Tami Neilson announces tour with original mod girl Dinah Lee
Tuesday 18 July 2023
Iconic music star Tami Neilson is joining forces with one of New Zealand’s most celebrated artists of the 60's, Dinah Lee, for a four-city tour this October.
Tami Neilson’s Rock’n’Roll Revue featuring the NZ Music Hall of Famer together with the Hot Rockin Band of Rhythm and a star-studded girl group The Up Doos, will perform as part of the Taranaki Reimagine Arts Festival before moving to Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.
The tour represents a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to see the original and the latest Mod Girls together on one stage in New Plymouth, the St James Theatre in Wellington, the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch and The Civic in Auckland from 5-13 October.
Pre-sales for Tami Neilson’s Rock’n’Roll Revuestart today and all remaining seats go on sale this Friday, 21 July at 9am via Ticketek and Ticketmaster. Tickets prices start at $89.
From her tour bus somewhere in the US, Tami can barely contain her excitement of linking up with the legendary artist who bought the world hits including Do The Blue Beat, Don't You Know Yockomo and Reet Petite.
“I’ve been dreaming of singing with with Dinah FOREVER, I’m such a fan,” says Tami.
For multi-award winning artist Tami, the October tour brings her home to New Zealand after months on the road in the States, performing at illustrious outdoor festivals and legendary venues including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium with Crowded House.
This follows the extraordinary 2022 release of Kingmaker which included the single Beyond the Stars, a duet with country music legend Willie Nelson.
The album went on to debut at #1 on the New Zealand charts in July, which was followed by a sold-out concert with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the Aotea Centre, and a national tour with Chamber Music New Zealand, during which she performed Beyond The Stars with Bret McKenzie in Wellington.
Her songs have also been used in the TV series Wanted, Nashville, and The Sounds and she, herself, has appeared on The Brokenwood Mysteries performing Ten Tonne Truck on the episode Good as Gold.
Dinah Lee became a household name in the 60s with her hit songs Do The Blue Beat, Don’t You Know Yockomo and Reet Petite, achieving No.1 status in New Zealand and Australia and earning her the title of Entertainer of The Year.
She set fashion trends in the 60s and 70s and captured the eye of American television producers, appearing on the pop show Shindig twice. Her performance so impressed Glen Campbell that he requested they perform a duet together on the show.
The Australian Government honoured Dinah with The Logistics and Support Medal while in New Zealand, she was presented with the New Zealand Operational Service Medal and the General Service Medal (Warlike), for her service in Vietnam with tours in 1966, 1967 and 1972 entertaining the ANZACs during the Vietnam War.
Since the 60s she has toured throughout New Zealand and Australia, Mexico to Los Angeles and the United Kingdom. She was one of the headline performers on the hugely successful Long Way to The Top national arena tours in 2002 and 2012 achieving an ARIA Award
In 2020 she was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame with it being noted on the night “Dinah Lee is a Living Legend in New Zealand Music”.
Dinah Lee is without doubt the most successful and prominent Australasian female pop star from the Sixties … and as such, remains a true icon, holding an honoured place as a pioneer in the world among female performers.
The Up-Doos
Aria Jones, Esther Stephens and Liv Tennet are The Up-Doos. This dynamic vocal trio pay tribute to the songs of iconic 60s girl groups, covering hits by The Shangri-Las, The Ronettes, The Shirelles and more.
These performers share a wealth of singing, acting and dance experience.
Liv Tennet’s acting credits include TV drama 800 Words and choreographic work for Shortland St The Musical (ATC) and Power Rangers.
Esther Stephens is best known from TV3 drama Westside and Kate Sheppard musical That Bloody Woman, and Aria Jones has performed in the New Zealand Opera Chorus and is a busy session vocalist.
With big hair and bigger harmonies, The Up-Doos breathe new life into vintage classics, entertaining sell-out crowds around Auckland with their repertoire of sugar-sweet love songs, odes to beautiful bad boys, and teenage heartbreak ballads.