Tantalising Mission talk

While an announcement date has not been settled, the movers and shakers behind the Mission Concert have their sights set on a major target to head the 2015 event.

Sport and Entertainment's Garry Craft said a fortnight ago he was still "waiting on some leads" and that nothing firm had been finalised.

Mr Craft also said the promoters were talking with a couple of "interesting" acts.

Yesterday, he said the wheels were definitely turning, or as he put it, "there is certainly movement at the station and I am on the trail of a very hot artist".

He would not be drawn on who that hot artist was, and whether it was an individual or a band. There had been some speculation that the 2015 Mission Concert could feature on a tour by Paul Simon and Sting (who appeared at the Mission in 2011) but that appears to be all it is - speculation.

The dates do not fit the usual schedule, and part of the Mission policy is that the star act makes only one North Island appearance - at the Mission.

Simon and Sting are set to play in Auckland before embarking on a tour which wraps up on February 14. Last year's Mission Concert took place on February 15. There had also been speculation that Dolly Parton may step on to the Greenmeadows stage.

While the artist announcement may be some time off the planned 2015 date may not be far away, with the Mission website declaring "date announcement - coming soon".