Darren Watson 'Getting Sober For The End Of The World' Album Tour Announced

Praised by none other than Tami Neilson with the words "If Ry Cooder had a long-lost New Zealand cousin, it would be Darren Watson," veteran Pōneke folk-blues artist Darren Watson (Chicago Smoke Shop) is jumping in the van for an extensive musical journey across the nation in October. Playing songs from his forthcoming seventh solo album Getting Sober for the End of the World (out on 1st October), Watson's travels will take him to venues large and small this spring, including an appearance at the Wellington Folk Festival. Read our conversation with Watson about his new record here (including a DIY cover of Chris Knox's 'Not Given Lightly' recorded for NZ Music Month) and mark these dates down in your diary...

Darren Watson Getting Sober For The End Of The World Album Tour

Thursday 1st October - San Fran, Wellington
Friday 2nd October - Globe Theatre, Palmerston North # 
Saturday 3rd October - 4th Wall Theatre, New Plymouth *
Thursday 8th October - Paisley Stage, Napier
Friday 9th October - Biddy Milligans, Hamilton
Saturday 10th October - The Wine Cellar, Auckland
Thursday 15th October - Dog With Two, Tails Dunedin
Friday 16th October - 12 Bar, Christchurch
Saturday 24th October - Wellington Folk Festival, Wellington + 
Sunday 25th October Wellington Folk Festival, Wellington +
Friday 30th October St. Peters’ Hall, Paekakariki

All tickets available HERE via UTR except
wellingtonfolkfestival.org.nz + 
www.globetheatre.co.nz/content/whats-0 #
www.4thwalltheatre.co.nz/whats-on *

Listen to the title track to Getting Sober For The End Of The World...

Press release:

Beloved Aotearoa folk-blues musician Darren Watson is releasing his new album Getting Sober For The End Of The World on October 1. Then he's hitting the road to bring it to you across the country all October-long!

The album tells a diverse range of stories in song - from the upbeat title track about giving up the party life just as Earth seems about to end, to the poignant ballad of 'Ernie Abbott'. In 1984 Abbott, Wellington Trades’ Hall caretaker, was murdered in one of New Zealand’s most infamous acts of domestic terrorism. The case is still unsolved and Watson exquisitely asks “…who put Ernie Abbot’s soul in God’s hands?” Mavis Staples guitar Rick Holmstrom brings his trademark swampy guitar to 'Alison Jane'.