Synthony to play first-ever outdoor show at New Plymouth's TSB Bowl of Brookland

Taranaki dance music fans are in for a treat with the first ever outdoor performance of Synthony set to take place in the region next year.

The night will combine the best electronic dance music with the full might of the 80-piece Auckland Symphony Orchestra, plus guest appearances by some of New Zealand's top DJs, vocalists and musicians.

The night won't just thrill the ears, the eyes are in for a treat as well, as it will feature a special light and laser show designed specially for the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, where the event will take place.

"This is the first time Synthony has put on a show outdoors so we're delighted they are bringing their spectacular show to the TSB Bowl of Brooklands," says New Plymouth District Council recreation and culture manager Teresa Turner.

Synthony has partnered New Plymouth District Council and Venture Taranaki to present this exclusive, and first-ever, one night show in the Bowl of Brooklands in January next year.

Venture Taranaki CE, Justine Gilliland, says Synthony will be a hero event in their summer line up.

"We're thrilled to be welcoming Synthony to the Taranaki region for their first-ever outdoor event. Taranaki and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands are a fitting location for such an iconic, vibrant event, providing the ultimate crescendo to the TSB Festival of Lights and a hero event for what is shaping up to be an exciting summer."

Event promoters have had a tumultuous and unpredictable year in 2020, with the impact of Covid-19 hitting national and international events alike. The Synthony tour was due to be announced just days before New Zealand went into level 4 lockdown and the future of the tour was uncertain for a while. Months of preparation and negotiations with artists, venues, and sponsors were all dashed, and the team behind Synthony had to rebuild the programme all over again.

Synthony founder and producer Erika Amoore says she's incredibly excited to bring Kiwis an outstanding musical showcase based on performances of the world's best dance music, performed solely by Kiwi musicians.

"Given the circumstances, it's amazing to be able to pull together the 200+ local artists and crew that make these events happen. Even with our borders closed to international musicians, we have all the talent we need right here."

Founded in 2017 by DJ and producer Amoore and fellow Kiwi David Elmsly, Synthony sold out its first show, at the Auckland Town Hall, to a packed house and rave reviews.

The concept behind the show's unique style was inspired partly after Elmsly and Amoore saw Pete Tong's BBC Ibiza Proms on YouTube and wanted to experience a similar event in New Zealand. Rather than wait for a show like that to reach New Zealand, they decided to create their own. They approached Peter Thomas, conductor and music director of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra (ASO), who was taken with the idea and keen for the ASO to be involved. He then enlisted Ryan Youens, an arranger with hundreds of professional credits to his name, including film scores for The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug, and for events such as the Rugby World Cup and Pan-Arab Games.

After sold-out events in 2017 and 2018, Elmsly and Amoore knew the event had the potential to go further than Auckland, and in late 2018 they partnered with Duco events to continue growing Synthony.

January's Taranaki show, the first ever one to be performed outdoors, will be conducted by Peter Thomas with a live set by Weird Together, a DJ set by Tim Phin, plus special guest performances by Jason Kerrison, Hollie Smith, Ria Hall, Cherie Mathieson, Nate Dousand, Christian Mausia, and Lewis McCallum.

The show starts in the afternoon with classic summer grooves before playing club favourites and features music that spans a generation, from the likes of Eurythmics, Basement Jaxx, Fat Boy Slim, Avicii, Pink Floyd, Eric Prydz and more.

"The Bowl was made for nights like this with brilliant music, a summer's evening and a wonderful Taranaki crowd," says Teresa.

Turner says the concert is the second Summer at the Bowl event announced for January 2021 with L.A.B, one of Aotearoa's hottest live bands, and a host of stellar Kiwi support acts including Mako Road, The Black Seeds, Bailey Wiley and Anna Coddington performing on January 9.

"In the post-Covid-19 world, we're delighted to be able to put on two incredible shows with fabulous Kiwi acts and we can't wait to get dancing when Synthony hit the Bowl on 23 January," she says.

General public tickets are $95 plus fees and are on sale from 9am, Wednesday, August 5 from the TSB Showplace box office, over the phone on 0800 TICKETEK, or online at www.ticketek.co.nz.

A limited number of discounted early bird tickets are available online only on Tuesday, August 4 from 9am until 8am, Wednesday, August 5 (or until allocation exhausted). Those who are signed up to the New Plymouth Event Venues database before Tuesday morning will get access. Anyone who hasn't yet signed up can do so at npeventvenues.nz. Tickets are $150 for R18 Gold (standing platform), $130 for Silver (standing platform), $69 for limited early bird General Admission and $95 for General Admission.