A Specials treat for NZ

The Specials are heading to New Zealand. Photo / Supplied by Frontier Touring

Auckland won't be a Ghost Town this August, when British ska revivalists The Specials come to town, playing their first New Zealand concert in 30 years. The 30th Anniversary Tour will see the band's original lineup take the Logan Campbell Centre stage on Saturday, August 1 - including Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Neville Staple, Sir Horace Gentlemen, Roddy Radiation and John Bradbury. Founding member Jerry Dammers will not be joining his former bandmates for the tour, as he says he was forced out of the band.

One of the most acclaimed bands of the 70s, The Specials brought ska to a new generation of listeners with their hit singles Gangsters, A Message To You Rudy and Ghost Town.

Tickets on sale next Tuesday, June 9, at 9am.

Meanwhile, AC/DC fans desperate to know what dirty deeds they will have to get up to secure tickets for one of next year's two New Zealand shows by the Australian heavy rockers will have to wait until sometime in July. That's when tickets are likely to go on sale for the band's Black Ice tour which will be the first time they've played in New Zealand since 1996.

The outdoor venues for the shows will also be announced when tickets go on sale. One thing's for sure, they'd better find somewhere big because the stage production alone is transported by 48 semi-trailer trucks and there will be thousands of devout fans ready for a good time.