Spotlight: Auckland Winter Series - Sir Dave Dobbyn, TEEKS, Mall Grab, Japanese Breakfast

Energising Tāmaki Makaurau's inner city nightlife as we start to dig out the winter woollies, the Auckland Winter Series hosts four nights of superstar headline events at Auckland Town Hall next month, all presented by Live Nation. None of these artists will require any introduction to dedicated fans, but here's a handy short spotlight primer below for newcomers, so hopefully you won't have to smile and nod during awkward water cooler moments in the office.

Auckland Winter Series
Sir Dave Dobbyn, TEEKS, Mall Grab, Japanese Breakfast
Wednesday 4th June to Saturday 7th June - Auckland Town Hall
Tickets and info at livenation.co.nz

Sir Dave Dobbyn (Selected Songs) - Wednesday 4th June (selling fast)

A beloved songwriting giant bestriding Aotearoa's musical landscape, Sir Dave Dobbyn will play his first ever headline show at Auckland Town Hall (under his own name) on 4th June. Frontman of the legendary Th' Dudes, then his own group DD Smash before a landmark solo career, the Dobbyn's songbook includes such indelible kiwi anthems as 'Loyal', 'Slice of Heaven' (with Herbs), 'Outlook For Thursday', 'Language', 'Bliss' (co-written with Ian Morris), 'Be Mine Tonight' (also co-written with Ian Morris), and many more.

Appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music in 2003 and promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music in 2021, Dobbyn has been twice inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, for both his solo work and with Th' Dudes. His (presumably quite large) trophy cabinet includes four Silver Scrolls, almost two dozen Tūī awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Here's Sir Dave Dobbyn's NZ Music Month performance celebrating 20 years of NZ Live on RNZ National, discussing his upcoming Town Hall performance...

TEEKS - Thursday 5th June (sold out)

The solo moniker of Māori soul star Te Karehana Toi (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui), TEEKS' debut album Something to Feel released to rapturous acclaim in 2021, hitting number one on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and achieving platinum status. His accolades include multiple Aotearoa Music Awards, Best NZ Act at the MTV European Music Awards and Best New Artist at the 2022 Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards. TEEKS will perform with a string sextet and piano — we hope you've snagged a ticket as this event has already sold out.

Mall Grab (AUS) - Friday 6th June (selling fast)

Here's one for the club goblins. Mall Grab is Newcastle DJ / electronic dance production heavyweight Jordon Alexander, bringing his Looking For Trouble tour to Auckland Town Hall for his largest Aotearoa headline event to date. Releasing tracks via Aus Music, Shall Not Fade, Salt Mines, Steel City Dance Discs and his own Looking For Trouble imprint, Mall Grab's long-awaited debut album What I Breathe came out in 2024 — the same year he played Coachella festival — featuring grime MCs D Double E and Novelist, Brendan Yates from Turnstile, and Nia Archives.

Japanese Breakfast (USA) - Saturday 7th June

The Philadelphia art-rock / dream-pop project led by Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast have thrilled their many local fans with the announcement of a debut Aotearoa headline event at Auckland Town Hall. Japanese Breakfast will be here touring their new studio album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Blake Mills and out now via Dead Oceans.

Auckland Winter Series is a new curated concert experience from Live Nation, in association with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited on behalf of Auckland Council. Featuring an eclectic lineup of international icons and homegrown heroes, the series brings world-class performances to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau this June.