Even though Banished Music and Strange News are smack bang in the thick of Strange Universe Autumn, it’s been so dang fun they’ve decided now is the perfect time to reveal their first plans for Strange Universe: Winter! Set to ramp up the stakes and take over all of June and a tiny little bit of the end of May*. This first line-up announcement has everything you could set your hearts on and more, and is happening across some of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most beloved venues.

Strange Universe: Winter features the most welcome return of retrofuturist pop heroes Stereolab, Welsh chanteuse and producer extraordinaire Cate Le Bon, and the Fragile World album release show from brooding babes The Veils, all taking the stage at the mighty Powerstation. Hollywood Avondale plays host to droll indie darlings Dry Cleaning, while Double Whammy sets the scene for Japan’s psychedelic legends Acid Mothers Temple and one of the great American singer-songwriters Cass McCombs and his band. Finally, we’re adding two new venues to our list this time around, with the bilingual bossa nova of Mei Semones at the Tuning Fork, and breathtaking Warp Records favourite Kelly Moran at the exquisite Kahui St David’s.

“Putting on shows is really easy, so we decided to do heaps of them all at once”
- Matthew Crawley, Executive Director - Strange News Touring

The combined daydream of promoter pals Banished Music and Strange News, Strange Universe is the show series banner designed to celebrate the city’s brilliant venues, and give us all a little something to look forward to. The full line-up for this wintry Auckland fun-fest is coming soon, and we’ve got news for our Wellington pals shortly, but this first drop should be enough to make you wish that mittens season would hurry up and get here. It’s going to be brrrr-illiant.

*Yes, we know May isn’t in winter, but what were we supposed to do, say no to Cass McCombs?

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