Chugg Entertainment in association with Bolton Promotions are thrilled to announce that renowned singer-songwriter Paul Simon will be appearing in Dunedin and Auckland for two very special evenings this April.
The first show is at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday 6th April followed by Auckland’s Vector Arena on Monday 8th April. Tickets for both shows are on-sale Friday 8th February.
In the wake of the 25th anniversary of his musical landmark, Graceland, Simon will bring fans a performance spanning all eras of his illustrious career: from beginnings in the folk clubs of early 1960s Greenwich Village, to the warm and anthemic fruits of his celebrated partnership with Art Garfunkel, and his acclaimed solo career.
Widely regarded as one of the most successful and prolific songwriters of the latter half of the 20th century, Simon has consistently penned songs that are mature and literate, but also melodically engaging. Lyrically, with an astute political and social conscience, he has at times spoken to the concerns and uncertainties of a generation, yet also focused on the personal sentiment. In the early 1960s, the folk revival swept New York City, and a new breed of singers and songwriters introduced a new approach to the craft of creating tunes – at the forefront was Paul Simon. As the 60s gave way to the 70s and 80s, Simon expanded his musical palette and helped introduce many rock and pop fans to world music with his outstanding release, Graceland.
A fusion of South African styles and Simon’s ear for a melody and memorable lyric, his ambition to work with Soweto street musicians resulted in a controversy surrounding the potential violation of the international cultural boycott of Apartheid-era South Africa, which is looked at in the award-winning documentary, Under African Skies, released earlier this year. However his tenacity also resulted in an album that would later become his most career-defining work. A work which is widely spoken to have helped hasten the end of Apartheid by presenting black South Africans as more than faceless victims,
creating a trans-Atlantic bridge that neither pandered to nor patronized either culture which he so seamlessly fused.
Although Paul Simon's unique, carefully constructed contributions to music could be called innovative, he insists that the process has a lot to do with discovery. I'm more interested in what I discover than what I invent. You don't possess it. You can't control it or dictate to it. You're just waiting. Waiting... for the show to begin. With that credo, he brings his critically acclaimed most recent album to showcase in Australia: So Beautiful or So What. Taking more than a year to perfect, Simon has revealed that So Beautiful or So What reminds him of his very first solo release, his acclaimed 1972 album, Paul Simon. It has been getting rave reviews, not least from his contemporaries. “This remarkable, thoughtful, often joyful record deserves to be recognised as Paul Simon’s very finest achievement.” – Elvis Costello
Joining Paul Simon on his New Zealand dates is the enigmatic Rufus Wainwright, undoubtedly one of the world’s true original contemporary artists. Recently in New Zealand for an astounding performance at Auckland’s Civic Theatre, Wainwright once again wooed audiences with his staggering live performance off the back of his latest offering, the acclaimed Mark Ronson-produced album Out Of The Game. With grace and humour, craft and confidence, the album is a remarkable return to the pop world of Rufus Wainwright – showing his scope of sounds and styles, unified by both his incomparable voice and the lucidity of his vision. This time around the magnificent Rufus will be performing solo.
Do not miss out on this rare opportunity to witness Paul Simon, with special guest Rufus Wainwright.
PAUL SIMON NZ SHOW DETAILS
TICKETS GO ON SALE : FRIDAY 8th FEBRUARY, 9am
Saturday 6th April
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
with special guest Rufus Wainwright
www.ticketdirect.co.nz or 0800 224 224
Monday 8th April
Vector Arena, Auckland
with special guest Rufus Wainwright
www.ticketmaster.co.nz or 0800 111 999
