Neil Finn Official Website
Tickets are still available for Neil and Liam Finn’s concert in Belgium.
Botanique Orangerie, Brussels
Friday 18th September 2015
botanique.ticketmatic.com (English)
botanique.ticketmatic.com (Dutch)
botanique.ticketmatic.com (French)
UPDATE 4/9/15: Click here for new details.
Bloomsbury Theatre is still closed due to asbestos problems. We are looking for an alternative venue for the three London shows in September. More details when we have them.
Live Nation by arrangement with WME present
A Very Special Evening With Neil Finn
Intimate Wellington and Christchurch Solo shows with Strings
OPERA HOUSE, WELLINGTON, NZ
TUESDAY 13th OCTOBER 2015
ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL, CHRISTCHURCH, NZ
WEDNESDAY 14th OCTOBER 2015
TICKETS ON SALE MIDDAY MONDAY 7th SEPTEMBER at www.livenation.co.nz
My Live Nation member pre-sale: 12pm September 2 until 5pm September 3.
Ticketek member pre-sale: 10am September 4 until 5pm September 6.
A solo performance by NEIL FINN is a rare experience; one that is certain to leave long lasting, treasured memories.
Following solo concerts in Sydney and Melbourne in May and a one-off Auckland concert in July, fans in Wellington and Christchurch will now have the opportunity to attend two such intimate and very special performances this October.
Neil Finn will play the Wellington Opera House on Tuesday October 13, followed by a Christchurch show at the Isaac Theatre Royal on Wednesday October 14.
The set-list will range right across Finn’s extensive repertoire as he dips in and out of a vast catalogue that spans compositions he’s made famous with Split Enz, Crowded House, The Finn Brothers and through the course of his three solo albums, playing a mix of acoustic and electric, guitar and piano, as well as being joined on some songs by a full string section, arranged by renowned kiwi composer, Victoria Kelly.
Tickets for both shows go on sale at midday, Monday September 7.
My Live Nation members can secure tickets first during the exclusive pre-sale commencing at midday this Wednesday, September 2.
For complete tour and ticketing details visit: www.livenation.co.nz
Finn said, “I find playing solo to be a very free environment where I’m able to explore strange tangents, reinvent old songs, reminisce with friends and lampoon at will. I love it.”
The chance to see Finn perform solo certainly doesn’t come around very often. Performing in Melbourne and Sydney earlier this year, media were universally fulsome in their reviews:
“The man can bloom from whisper to a wail with the same confidence and clarity as on any recording from his early days¦ A soaring, spellbinding performance by one of the greats.” Brag
“Seeing Finn live is like a comforting hug when you need it most.â” The Music
“It’s an uncanny performance affirming Finn’s stature as one of pop’s greatest songwriters, mixed with a leveled Kiwi cheek. There was no reason for tonight to happen, no particular ceremony. That’s what made it so special.” Beat Magazine
These forthcoming shows will be Neil Finn’s only solo performances in New Zealand for the remainder of this year, and these are absolutely shows not to be missed.
So They Can‘s Annual Sydney Dinner and fundraiser will include a solo performance by Neil Finn.
Friday, 23rd October 2015 Grand Ballroom
Commencing at 7.30pm The Westin Sydney
Dress: Cocktail 1 Martin Place, Sydney
Enjoy pre-dinner drinks and canapés, a delicious dinner with premium wines and an exclusive performance by Neil Finn followed by DJ & Dancing!
Tickets: $250.00 please book via http://trybooking.com/145543
Neil and Sharon Finn are ambassadors for So They Can, a non profit organisation that works with communities in Africa in need; empowering people to become self-sufficient and meet their own needs via education and community and economic development.
The making of “True Colours” in part 6 of Enzology – The Story of Split Enz. Features rare demos, live tracks and interviews. Download the podcast at here.
Team NF
For a Rolling Stone article, published in November 1988, Steve Pond visits the band in the studio while they record Temple of Low Men, and checks in with them again after the album’s release. Read it at http://rol.st/1JuTlHE
In Episode 5 of Enzology, Radio New Zealand National’s story of Split Enz: Fire, Flood and icy red!
This podcast includes interviews with all the band plus rare demos and live recordings from 1978-79.
Songs include Carried Away, Next Exit, I See Red, Give It A Whirl, Stuff And Nonsense, True Colours plus rarities Evelyn, Up Against A Brick Wall, Old Mill House and others.
Download here.
Neil Finn and Jim Carter’s recording of “Blue Smoke” can now be downloaded from iTunes and Google Play worldwide.
http://smarturl.it/neilfinnbluesmoke
Read more details about the song’s history and the new recording in the April diary.
Hear about the making of the third Split Enz album, Dizrythmia, in Enzology part 4. Download the podcast at Radio New Zealand’s Enzology site.
Interviews with all the band and rare recordings from their personal archives, including:
JAMBOREE (instrumental rough mix 1977)
NICE TO KNOW
PARROT FASHION LOVE (instrumental rough mix 1977)
WITHOUT A DOUBT (with count-ins from rough mix 1977)
MY MISTAKE
BOLD AS BRASS (instrumental rough mix 1977)
CHARLIE (live Australia 1977)
BEST FRIEND (live 1977)
TRUE COLOURS (live 1977)
CROSSWORDS (Live 1977)
SUPERSTARSTRUCK (Phil Judd demo 1977)
INCOGNITO IN CALIFORNIA (Phil Judd demo 1977)
BERGEN AAN ZEE (live, Aylesbury 2/78)
PLAY IT STRANGE (live, Aylesbury 2/78)
SO THIS IS LOVE (BBC Session 1978)
SNAKE CHARMER (Ninees instrumental demo 1978)
GIVE IT A WHIRL (Ninees instrumental demo 1978)
FRACTION TOO MUCH FRICTION (Ninees demo 1978)
Ninees instrumental demo 1978
MAROONED (demo, Luton 1978)
SHE GOT BODY SHE GOT SOUL (demo, Luton 1978)
MIND OVER MATTER (demo, Luton 1978)
HOLY SMOKE
HOLLOW VICTORY (demo, Luton 1978)
HERMIT McDERMITT (demo, Luton 1978)
SEMI DETACHED
Team NF.
Download Neil’s remix of “Give Up Your Dreams”, a new song by New Zealand band The Phoenix Foundation. The album of the same name is due out this week.
“I was delighted to be asked to remix this track for The Phoenix Foundation who I love. I have never done one before and enjoyed being able to take apart and reassemble someone else’s music, it’s like landscaping your neighbours garden while they’re away on holiday.”
– Neil Finn
It’s 40 years since the release of Mental Notes, the debut album by Split Enz. Over the next few weeks, we’re celebrating with the stories behind that LP and those that followed.
In Radio New Zealand’s Enzology Episode 3 podcast, Split Enz move to London and re-record Mental Notes for the overseas market, tour the UK just as punk emerges, throw fists during an ill-fated tour of the US and enlist 18-year old Neil Finn. Featuring interviews with all the band, plus rare demos and live recordings from their personal archives.
It’s 40 years ago this week since the release of Mental Notes, the debut album by Split Enz. Delve into the making of the album in part 2 of Radio New Zealand’s Enzology podcast, featuring rare audio and band interviews:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/enzology/ep02
Neil Finn: “I was a young teenager when that came out. You fall in love with music at that age more than at any other time in life. I fell in love with that record. It was completely unlike anything I’d heard before.”
Mental Notes, the classic debut album by Split Enz, reaches its 40th anniversary later this month! In celebration, we’re featuring the audio documentary series Enzology - “ The Story of Split Enz over the next few weeks. Unreleased demos, studio out-takes and live performances weave in and out of tales told by all the band members and many of their producers and managers. The series first aired on Radio New Zealand in 2005.
Episode 1 is “The Beginning of the Enz“. Stream or download the podcast from the Enzology website.
Two newspaper articles from the last few days:
“Teacher lives dream with idol Finn (video)”
When Neil performs “Anytime” from his 2001 album One Nil, he often invites a member of the audience on stage to accompany him with three notes on the piano. At the recent Auckland Town Hall concert, David Pilpel put up his hand.
From the Western Australian.
“Stranger than fiction: When Split Enz met Theodore Finch”
How does a defunct New Zealand band end up with a starring role in a contemporary American young adult book publishing sensation? The Sunday Star-Times tracked down Los Angeles-based author, Jennifer Niven, and then came back to Auckland for Neil Finn’s side of the story behind Split Enz’s most famous song.
From the Sunday Star-Times.
Mental Notes, the classic debut album by Split Enz, reaches its 40th anniversary later this month! In celebration, we’re featuring the audio documentary series Enzology – The Story of Split Enz over the next few weeks. Unreleased demos, studio out-takes and live performances weave in and out of tales told by all the band members and many of their producers and managers.
The series first aired on Radio New Zealand in 2005. Download the trailer at radionz.co.nz/enzology
Team NF.
Read Bill DeYoung’s recent article about the third Crowded House album, 1991’s Woodface, at somethingelsereviews.com .
You can play the album in full right here.
Neil plays a sold out solo concert tonight with a 12-piece string section at the Auckland Town Hall. This photo, courtesy of Radio New Zealand‘s Brian Mahoney, is from this afternoon’s soundcheck.
UPDATE:
Here’s the setlist from Neil’s Auckland Town Hall concert on Saturday night.
Only Talking Sense
She Will Have Her Way
Something So Strong
Fall At Your Feet
Four Seasons In One Day
Last Day In June
Message To My Girl
Anytime
Won’t Give In
Distant Sun
Dive Bomber
Edible Flowers
Don’t Dream It’s Over
Better Than TV
White Lies & Alibis
One Step Ahead
Dizzy Heights
Impressions
Golden Child
Gentle Hum
In My Blood
Private Universe
Pineapple Head
I Got You
Better Be Home Soon
The concert was recorded by Radio New Zealand for broadcast later this year. Subscribe to Neil’s newsletter emails for details when they come to hand.
Team NF
Neil was a special guest at Johnny Marr’s Auckland concert tonight at The Powerstation, singing “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” and “I Fought The Law”. The last time they played together in Auckland was in 2009 at the 7 Worlds Collide concerts.
Where Lester lived…
The Finn family home which inspired some of Neil’s most famous Crowded House tunes has gone on the market.
Read the article at http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/69966464/neil-finns-not-so-crowded-house-for-sale
Photo by Dru Falkner
Updated 1-7-15
Neil’s fourth and final programme in Double J’s Artist In Residence series includes his original demos of “Something So Strong” and “Private Universe” – which changed completely during the making of the records. Listen to the archived stream of “The Making of Records with Neil Finn” here (archived for a few days only).
The last few missing minutes on the archive stream have now been restored by Double J. If you played all two hours earlier and just need to hear the end, Neil’s segment is below. This is minus David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’.
