‘Best yet’: South Island music festival Selwyn Sounds announces line-up

Ardijah are among the headline acts for summer's concert series.

Sounds Series is announcing its “best line-up yet”, with Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD), Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Jon Stevens, Diesel, Ardijah and Castaway all confirmed to perform in summer.

The artists dominated New Zealand’s charts in the 1980s, racking up 23 Top 20 hits between them.

Selwyn Sounds will be held in Lincoln Domain, Christchurch, on March 1, while Auckland Sounds will be held on February 27 and Hutt Sounds on March 2.

Selwyn Sounds' 2025 line-up is the "best yet". Photo / Supplied

British electronic synth pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) haven’t performed in New Zealand in nearly 40 years.

“We are so excited to be able to say that we are going to play live again in New Zealand. We cannot wait! As it’s been such a long time we will be playing every single one of our hits,” OMD’s Andy McCluskey said.

OMD have sold more than 40 million albums and recorded some of the most iconic songs of the 80s.

Tom Bailey will be singing all Thompson Twins songs Kiwis love to sing along to.

It has been a long-awaited return since the Thompson Twins’ Western Springs Stadium concert in 1986.

“I’m so very happy to be playing the Thompson Twins’ hits again in Aotearoa New Zealand, the place which has become my home,” Bailey said.

Jon Stevens fans can expect songs like Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Never Tear Us Apart, Devil Inside and many more, as well as Noiseworks smash hits like Take Me Back, Touch, No Lies and Hot Chilli Woman.

Jon Stevens fronted Oz rockers Noiseworks throughout their hit-packed career. He became the new lead singer for the legendary INXS as they transformed into the new millennium.

Australia-based Kiwi rocker Jon Stevens. Photo / Supplied

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, the youngest of seven, Mark Lizotte aka Diesel grew up in Australia and the US.

Diesel has a string of hits in New Zealand, including Tip Of My Tongue, Come To Me, and Don’t Need Love.

South Auckland “legends” Ardijah — creators of their own genre, Polyfonk — are also making an appearance.

Ryan Monga grew up in Ōtara, Auckland, with a melting pot of Pacific peoples. He was exposed to a rich blend of both traditional Cook Islands/Tahitian music and the sounds of international funk bands.

Ardijah created their own genre, Polyfonk.

Meanwhile, Betty-Anne’s musical influences consisted of great jazz/blues singers Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Australia’s Renee Geyer.

Ryan and Betty-Anne Monga will be accompanied by their band to play songs like Watching U, Time Makes A Wine, Give Me Your Number, Do To You and more.

Finally, concertgoers can look forward to Christchurch-based band Castaway.

Castaway met in their first year at university, as fate brought the five boys from all across the country to the same hall of residence.

Years later, the band “lives and breathes music” from their flat in Christchurch. When they aren’t chasing each other up for not unloading the dishwasher or sharing a meal at the dinner table, they are hard at work on their sophomore EP.

A fusion of pop and rock, they’ll bring high energy to the festival.

Registrations are now open for early bird tickets.