Mission rumours under way

MYSTERY: Mission Estate CEO Peter Holley in front of the Mission concert arena in Taradale. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLORr.

With the countdown to the 2017 Mission Concert now under way, the date announced last week as being April 8, the "who will it be?" rumour mill has begun - and there are some warm to hot prospects lining up already.

The feature artist is set to be announced on Thursday, with the drivers of the concert, Sport and Entertainment Ltd and the Mission, promising " a major international act", which they said would draw a large crowd.

One of the driving forces behind securing an artist was being able to lock them into a time which suited their touring schedules and other commitments.

Which is where one, or two or three, possibilities can come into play in the case of next year's Mission Concert.

It is set to be staged on April 8, when a check on the websites across Australia to see who is playing there around that time unearths some interesting possibilities.

The 28th annual Byron Bay Blues Festival is programmed for iSydney from April 13 to 17 - beginning on the Thursday just five days after the Napier concert.

The headliners for the festival include the main act for the 2013 Mission Concert, Barry Gibb.

While the ex-Bee Gee has been here before he would not be the first to make two appearances, with Rod Stewart having successfully fronted the big event in 2005 and 2012.

Appearing on the Byron Bay billing with him are other potential Mission stars: Neil Young, Santana, Patti Smith and Buddy Guy.

There is also a time-frame opportunity for Madonna to make a trip to Napier as she is set to appear in a string of concerts in Australia in late March.

There are also rumblings that Paul McCartney, who has been on tour in the US, may be planning to visit Downunder next summer.

Interestingly, he played a show in Indio, California in front of 70,000 people last weekend with...Neil Young.

Others on the rumour list, and who have been touring or are planning future tours, are Paul Simon, Usef Cat Stevens and Robbie Williams.