Kids prompt daycare Starship fundraiser concert

Tauranga musician Tiki Taane is about to perform for his most demanding audience yet - his son's daycare centre.

Taane will hold a family friendly concert tomorrow for 200 people at First Steps Papamoa to raise money for the Starship Foundation.

About 70 tickets are still available for the event, which preludes the beginning of Taane's nationwide tour starting on Thursday night at Imbibe bar, Mount Maunganui.

Taane said the children's concert idea came from the manager of First Steps who approached him about a concert after his performance at a Christmas Little Big Markets.

"My son was there and it ended up having about 20 kids on stage with me at one point. It was very impromptu. He got his mates on stage and then it became a free-for-all," Taane said. "I was surrounded by all these little kids."

Taane said he had a special request to perform Puff the Magic Dragon as part of his set list.

"It's neat to be able to do something at home. I love the Mount and Papamoa and it's really easy for me to do, if it helps the community and helps Starship, why not?"

First Steps manager Rachel Moscrip said the children loved singing along to Taane's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that was part of a Starship Foundation Christmas soundtrack. She thought a fund-raising concert where the children could sing along would be perfect.

Tickets can be bought from Papamoa First Steps for $5. Proceeds go to the Starship Foundation, a non-profit organisation that raises money for better care for patients at Starship Children's Health. The concert begins at 5.30pm.