AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE

14 December 2005

Mission Bay bathed in golden sounds

Aucklanders can enjoy some great New Zealand music by the beach this summer with a new addition to Auckland City's free Music in Parks season, the Sounds of Summer @ Mission Bay series.

Two free concerts, featuring the best in pop and Latin music, will be held on the shores of Mission Bay at Selwyn Reserve.

The series kicks off on 7 January with the golden sounds of the hugely popular Goldenhorse, supported by the hi-energy Batucada Sound Machine.

Goldenhorse's first album, Riverhead, was nominated for three Tuis at the 2003 New Zealand Music Awards, including Best Album and Best Female Vocalist. It spent over 70 weeks on the local sales charts and sold in excess of 50,000 copies. The group recently released their much anticipated second album, Out Of The Moon.

Auckland-based musicians, Batucada Sound Machine headlined at the Sydney Festival in January 2005, playing to over 10,000 people each night in Darling Harbour. The 15-piece group boasts members from Chile, Brazil, the UK and NZ, and as the numbers suggest, the sound they create is truly massive. Featuring an all-star horn section, a 7-piece percussion line-up and more, Batucada Sound Machine deliver a mix of Latino groove, Brazilian beats and raw hip-hop.

The second Sounds of Summer @ Mission Bay concert on 4 March will feature the smooth Latin sounds of Kantuta, New Zealand's top Latin dance band which has achieved both Gold and Platinum records. Kantuta perform a unique style of modern Latino music which is inspired by the musical influences of the group's varied cultural background. The concert will also include DJ Loco, free salsa lessons and a dance show.

Be sure to bring your friends and family down to Selwyn Reserve this summer and enjoy these unique concerts, sponsored by The Promenade, Mission Bay.

Music in Parks concerts are produced by Auckland City, with support from Radioworks. They are just some of more than 60 free events provided by Auckland City as part of the Ak@Play summer events programme. Check out www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/mips for more details.

ENDS

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