5 Jun 2025

Will our favourite music artists ever make it to New Zealand?

From Afternoons, 1:36 pm on 5 June 2025

Muso and Afternoons regular Chris Schulz says we need big artists, major shows and large-scale touring to return to Aotearoa - immediately.

Recently, the likes of Taylor Swift, Oasis, Billie Eilish, Green Day, The Killers, Katy Perry, Korn and Kylie Minogue have toured the globe extensively, including Australia - but then gave New Zealand a wide berth. 

Xzibit, Nelly, Blink-182, Tenacious D and Public Enemy have announced New Zealand shows and then pulled the plug. 

Festivals Bay Dreams and Splore are on hiatus, while we've already lost Nest Fest, Morningside Bloc Party, Juicy Fest and the Timeless Tour for various reasons.  

Chris has vented his frustration on his Boiler Room blog and joins Jesse for a rant. 

(FILES) US singer Taylor Swift performs on stage at the Paris La Defense Arena as part of her The Eras Tour, in Nanterre, north-western France, on May 9, 2024. Three shows in Vienna by the American mega-star have been cancelled after Austria arrested a man in connection with an Islamist attack plot, the organisers said on August 8, 2024. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP

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