KEY POINTS:
He's so beautiful and he's coming back to New Zealand. Yes, mums, lock up your daughters; and daughters, keep an eye on your mums, because James Blunt plays two shows in New Zealand during April.
Blunt played a series of sold-out shows in New Zealand and Australia in 2006 following the release of his debut album Back To Bedlam, featuring the song You're Beautiful. That wee ditty was so popular that after a while some radio stations banned it from being play-listed because people were sick of hearing it.
This time Blunty is touring in support of his second album, All the Lost Souls, and plays Wellington's TSB Band Arena on April 29 and Auckland's Vector Arena on April 30.
Meanwhile, Crowded House are taking a weekend break from the studio - hint, hint - this month to play three shows at the Leigh Sawmill on February 22, 23, and 24. Tickets go on sale this Monday from Ticketek.
Canadian singer/songwriter k.d. lang, who releases her new album Watershed next week also returns to New Zealand to play Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre on May 5 and on May 6 at the Aotea Centre in Auckland.
And the original Queen of Rock, Suzi Quatro, comes "stumblin in" to New Zealand for two shows at the Aotea Centre, Auckland April 7 and Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre April 9.
On a more spacy note, British experimental musician Sonic Boom (real name Peter Kember) hooks up with Dimmer for a series of dates, including March 28 at the Kings Arms and March 30 at the Leigh Sawmill.
Kember formed rock 'n' roll space cadets Spaceman 3 in the early 80s with Jason Pierce and when the band split up in the early 90s Kember started recording as Spectrum (the moniker he will perform under in New Zealand) and Pierce went on to form Spiritualized. Get ready for a wicked trip.
And lastly, flowery progressive New York metallers Coheed and Cambria play the Powerstation on March 29 in support of their new album, No World For Tomorrow.
