers Social Club is a tribute to an iconic American singer-songwriter whose stories of love, hardship, friendship and whānau have shaped a generation of local musicians and touched the world.

Join vocalists Dallas Tamaira (Fat Freddy’s Drop), Rio Hemopo (TrinityRoots), Troy Kingi & L.A Mitchell (Terrible Sons, Fly My Pretties), alongside band members Iraia Whakamoe & Ryan Prebble (The Nudge, Fly My Pretties), Adán Tijerina (The Yoots, AHoriBuzz) & Daniel Hayles (Lord Echo, Hollie Smith), as they perform tracks from Withers’ incredible catalogue.

Regarded as “one of R&B/soul music's most revered singer-songwriters”, it is hard to overstate the impact of an artist like Bill Withers. His catalogue includes tracks such as ‘Lean on Me’, ‘Lovely Day’, ‘Grandma’s Hands’, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ & many more, all of which are ingrained in the musical DNA of people all over the globe. This show sees a group of talented musicians celebrating the man, his work, and its impact on music through the decades.