Whanganui is the last stop on the Leave Love Out Of This tour. Photo / Kristy Pearson and Daniel Blackball Alexander
After two postponements, Whanganui musician Anthonie Tonnon's Leave Love Out Of This tour is back on.
It comes to the Royal Whanganui Opera House on May 21.
Tonnon and a full band will play in support of his album of the same name.
The title track was one of the top five finalists for the 2021 Apra Silver Scroll award.
Tonnon said it was a relief to finally be getting out on the road.
"Since the last rescheduling we've taken on a lighting engineer, and the show just keeps getting bigger and bigger in terms of what we are trying to achieve.
"It's a bit nerve-wracking. There's lots of practice to be done, but I think we are going to have a really special night."
The band features Stuart Harwood on electric/acoustic drums, David Flyger on bass guitar/synthesised bass, Brooke Singer (French for Rabbits) on synthesisers and samples, and Sam Taylor (Nadia Reid) on electric guitars and percussion.
One positive to come out of the date changes was getting better concert days, Tonnon said.
"You always want to play on Friday and Saturday everywhere but it was more Thursdays and Sundays in the first iteration of the tour.
"Now we've got Whanganui on a Saturday night and it's the final show of the tour. We're excited."
There were "new things brewing", Tonnon said.
Leave Love Out Of This was released in the middle of 2021.
"I tend to be a real project person, and I find it hard to move on before I've finished the thing I'm on.
"When the [Covid] red light happened in January I had an opportunity to spend a month writing in the mornings, working on new songs and collaborating with a friend.
"That was good, but once the shows get announced again I always have to turn things around again and focus on what's in front of me."
Tonnon will be joined in Whanganui by local act Castlecliff Lights.
"I always talk up the Opera House, and for good reason.
"We encourage people to wear masks and do whatever they want to do to feel comfortable. There are plenty of seats so it's easy to space out.
"We're grateful to be in a phase where we've got some certainty. We know we can do the shows. That's the biggest thing."
'We’ve got our enforcement teams and where we can, we’ll track them down.'