Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy - Auckland Show Announced

Aotearoa's prismatic musical mega-collective Exploding Rainbow Orchestra will be back in full robe-wearing force this winter, bringing you The Jukebox of Joy at the Aotea Centre's Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau. The all-star ensemble is the brainchild of conductor Joshua Worthington-Church (Mammalien, Princess Chelsea and the Dream Warriors), who has been inviting local artists to perform with the ERO in ever-expanding configurations annually since 2021.

Always an ambitious prospect, this year's ERO roster could be the most mind-boggling to date, starring a whopping 40+ piece band (we presume they've lost count) with special guests galore, plus "lasers, lights, giant mirrorballs", elements of elements of "theatre, dance", and even handmade outfits by Worthington-Church for every single member.

Inviting guest songwriters to lead the band for every song, the one-night only Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy lineup includes Chelsea Prastiti (SKILAA), Diggy Dupé, Grecco Romank, Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins), Elizabeth Stokes (The Beths), Joshua Worthington-Church (Mammalien), Mainard Larkin, Princess Chelsea, Priya Sami (Bub), Rachel Clarke (Elisa), Samara Alofa, Steph Brown (Lips) and Yolanda Fagan (Na Noise, Half Hexagon), a special Rangatuone conduction by Rāhana Tito-Taylor (aligning with Matariki), and narration by poet / author Dominic Hoey.

Revisit my 2025 interview with Worthington-Church for 95bFM Freak The Sheep HERE and experience maximum joy with the ERO on Sunday 12th July. Here are the details...

Exploding Rainbow Orchestra - The Jukebox of Joy
Sunday 12th July - Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland

Chelsea Prastiti (SKILAA), Diggy Dupé, Grecco Romank, Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins), Elizabeth Stokes (The Beths) Joshua Worthington-Church (Mammalien), Mainard Larkin Princess Chelsea, Priya Sami (Bub), Rachel Clarke (Elisa), Samara Alofa, Steph Brown (Lips), Yolanda Fagan (Na Noise)

with special guests...
Dominic Hoey, Rāhana Tito-Taylor, and more to be announced

Tickets on sale from 9am, Thursday 30th April from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Experience the technicolour exuberance of Exploding Rainbow Orchestra with Lucy Suttor of Dick Move playing 'Shut Your Mouth'...

Press release:

A brilliant new chapter in the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra story is about to detonate, with the announcement of its most ambitious and extravagant production yet. Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy is a beautifully bombastic jukebox-musical happening, set to illuminate the stage of the Aotea Centre’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre for one-night-only on Sunday 12 July.

Led by visionary conductor and bona-fide wizard Joshua Worthington-Church, and featuring members of The Beths, Princess Chelsea, LEAO, Fazerdaze, and plenty more, the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra is a 40+ piece psychedelic and orchestral powerhouse. The prismatic project marries classical instrumentation with rock & roll energy, complete with choir, strings, horns, harp, electric guitars, synthesizers, and a full rhythm section. Each performance comes complete with a visual cacophony of lasers, lights, giant mirrorballs, and more. The result: a euphoric, genre-defying sonic explosion paired with a stunning psychedelic visual spectacle.

Now, following a series of the Orchestra’s sold-out performances known as The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra Songbooks, this iridescent ensemble unveils The Jukebox of Joy. Audiences can expect a maximalist, interdisciplinary concert that revisits and reimagines select works created in collaboration with some of Aotearoa’s most exciting songwriters.

The Jukebox of Joy features an extraordinary lineup of contributing songwriters, with this one-off spectacular featuring performances by Chelsea Prastiti (SKILAA), Diggy Dupé, Grecco Romank, Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins), Elizabeth Stokes (The Beths), Joshua Worthington-Church (Mammalien), Mainard Larkin, Princess Chelsea, Priya Sami (Bub), Rachel Clarke (Elisa), Samara Alofa, Steph Brown (Lips), and Yolanda Fagan (Na Noise).

Aligning with the spirit of the 2026 Matariki period, The Jukebox Of Joy will also feature a special Rangatuone conduction by Rāhana Tito-Taylor.

True to its ethos of innovation and collaboration, Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy is expanding beyond music alone. Set to weave the evening into a cohesive, emotionally resonant journey, punk rock poet laureate Dominic Hoey is assuming the role of narrator.The Jukebox of Joy will also integrate specially commissioned elements of theatre, dance, and cutting-edge lighting design into a fully immersive experience.

The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra extravaganzas have become some of Aotearoa’s most unmissable live music experiences. The Jukebox of Joy promises to elevate that legacy even further, with this dream set of musical collaborations happening on the city’s most prestigious stage.