Announcing Blues for Christchurch!

Media Release from SKYCITY Queenstown Casino
11 April 2011

Announcing Blues for Christchurch!

Brought to you by SKYCITY Queenstown Casino in conjunction with Richard Stringer and The House of Music.

Easter Sunday 24th April.

SKYCITY Queenstown Casino is proud to be hosting an inaugural Easter Blues event on Sunday 24th April from 7pm.

Blues fans are in for a real treat with two great acts rocking the night away!

From Auckland, feature act Billy TK Jnr and band will blow you away with their internationally acclaimed music. They will be ably supported by hot new local Blues Band ‘The Big Sky Band’ fronted by local musician Ramblin’ Richard Stringer and featuring a great line up of local talent.

This year all ticket sales will go to New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake appeal and SKYCITY Entertainment Group has generously offered to match all funds raised on the night.

Executive Manager of SKYCITY Queenstown Casino, Michelle Baillie said that the event fits perfectly with both the strong entertainment brand and community focus of SKYCITY.

“We are proud to be hosting this event and are lucky to have such talented blues musicians on board. It will be a great show and is a fantastic opportunity to raise further funds for the courageous people of Christchurch,” she said

International Kiwi guitar sensation Billy TK Jnr is on a roll - he has just co-headlined the Samoa 2010 International Jazz & Blues Festival with Ian Moss and the week before performed at the Sydney Blues Festival with Kevin Borich. “I closed the Sydney festival on the main stage which is awesome for a little Kiwi fella like me,” he laughed during a recent interview.

Over two decades, Billy has toured widely in the USA, Australia (including highly acclaimed performances at the Sydney and Narooma Blues Festivals), New Zealand and the South Pacific.

When supporting Jimmy Barnes at the 2009 'A Day on the Green concert series', Billy was invited to play lead guitar with Barnesy as special guest on two songs. Between recording critically acclaimed albums, he’s toured with George Thorogood, the Neville Brothers, Junior Wells, Mississippi Willie Foster and Joe Satriani.

He is currently on tour with 'Holden Driving Towards A Future' road safety campaign and preparing for the 'Fiji 2011 International Jazz and Blues Festival' in May.

He comments: “Playing a fundraiser in Queenstown for Christchurch is the least I can do to show that we care and are wanting to help raise money for families suffering from this tragedy.”

Richard Stringer is known by many locals with his popular band Groova. Now it’s time to see him return to the music he loves (and the old Blues alias of Ramblin’ Rick) with his new band ‘The Big Sky Band’.

Richard comments; “I have long wanted to bring a Blues/Roots music event to Queenstown at Easter. I’m a fan of Billy TK Jnr having seen him perform many times and if you haven’t had this privilege you are in for a real treat! This will be a night to let the hair down and get your mojo working! It’s also an opportunity to put together a fundraiser for Christchurch playing and promoting the music I love. I’d like to thank our host and main sponsor SKYCITY Queenstown Casino, as well as supporting sponsors Just Dig It, Cookie Time, AWS legal, Mediaworks, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, It Might Get Loud, Roost Mortgages, Team Stringer Harcourts, and Air New Zealand for helping make this happen.”

Blues fans and lovers of good live music – don’t miss this chance for a great night out supporting New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake appeal. Tickets are on sale from Wednesday 13 April for only $25 from the cashier’s desk at SKYCITY Queenstown Casino. Limited corporate tables are also available. Avoid disappointment and get your tickets now!

Note: SKYCITY Queenstown Casino is a R20 venue.

ENDS

© Scoop Media