Kiwi rock legends Th’ Dudes will reunite for a tour in April, performing five dates across the country. The news comes just days ahead of the band being inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Photo: Murray Cammick
Th’ Bliss Tour is the first chance to see Th’ Dudes live in concert in 13 years.
Original Dudes members Dave Dobbyn, Peter Urlich, Lez White and Bruce Hambling will tour for the first time without the late Ian Morris. They’ll instead be joined by Ian’s brother Rikki Morris, who was the band’s original sound engineer.
“It's not every day you get asked to perform with your favourite band,” Rikki says, “Ian can never be replaced, but I believe Th’ Dudes' legacy and the songs they wrote deserve to be celebrated in a live setting.”
Bassist Lez, who’s based in Australia says it's always a treat to come back home to New Zealand.
“After each Dudes outing it's always felt like unfinished business, so I'm really looking forward to treading the boards and pouting into the spotlight one last time."
Originally formed as a high school band Krispie in 1975 and disbanding in 1980, Th’ Dudes had a massive impact on the New Zealand music scene, with hits including ‘Be Mine Tonight’, ‘Bliss’, ‘That Look In Your Eye’, ‘Right First Time’ and ‘Walking in Light’.
They won Top Group and Single of the Year for ‘Be Mine Tonight’ at the 1979 New Zealand Music Awards, but stopped playing live in 1980, ahead of the release of their second album Where Are The Boys.
Since then, Th’ Dudes reunited just once, for a tour in 2006. Eleven shows were expanded to 17 due to incredible demand, and a handful more shows were added in the summer of 2007.
Tickets go on sale at midday on Monday, November 18.
Th’ Dudes, Th’ Bliss Tour
- 9 April, Claudelands Arena, Hamilton - Ticketek
- 11 April, TSB Arena, Wellington - Ticketmaster
- 16 April, Town Hall, Christchurch - Ticketek
- 17 April, Town Hall, Dunedin - Ticketmaster
- 24 April, Town Hall, Auckland - Ticketmaster
