The funk-rock group, who formed in Auckland at the turn of the 90s, will embark on The Phenomenon Tour in April 2025 – marking one of the few times the bandhas jammed together in recent years.
The shows will feature Supergroove’s line-up from 1995 – saxophonist Nick Atkinson, vocalists Karl Steven and Che Fu, drummer Ian Jones, bassist Joe Lonie, guitarist Ben Sciascia and trumpeter Tim Stewart – with special guests Troy Kingi, Rubi Du and DJ King Kapisi.
The tour kicks off in Rotorua on April 8, with stops in Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Havelock North before concluding in Auckland after two and a half jam-packed weeks.
“Known for their high-octane live performances, this is a special opportunity for fans to experience Supergroove on stage all night delivering their timeless hits,” a media release on Monday said.
“This tour is a throwback to Supergroove’s early days in the 90s, when they took their unique blend of funk, rock, and hip-hop on the road, building a devoted fanbase with their energetic regional tours.”
Frontman Karl Steven said the fandom that ignited in the band’s early years was “borderline bonkers”.
“We were barely in long pants when Supergroove used to roll into towns of all shapes and sizes to go nuts in the local halls, venues, streets and occasionally schools. That youthful excitement was true of our audiences as well, and the level of enthusiasm we encountered across the country was both humbling and, at times, borderline bonkers,” Steven said in a statement.
“Even back then it was clear that the whole Supergroove ‘phenomenon’ was only in part driven by the band itself, and that Supergroove was only truly ‘Super’ once the doors opened and the people came in.
“The opportunity to visit these towns and reconnect with some of these older venues (and humans!) in 2025 is something we’ve been excited to do for a long time, and we want to make the most of the opportunity to celebrate the fun of those early years, delivering a new show full of all the old hits, as well as special moments with great guest artists and a killer DJ to bring the old-school party vibes.”
Classics such as 1994′s Sitting Inside My Head, Scorpio Girls and You Gotta Know will feature in the hit-packed setlist, an ode to the group’s enduring musical legacy in Aotearoa.
Supergroove’s 1994 debut album Traction, which achieved Platinum status in its first week, was followed by Backspacer in 1996 and 2003′s Postage, their last studio effort.
