Entertainment reporter Mitchell Hageman on Split Enz to play at Electric Avenue and the line-up for Homegrown is announced. Video / Herald NOW
Split Enz are adding two extra shows to their Forever Enz Tour.
The band will now commence their six-date national tour in Hamilton, at Claudelands Arena, on May 2.
Original member Tim Finn and later additions Eddie Rayner, Neil Finn and Noel Crombie are touring Aotearoa for the first timein nearly 20 years. The opening show will be a homecoming of sorts, with the Finns hailing from nearby Te Awamutu.
From there, Split Enz head to Christchurch to play a headline show on May 4 at Wolfbrook Arena before playing Wellington’s TSB Arena on May 6 and 7 and Auckland ‘s Spark Arena on May 9 and 10.
The band, who formed in 1972 before relocating to Australia three years later, reformed for 45,000 fans at Electric Avenue in February.
“‘Aotearoa, rugged individual!’ We’re looking forward to climbing into our new Noel Crombie suits and seeing you all soon,” Tim Finn said in a statement, referring to the band’s famously eclectic fashion sense.
“The songs are sounding shiny and new ... if music be the food of love, Split Enz are the silverware!“
The band will be joined on the New Zealand tour by Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne (who also performs as Lawrence Arabia) on bass.
This year, the group, famous for hits including I Got You, I See Red, Message To My Girl and Six Months In A Leaky Boat, are celebrating the 51st anniversary of their debut album Mental Notes.
The band were inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame in 2005 and their No 1 1980 album True Colours achieved multiple-platinum status in New Zealand and was certified five times platinum in Australia.
