Conchords take flight with NZ tour

Flight Of The Conchords duo Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. Photo / Supplied

Musical comedy superstars Flight Of The Conchords are going back to their roots with a winter tour of New Zealand.

The gigs were revealed last night by film director Taika Waititi, a close friend of the hit duo, during a question-and-answer session with his fans on reditt.com.

Waititi, who also let slip he is to become a father for the first time, is in America promoting the US release of his movie Boy.

He said his Conchords mates Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement "are touring NZ/Aus in June/July".

The Herald on Sunday understands the duo will perform a string of dates at small venues.

"Promoters have been secretly working on the tour for months and there will be some interesting shows lined up," a tour insider said last night. "It's going to be one of the hottest tickets in years."

McKenzie, who returned to Wellington this week after winning an Oscar for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, hinted at the concert dates in American showbiz magazine Billboard last month.

"We haven't toured [in New Zealand] in years. Whereas we've been in America recently and I don't want to tour America until we've got some new material."

News of the live gigs sparked excitement among Kiwi music fans online. One Conchords fan replied: "A tour in NZ? Finally! I must start saving up to buy a ticket from a scalper on Trade Me after my internet craps out in the few minutes it'll take for them to sell out."

The duo haven't toured for three years but McKenzie also said the Australasian shows would give the pair a chance to finally get together and write some more material.

Clements had been busy filming a role as an alien biker baddie in the upcoming movie Men in Black III. The duo haven't toured for three years and McKenzie said the tour will let them get together and write new material.

The New Zealand tour dates will be announced at the end of this month.