Christchurch-born, sometime-robed, aging ex-wunderkind, Lawrence Arabia is pleased to announce an extensive New Zealand tour this November, with his marvelous and multi-talented four piece band.
This is the first Lawrence Arabia and band tour in New Zealand since last July, and for cities and towns outside the four main centres, the first Lawrence Arabia tour since, well, ever.
Lawrence’s most recent album, “The Sparrow,” was released worldwide in July 2012, receiving all sorts of kind plaudits from the press, including the Sunday Times’ (UK) CD Of The Week, iTunes NZ’s New Zealand Album Of The Year 2012, and a Taite Music Prize nomination.
Since releasing his debut album in 2006, Lawrence Arabia has toured extensively in Europe, Australia and North America, including tours with Feist, Beach House, Okkervil River and Crowded House. In 2009, Lawrence Arabia’s song “Apple Pie Bed” won the APRA Silver Scroll and the album it came from, “Chant Darling,” won the inaugural Taite Music Prize.
After the release of “The Sparrow,” Lawrence and band toured Australia, New Zealand, North America, the UK and Europe again during the second half of 2012, and returned to Europe in May of this year for shows with The Phoenix Foundation and a special theatre show in Stockholm, Sweden, organised by Peter Morén of Peter Bjorn and John, and incorporating local musicians and a string trio.
The Lawrence Arabia band comprises the eponymous Arabia on guitar, piano and vocals, Tom Watson on lead guitar, trumpet and vocals, Hayden Eastmond-Mein on bass guitar and vocals, and Alistair Deverick on drums and vocals.
It’s a 90 minutes plus show, abundant with banter and three part harmonies, wit, beauty and occasional loud noise. Cassette songwriter Tom Watson plays a set in support.
*Lawrence Arabia plays at the Yot Club this Friday 22 November. Presale tickets are $12 and available from undertheradar.co.nz, $15 on the door.
