The Harmonic Resonators to come out swinging on new tour

The Harmonic Resonators' Rongo ki te Oro theatre tour is kicking off soon.

The Harmonic Resonators are coming out swinging with their biggest shows to date. The Rongo ki te Oro tour will see the band playing in 11 of the North Island’s best theatre venues. Performing classic country songs and beloved Waiata Māori, the Harmonic Resonators are swiftly becoming a sensation across Aotearoa. Springing to social media fame in 2019, their videos have amassed over 13 million Facebook views, featuring guests such as the Topp Twins, Ria Hall, PERE, Dennis Marsh and more.

“The magic thing about our gigs is that there’s this sense of unity through music,” says frontman Jeremy Hantler. “Tangata whenua, Pākeha, and Kiwis from all walks of life sing together in harmony.”

The band have received an overwhelmingly positive response from within te ao Māori, which Jeremy believes is for a few reasons: “Our whānau values, since we are a family band, the care we take with researching each waiata for pronunciation and meaning and the trust we have built over time with important milestones, such as when we played at Tūrangawaewae.”

At Tūrangawaewae, the band performed three separate times for the Māori king. The Resonators have also played at Matariki festivals, kohanga reo celebrations, and many marae-based fundraisers.

“My favourite gigs are our marae gigs... we just get such a welcome feeling,” adds the band’s matriarch, Jenny Hantler.

Venues such as Whanganui Opera House, Q Theatre, Baycourt Theatre and TSB Showplace have all signed on to host the Rongo ki te Oro tour. With comfortable seating, pristine sound and the latest lighting rigs, fans will finally have the chance to see and appreciate the band in top form. Inevitably, the emotions of a Harmonic Resonators audience run high, as the songs bring back and create new memories. Rapturous reactions turn the proceedings into a giant crowd sing-along, each song giving way to another favourite.

Who would expect a family band to be successful in 2023? The Resonators’ line-up features Jeremy and his parents Jenny and Renny Hantler, to whom he credits his love of music. On ukulele is the best man at Jeremy’s wedding, Ryan McIntyre, with bass guitar by Ryan’s mother Sharon McIntyre and Ryan Monaghan on lead guitar. They all met at the Morrinsville Country Music Club many years ago, and have a deep-rooted musical bond that shines through in every live show.

The Rongo ki te Oro tour follows the band’s recent album of the same name, a collection of popular country and rock songs recorded for the first time in te reo Māori. With superbly arranged performances of powerful songs like Lean on Me, Take Me Home, Country Roads and Listen to the Music, Rongo ki te Oro is making waves in Aotearoa.

“It’s going down a treat with our old fans and new fans alike,” says Jeremy. “On the tour, we’ll play the new songs from the album, and of course, we’ll play all the classics the audience has come to know us for.”

The band is a well-functioning unit, travelling with their tour manager, sound crew, partners and children. Everyone helps in their own way, selling CDs and providing moral support (and feedback!). The whole band and crew are thankful for the country music scene which brought them together, and rejoice in their love of te reo Māori, which has taken them on the journey they are on today.

DATES:

• 11 March · Baycourt Theatre, Tauranga
• 25 March · War Memorial Theatre, Thames