As they did in 2017 local band Badger will again be part of the opening acts at this year's Mission Concert. Photo / Paul Taylor
As they did in 2017 local band Badger will again be part of the opening acts at this year's Mission Concert. Photo / Paul Taylor
Some rock covers, folk-blues and soul and reggae will set the scene for the build-up to Phil Collins at the Mission Concert on Waitangi Day and a local band will again be part of the musical day and night out.
As they did in 2017 when they opened for theDixie Chicks, Napier-based band Badger will be the first of three warm-up acts to take to the stage when they step out, tune up and strike the first chords at 3.15.
The popular cover band had the big crowd rocking two years ago and are set to do it again.
"Four middle-aged men rocking out to songs from their youth — reliving their glory days of fuller hair and slimmer bodies," was how one of the concert management crew jovially put it.
The band has developed a strong reputation across the Bay and is renowned for delivering great covers of great songs.
Following Badger at 5pm will be singer-songwriter Delaney Davidson.
The Lyttelton musician is well-known for his multi-instrumentalism and musical production work, and regularly tours the USA and Europe.
While widely known for his guitar work he mainly performs solo with what he calls his "Ghost Orchestra" and incorporates elements of folk, rock, country and blues.
Completing the build-up to Phil Collins' appearance at 8.30pm will be the highly acclaimed, and possessor of multiple music awards, Rob Ruha and The Witch Doctor.
Ruha delivers a mix of soul, funk and reggae and performed at the Bay of Islands Festival with Jimmy Cliff and Katchafire and was a big hit with the crowd.
He has also previously opened for acts like John Legend and Justin Timberlake and over the past five years has picked up a string of music awards.
Last year he was nominated for seven awards at the Waiata Maori Music Awards and picked up four of them.
"Guarantee that the live set is funky and rootsy with a good dose of soul," the concert management spokesman said.
The gates for the sold-out Mission Concert will open at 2pm and the night will wrap up at 10.15pm.
