'Spirit messenger' plans big Bay gig

Not content with packing out Master Bowl at his first live show and raising a significant amount of money for the Cancer Society, Craig Wright is taking it up a notch.

Mr Wright, who identifies as a "spirit messenger", will be heading to his home town of Hastings next month for a live show at the Hawke's Bay Opera House.

The Masterton resident, who says he is able to communicate with the dead and pass on messages to their living relatives, will be performing at the Opera House's ballroom, which seats 350 people.

Mr Wright, who has been organising the gig in partnership with the Cancer Society, said he is excited to do a bigger-scale show - but is nervous all the same.

"It's a huge venue - so my nerves will definitely be building up," he said. "I was nervous at my last gig, and really drained, but it was still successful.

"The show got a really good response."

Mr Wright, who raised close to $700 for the Cancer Society at his Master Bowl show, said he was "flooded" by requests for readings afterwards - especially when he went home to Hawke's Bay afterwards.

"Lots of people asked me to do a show in Hawke's Bay. I've had people approach me in Masterton as well."

Since his show, Mr Wright has also courted additional media attention, being interviewed by Hawke's Bay Today and the Napier Courier, featuring in a photography exhibition by local photographer Averil Mucalo, and will be appearing on Arrow FM's Like Minds, Like Mine show on Monday.

He has also been approached for an interview by Cheeky Angels, a global online publication specialising in alternative spiritualities. "I think they wanted to do quite a full-on article," he said.

"Since the show, it's all been word of mouth. The article in the Times-Age and doing the show here in Masterton definitely helped."

In the meantime, Mr Wright is keeping himself busy with his new Facebook page, which now has over 400 members, and doing readings through the Australian spiritualist community he belongs to.

"I was recently able to help a family in Australia who lost a loved one find peace finally after 26 years," he said. "That was amazing." He hopes to eventually do shows in Australia, but is planning a show in Wellington first.

Mr Wright's Hawke's Bay show will be held on Thursday August 15. More details are available on www.ticketek.co.nz.