Princess Chelsea Announces '7 Seconds In Heaven' at Kāhui St David's

Recipient of Aotearoa's prestigious Taite Music Prize with fans throughout the globe, Princess Chelsea famously once sang the virtues of 'No Church On Sunday' — but how about Kāhui St David's church on a Friday? An artist with a demonstrated knack for staging memorable events, Chelsea Nikkel has announced 7 Seconds In Heaven, a very special show created with shadow puppeteer Tom Tuke, happening at the aforementioned opulent venue / community space in Tāmaki Makaurau on 25th September.

Previewed recently outside the much-missed Flying Out store, Princess Chelsea will perform "solo-ish" on Omnichord as well as grand piano, accompanied by Dream Warriors bandmates Joshua Worthington-Church (Exploding Rainbow Orchestra) on guitar and bass, and keys maestro Joe Kaptein playing "the immense and newly restored, century-old Kāhui St David’s pipe organ."

Virtuoso piano experimentalist Hermione Johnson will open proceedings, plus stage designer Christopher Stratton and lighting designer Molloy are putting the finishing visual touches on this sure to be magical evening. Tickets are unlikely to hang around for long so secure your spot pronto — brought to you by Banished Music and Strange News...

"For one night, we want Kāhui St David’s to feel like you’ve stepped somewhere between heaven and earth.

I met Tom Tuke through the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra, where he handmade puppets to interpret one of my songs. Afterwards we decided we needed to make an entire show together. 7 Seconds in Heaven will be more of a solo Princess Chelsea set — mostly me and an Omnichord, with a few friends appearing along the way — leaving space for Tom’s puppetry and the incredible setting to shine."

Princess Chelsea '7 Seconds In Heaven'
with live shadow puppetry by Tom Tuke
special guest Hermione Johnson
Friday 25th September - Kāhui St. David's, Auckland
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

Here's Princess Chelsea's celestial cover of 'In Heaven' by David Lynch and Peter Ivers, from 2022's Everything Is Going To Be Alright...

Press release:

With winter fading at last, and the sniff of spring’s blossom on the wind, Banished Music, Strange News, and 95bFM have joined forces with the high priestess of hope - Princess Chelsea - to bring you a one-off show that’s set to be nothing short of divine, with some very special guests.

Happening on Friday 25 September, 7 Seconds In Heaven finds Chelsea taking over Tāmaki Makaurau’s glorious new musical home, Kāhui St David’s, for a solo-ish show created in tandem with master shadow puppeteer Tom Tuke.

Those who have witnessed one of Princess Chelsea’s famous Midwinter Balls know that she does not do things by halves. For one night only, this beautiful old church will be transformed into Heaven itself, with help from stage designer Christopher Stratton and lighting designer Molloy.

Joining Princess Chelsea to augment her solo Omnichord and grand piano set will be regular cohort Joshua Worthington-Church (Exploding Rainbow Orchestra) on bass and guitar, and keys-wizard Joe Kaptein on the immense and newly restored, century-old Kāhui St David’s pipe organ.

Earlier this year, Princess Chelsea took her band The Dream Warriors to record their next album in a forest in Nasu, Japan. Chelsea has also been busy completing a second new album, which is a synthesizer solo album, with songs from both new upcoming records set to be performed at this show.

Opening the show with a very special “prepared piano” performance is Hermione Johnson, whose unique playing has taken her all around the world. Using soft wood chopsticks between piano strings, violin bows, and more, this will be a solo piano performance like no other you have seen.

Tickets are on sale now from www.undertheradar.co.nz for this intimate and seated show. Be sure to get in quick for your very own 7 Seconds in Heaven at Kāhui St David’s with Princess Chelsea.