Playing live brings fresh dimension

The water's still chilly but that's not going to deter Jason Kerrison from bringing his surfboard when he hits the Bay next month.
The Opshop frontman is a keen surfer and one of the benefits of touring the country is being able to revisit some favourite spots.
"One of the things I enjoy the most about getting out and doing it is that every place has its nooks and crannies to explore," he said.
"The more you do that, you actually make some pretty close connections."
And Kerrison is keen to hit the waves at Mount Maunganui when he visits Tauranga on October 1 for a gig at the Colosseum.
"I always enjoy the surf down there."
The concert is part of a nine-date tour to celebrate the release of the band's new album, Until the End of Time.
The record has been a long time coming - it's been three years since the smash hit Second Hand Planet was released.
That album spawned the hits Maybe, One Day and Waiting Now, hit No 1 on the charts, and went triple platinum.
Despite that success, Kerrison said he felt no pressure when Until The End of Time was released.
He was just relieved to finally get the album out to the fans - it had been ready to release since January, but the record label held on to it for "commercial reasons".
"I had no expectations of what it was going to do," Kerrison said.
But the album went to the top of the charts on its first week of release and the single Pins and Needles is getting heavy radio airplay.
It has also received critical acclaim and Kerrison is stoked.
"I'm just full of gratitude really that people have gone in and bought the record and had it turn up at No 1."
And after three years of "pimping" the songs from Second Hand Planet, the band - Kerrison, drummer Bobby Kennedy, lead guitarist Matt Treacy and bass guitarist Clint Harris - can't wait to play their new songs. "We have so many new songs on this record and we need to get out on the road.
"With our last record, we have been out there pimping it and doing so many shows, and there's only so many shows you can do before you are repeating yourself.
"It's going to be really nice to do something fresh on the road.
"We want to show people what this album sounds like live. Playing live gives it another dimension."
But fans who want to hear their old favourites are in luck.
Kerrison, a fan of social media networking, has asked concert-goers to request their favourites online.
"We are going to get people to come on Facebook and ask people what set or songs they want to hear on the tour and, if we get people asking for songs, we will pull them out on the night."
The interactive approach is typical of the band, which is always looking for new ways to connect with its fans.
"I just think personally, we wouldn't be doing it without the people who support us, whether it's listening to the music, or whether it's buying a T-shirt, or supporting us in other ways and means," Kerrison says.
"The great thing these days with social networking, is you really do have a one-on-one relationship with these people."
To that end, Kerrison has just built an Opshop application, which is available for free download from opshopmusic.com and iTunes.
The application allows people to listen to every Opshop track ever released, at no charge. Fans can also watch the band's music videos online, read lyrics and buy tickets to shows through the application.
"What it does is put Opshop in people's pockets," Kerrison says.
"There's a blog and all the social networks [are connected]. If you tweet about Opshop, it comes up."
Joining Opshop on the tour is five-piece rock band The Earlybirds, who released their debut album Favourite Fears last month.
Kerrison describes that band as "a great group of musicians" and warns Opshop may "teach them the ways of the road".
If past tours with the likes of The Feelers are anything to go by, that could involve egg fights which end with a knock on the door from police.
"It's going to be a whole bunch of fun," Kerrison says.
The tour begins in Matakana on September 17 and ends on October 2 on Auckland's North Shore.
The Tauranga show is at The Colosseum on Friday, October 1. Tickets are available from the venue and Ticketmaster.
Opshop will also playat the World Rowing champs on October 31, at Lake Karapiro.