Sharon Van Etten Announces New Zealand Tour

Sublime songstress Sharon Van Etten will be making tracks around New Zealand for four shows in March. It will be the first visit to these shores for the Brooklyn-based musician, who released her critically-acclaimed fourth studio album Are We There through Jagjaguwar in May. As such, she requested to play on both the North and South Islands, therefore her upcoming tour will take her through Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Here's the details...

Sharon Van Etten with Robert Scott

Thursday 12th March, Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland
Friday 13th March, Bodega, Wellington
Saturday 14th March, Wunderbar, Lyttelton
Sunday 15th March, Chicks Hotel, Dunedin

Here is the video for 'Taking Chances' from Van Etten's latest album...

PRESS RELEASE:

Solid Entertainment Proudly Presents:

SHARON VAN ETTEN
NZ Tour March 2015
Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin

This year SHARON VAN ETTEN’S Are We There album has garnered five star reviews and consensual critical acclaim acknowledging her as one of the finest singer/songwriters of our time.

“the work of a modern day master” (NME)
“magnificent” (Off The Tracks NZ)

It is with great delight we are able to announce that the Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist will be playing New Zealand for the first time in March 2015. In a touring schedule that has taken her most of the way around the world Sharon Van Etten has requested to include both the North and South Islands of NZ on this visit. She will play shows in Auckland, Wellington, Lyttleton and Dunedin. Venue and ticketing details below.

Are We There is Van Etten’s fourth album and is the sound of an artist in full stride - writing, producing and performing. Sharon Van Etten has a sublime heart-stopping voice and a free-flowing emotional richness, intensity, depth and poetic nuances that few contemporary musicians can match.

“[are we there] confirms how breathtaking Sharon Van Etten’s songwriting and singing has become” (Under The Radar NZ)

“she turns in the performance of a lifetime, she gives everything and its impossible to be unmoved” (NOW)

“proving her mettle as a singular songwriter not afraid to hold hot coals with bare hands” (Uncut)

“a singer taking total command of her heart-stopping voice” (Independent On Sunday)

Are We There is the most recent peak in a continual career upward trajectory. It builds further still upon what is considered to be her breakthrough year in 2012 with the hugely acclaimed Tramp album which was produced by Aaron Dessner (The National). Described as “one of the first indisputable masterpieces of 2012” by The Sunday Times, “the singers voice is the sort that seeps into your soul and stays there” noted The Sun and The Times rated her “the master of her craft”. It made many of the year end Top 50 album lists and was #1 in the taste-making Fly magazine.

Having toured with The National through Europe and last year across the States with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds as both opening act and sometime guest back up vocalist Van Etten has been keeping some excellent company whilst travelling her music to audiences that are more often than not left spell-bound by her sets.

With a catalogue of great songs and a flawless voice capable of carrying all corners of emotional extreme SVE’s live performances are powerful and utterly compelling. Not afraid to open herself up and share a deeply personal narrative Van Etten is raw, honest and moving. Known to enjoy some warm between song banter, it is perhaps this that bonds the audience on a very personal level between real people and genuine experience with no pretence.

Sharon Van Etten is an exceptional artist who is now at the peak of her powers bringing everything together with such confidence that “every song strikes a direct hit” (The Guardian). These will be very special shows performed in intimate venues, perfect for an up close and personal sharing of Sharon Van Etten’s first visit to New Zealand.

Auckland Kings Arms Thursday March 12
Wellington Bodega Friday March 13
Lyttelton Wunderbar Saturday March 14
Dunedin Chicks Hotel Sunday March 15

“… her sublime voice and the poised but complex song structures can take you out of yourself as all the very best music does…”  (NME)

TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 9AM
ticketmaster.co.nz and Real Groovy Records, Queen Street, Auckland.