UTR Presents
It is with great pleasure that Frontier Touring, 95bFM and Undertheradar announce that US indie rock pioneers The Shins are returning to New Zealand for one show at Auckland’s Powerstation this November. One of the most significant indie bands of the 21st century, this will be their first show on our shores in ten years.
Based in Portland, Oregon, and formed in 1996, The Shins are a multiple GRAMMY award nominated band. Their debut full length, Oh, Inverted World caused a seismic shift in the indie rock world upon its release in 2001, singlehandedly ushering in the modern era of the genre. Moved by the strength of verifiably life changing songs like “New Slang”, “Know Your Onion” and “Caring is Creepy,” a generation of artists ditched the previous decade’s lo-fi aesthetic in favour of Oh, Inverted World’s emphasis on melody.
Proving they were not merely a one album wonder band, The Shins went on to release a further four critically acclaimed albums. Their sophomore album Chutes Too Narrow (2002) garnered near perfect reviews; Wincing The Night Away (2003) rocketed to #2 on The Billboard Top 200 and nabbed the band a GRAMMY award nomination, and 2012’s Ports Of Morrow debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200. Not a bad feat for a band who started out with self funded singles and demos.
Fronted by founding member James Mercer, and featuring an all new line-up, the band is touring in celebration of their fifth album Heartworms. Produced by Mercer, Heartworms was released March 10 to a wave of acclaim: Entertainment Weekly called Heartworms the “band’s boldest album yet” and “a rewarding and singular addition to the Shins’ catalog,” Rolling Stone lauded its “home-brewed feel, heavy on Beach Boys grandeur, New Wave kicks, squiggly synth-pop and warm-weather soft rock – with lyrics tenderly balanced between midlife malaise and youthful romanticism. The result is some of the most charming music hes ever made,” while Time Magazine opined “Heartworms works on a grander scale, with ornate sonic tableaux.” Lead single Dead Alive has been an alt radio mainstay this year and sure to be a set highlight.
Heartworms is available everywhere now via Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records/Sony Music NZ.
Considering the intimate venue, and that this is the first show in New Zealand in ten years for one of the world’s most esteemed bands, people should act quickly to secure tickets
THE SHINS
NOVEMBER 2017
PRESENTED BY FRONTIER TOURING, 95BFM + UNDERTHERADAR
FRONTIER MEMBERS PRE-SALE via frontiertouring.com/theshins
Begins: Wed 20 Sep (2PM NZST) | Ends: Thu 21 Sep (2PM NZST)
(or until pre-sale allocation exhausted)
GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE
Begins: Mon 25 Sep (2PM NZDT)
Thu 30 Nov The Powerstation | Auckland, NZ (18+)
Ticketmaster.co.nz
