The Summer Concert Series announces that, for the very first time in NZ, iconic singer Pat Benatar and guitarist Neil Giraldo, giants of rock n roll Bachman & Turner and classic rock favourites America are coming to Taupo, Matakana and Queenstown in February 2013.
Promoters Greenstone Entertainment and Taupo Summer Concert Ltd are proud to be following the success of their 2012 Summer Concert Series - headlined previously by Doobie Brothers and Little River Band - with such a legendary line-up of artists. “Collectively these three bands have had 18 chart and 21 album hits in NZ alone, and this will be the first NZ show for both Benatar / Giraldo and Bachman & Turner so fans will be excited to finally have the opportunity to see these acts, along with America, live in concert… and performing in such beautiful and scenic outdoor locations.” said CEO Amanda Calvert.
Four time Grammy winner Pat Benatar and hard charging guitarist / producer Neil Giraldo are behind 10 platinum selling albums, 19 Top 40 singles and some of the most memorable hits of the 80’s era such as Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Love Is A Battlefield, Heartbreaker, We Belong, Fire & Ice, We Live For Love, You Better Run and Invincible.
Benatar and Giraldo have been making music together for 34 years and were married in 1982. Besides composing and producing Benatar's albums, Giraldo's impressive back catalogue includes many hits he helped create for John Waite, Rick Springfield (#1 classic, Grammy winning Jessie’s Girl and the Top Ten hit I’ve Done Everything For You), Kenny Loggins (Top Twenty hit Don’t Fight It), Steve Forbert, The Del-Lords, Beth Hart and countless others. The pair said "We've been to Australia several times and have looked across the Tasman Sea longingly at NZ. We are so excited to finally visit your beautiful island country!"
Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s (BTO) Randy Bachman and Fred Turner and their band - musicians Brent Howard, Marc LaFrance and Mick Dalla-Vee - will be ‘Taking Care of Business’ while in NZ by performing their vast catalogue hits along with a sprinkling of new tracks.
Randy Bachman earned his first colossal success with Winnipeg rock band The Guess Who when their hit American Woman shot to the #1 spot on the Billboard charts, a first for any Canadian act! With Fred Turner, the duo became part of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and gained global success selling in excess of 30 million records, earning a staggering 120 platinum, gold and silver discs, and notching up hits in more than 20 countries. BTO reached #1 on Billboard's singles chart (You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet) and album chart (Not Fragile), as well as scoring another handful of hits with tracks like Taking Care of Business, Hey You, My Wheels Won't Turn, Roll on Down the Highway and Looking Out for #1.
After going their separate ways for a period, Bachman & Turner’s joined forces again in June 2010.
Their message for fans is clearly, ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet’! America formed 42 years ago when Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate Dan Peek who passed away in 2011) met at a London high school and harmonized their way to the top of the charts with their signature song A Horse with No Name.
America quickly became a global household name with an impressive string of hits such as You Can Do Magic, I Need You, Ventura Highway, Don't Cross the River, Three Roses, Tin Man, Lonely People and Sister Golden Hair.
With six gold and/or platinum albums to their name, a Grammy and over four million albums sales, America’s extraordinary musical legacy is consummately crafted pop/rock songs, trademark lush harmonies and evocative lyrical landscapes.
