Promoters fuel Mission act rumours

With the website stating that the date announcement for the 2015 Mission Concert is "coming soon" members of the concert club have been asked to go in a poll to pick who they would most like to see at the event from a list of eight.

Which posed the question - was the 2015 artist part of the list and was it staged as an opportunity for the concert organisers to get a feel for the public response to who they may have signed up?

The wording for the poll suggested "help us pick the Mission Concert headline artist and you could win tickets!"

On the list are Billy Joel, Cher, Elton John, John Fogarty, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Shania Twain and Stevie Wonder.

When asked if the main contender for 2015 was on that list Sport and Entertainment Ltd director of operations Garry Craft paused and simply said "maybe".

He said SEL tended to work as far in advance as they could, and getting a feel for who the public would like to see this year and the next year was important.

"To get a feel for what people are thinking," he said. "We know who is out there and available."

The line-up has been put together as part of a competition for concert club members with each asked to nominate their first and second choices from the list.

All who take part in the poll by Friday go into a draw to win one of four double platinum ticket packages, worth $772 each.

With the date announcement "not too far away" the artist announcement would shortly follow, and Mr Craft went back to the eight names on the "who would you like to see" online page.

"Let's just say there are some strong possibilities there."

However, rumours had also been circulating that Ringo Starr may be on the Mission cards.

With his All-Starr Band, the former Beatle played a concert in Auckland in February 2013 and is still heavily involved in performing.

He is on a US tour until the end of October.

Online comments from people have also touched on a duo act of country stars Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers and ex-Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler.