Kiwi Band White Chapel Jak Pays It Forward For Essential Workers

Free tickets ensure “Return of the Jak” tour is a true post-lockdown party

Crowd favourites White Chapel Jak are celebrating the return of live acts post-Covid lockdown, by giving away tickets to their Return to the Jak tour to essential workers.

The Kiwiana band that brings a fresh and funky approach to songs everyone knows and love, have announced 16 live shows in 11 cities and towns in New Zealand, from August 2020.

Renowned for delighting audiences with their high-spirited and interactive performances, the group is “fizzing with excitement” to unleash their pent-up musical energy and celebrate what New Zealand has achieved as a bubble of five million people.

“The Covid-19 lockdown period has been a tough time for all of Aotearoa, and for many the challenges are ongoing. White Chapel Jak wanted to express our aroha to the amazing essential services workers who kept working through lockdown and are doing the mahi in our ‘new normal’,” guitarist Nathan Boston says.

The quartet are encouraging people to nominate an essential worker to receive a free double pass on their Facebook page, with five pairs of tickets given away for each of their shows. Winners will be chosen at random and announced a week prior to each show.

Lead singer Bonnie Hurunui says giving back is important to the group: “We salute these beautiful people, and want to share some dance, laughter and love with them. We want to give them a hand, and give them a night to remember.”

Prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, the breakthrough band was on fire, selling out live shows around New Zealand for 18 months. White Chapel Jak played many popular festivals capturing the hearts of tens of thousands of Kiwis.

One of many recent highlights for the grassroots group was playing as the headline act for 15,000 people at the SeePort Festival on Auckland’s waterfront, accompanied by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, in January.

“And you may remember our live performance on Radio New Zealand as Battle of the Cover Bands winner in 2018. It was the most listened to podcast on RNZ for months after… just saying,” Bonnie quips.

“Playing live music and spreading joy were taken away at lockdown. Now, thankful and grateful like the rest of New Zealand, we’re back, and couldn’t be more excited and ready to raise the roof and celebrate... Celebrate life, celebrate what Kiwis have achieved and what it means to be ‘us’. Here’s to kindness and unity, here’s to us Nu Zuland!”

The Return of the Jak Tour starts with two back-to-back shows at the legendary Leigh Sawmill Café where it all began for the band six years ago. Then it’s a Kiwi road trip, with dates in Warkworth, Auckland, Napier, Mangawhai, Mt Maunganui, Coromandel, Rotorua, Whangarei, Gisborne and Wellington.

White Chapel Jak – Return of the Jak tour:

· LEIGH - Leigh Sawmill Café, August 14 & 15

· WARKWORTH – Warkworth Hall, September 5

· AUCKLAND – Galatos – Auckland City, September 12

· NAPIER – Crabb Farm Winery, September 19

· MANGAWHAI – Mangawhai Tavern, September 26

· Mt MAUNGANUI – Totara St, October 10

· AUCKLAND – Tuning Fork, October 17

· COROMANDEL – Coroglen Tavern, October 24

· ROTORUA – Blue Baths, October 31

· WHANGAREI – The Butter Factory, November 7

· NAPIER – The Cabana, November 13 & 14

· GISBORNE – Smash Palace, November 21

· AUCKLAND – Brownzy, November 28

· WELLINGTON – Upper Hutt Cossie Club, December 5

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