Civic Events and Classic Hits announce the
2011 Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour dates for November

Bic Runga is one of just a handful of New Zealand musicians who have truly earned the title ‘iconic’. Her songs are etched into the country’s consciousness. This supremely talented writer, recording artist and performer will return to headline the 2011 Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour this November & December. 

Runga, who played the first Acoustic Church Tour in 2004, releases her fourth studio album, due out in mid November. Fans will get to hear not only the old favorites like Sway, Something Good, Get Some Sleep and Winning Arrow, but her brand new material, including her first single in five years – Hello, Hello -  in New Zealand’s most majestic Churches, Chapels and Cathedrals.

Now in its fourth year, The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour has expanded to 17 shows in 12 cities, with Whangarei, Pukekohe, Masterton and Timaru added to the bill for the first time. The tour will return to Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.

Since her first single ‘Drive’ in 1996 – a top ten hit when she was just 20 – Bic has been awarded almost every musical honour in the country, including the APRA Silver Scroll Songwriting Award, countless Tuis and multi-platinum discs. Her debut album Drive (1997) went platinum seven times; Beautiful Collision followed in 2002 (eleven times platinum) and Birds in 2005 (triple platinum). In January 2006, The Queen made Runga a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Zealand New Year's Honours List.

Bic is looking forward to returning to the Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour: 

“This will be my first major tour on my own for several years and I’m really happy to be performing again. I'm excited by the ambience of Churches and looking forward to returning to a number that I played at in 2004. In these Churches, Chapels and Cathedrals I'll be playing with my band, Mint Chicks’ Kody Nielsen & Michael Logie (bass) and at times solo.”

Says co-promoter Brent Eccles “It's a pleasure as always to be working with Bic again, her first Church tour in 2004 was unforgettable and her voice and songs really suit the Church environment. I'm sure that this tour will be special.”

The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour is an acoustic show in three parts commencing with an opening act followed by Bic’s performance in two sets. Doors open at 7.00pm and show concludes at approximately 10.30pm.

The Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour launches at the City Baptist Church in Whangarei on Thursday 17 November and concludes at First Presbyterian Church in Invercargill on Thursday 08 December. Full dates and venues are listed below.

Tickets are on sale from Monday 03 October through the Acoustic Church Tour website here and Ticketek.  Full tour, date and venue details can be found at www.acousticchurchtour.co.nz or www.classichits.co.nz.

Runga’s fourth studio album - Belle - is due for release on Monday 14th November.  Listen to the first single Hello, Hello by clicking the player to the right.



Dates:

Thursday 17 November    Whangarei        Central Baptist Church
Friday 18 November        Tauranga        Holy Trinity
Saturday 19 November    Hamilton         Chapel of Christ The King
Monday 21 November    Pukekohe        Franklin Baptist Church
Tuesday 22 November    Auckland        Holy Trinity Cathedral
Dates continued:

Wednesday 23 November    Auckland        Holy Trinity Cathedral
Friday 25 November        Napier            St John’s Cathedral
Saturday 26 November    Palmerston North    All Saints Church
Monday 28 November    Masterton        St Matthew’s Anglican Church
Tuesday 29 November    Wellington        Wellington Cathedral
Wednesday 30 November    Wellington        Wellington Cathedral
Friday 02 December        Christchurch        St Michael & All Angels
Saturday 03 December     Christchurch        St Michael & All Angels
Monday 05 December    Timaru            St Mary’s Church
Tuesday 06 December    Dunedin         Knox Church
Wednesday 07 December    Dunedin         Knox Church
Thursday 08 December    Invercargill         First Presbyterian Church

HISTORY
In 2004, Civic Events produced a national acoustic church tour for Bic Runga around New Zealand, the idea springing from a show Bic had played in the Union Chapel in London in 2003. We have some amazing churches in New Zealand, beautiful places built for singing, soloists or choirs of voices. In that environment, perhaps accompanied only by piano or organ, acoustic guitars and percussion, every note is crystal clear, at the front and all the way at the back; the sound is pure and magnificent. The tour was a huge success - the music, the sound, the leadlight and the bar heaters. It was a unique and special tour event.

From the germ of an idea in a serene chapel on a cold London night, through the national sell out success of the first Church Tour in 2004, came the second annual Classic Hits Acoustic Church Tour.

2009 Tour- nine shows nationwide
In 2009 the tour featured a very special pairing of two of New Zealand's greatest songwriting and performing talents - Greg Johnson and Boh Runga. The shows saw both of them on stage together for their whole set, performing their own and each other's songs - together.  Joining them we had Zed front man and solo hit-maker, Nathan King and we introduced you to a bright new talent in young Auckland singer/songwriter Lydia Cole. It was a magical event, as those who attended the shows will attest.

2010 Tour – twelve shows nationwide
Dave Dobbyn headlined last year’s tour. Dave needs little introduction to our audience. He is a songwriter/singer and guitarist of extraordinary talents and in the magnificent Church environment his voice shined bigger and brighter than ever before. Dave performed with percussionist Ross Burge and at times, members of Christchurch band Dukes who were also the opening act.