| Date | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 04 Aug, 2003 | St James Theatre, Auckland | |
| Tue 05 Aug, 2003 | Starlight Ballroom, Wellington | |
| Thu 07 Aug, 2003 | Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide | |
| Fri 08 Aug, 2003 | Festival Hall, Melbourne | |
| Sat 09 Aug, 2003 | Festival Hall, Brisbane | |
| Sun 10 Aug, 2003 | Hordern Pavilion, Sydney | |
| Tue 12 Aug, 2003 | Arena Joonadalup, Perth |
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Michael Franti & Spearhead - Everyone Deserves Music Tour
TOUR DATES & TICKETINGarrow
"In a pop world dominated by pipe-cleaner bimbos and testosterone-addled rock idiots, every now and then an act of class and substance creeps underneath the wire." Enough Rope With Andrew Denton
At a time thick with political tensions it seems somewhat appropriate that an artist who has made political messages his mainstay should visit our shores this August in his first major venue tour of our capital cities.
Dubbed the "gentle giant" by Australian and International media Michael Franti has hovered beneath the mainstream consciousness for almost a decade, yet his past two national tours to Australia were sell out successes.
Always outspoken about his political and social beliefs, Franti and Spearhead have recently joined a list of artists in America dubbed "anti-American" as a result of their stance against war.
It is interesting then, that in Australia, where politics and war have been recent headliners and associations with America at their most prevalent, Franti and Spearhead are riding their highest wave of popularity ever. On the eve of the release of their latest album Everyone Deserves Music, and with confirmation of their upcoming Australia-New Zealand tour, Michael Franti and Spearhead are poised to win an even greater following across Australasia.
Michael Franti and Spearhead's music is a delicious blend of rap, soul, reggae, R&B, funk, jazz and latin. Add to this, powerful lyrics with a challenging message and an overwhelming charisma from the leading man and it is possible to see why Michael Franti and Spearhead are converting mainstream music followers to their style of music. As Franti put it in an interview with Popmatters "I feel it is my responsibility, my goal, to try to make difficult messages easy to understand and that's what my craft is. I don't know if music can change the world overnight but it can help us make it through a difficult night and sometimes that's all we need, just to make it into tomorrow."
Everyone Deserves Music, released in Australia on May 26 and New Zealand on June 6, is a fantastic hybrid of influences, with two particular highlights Pray For Grace and Bomb The Word (Armageddon Version) pairing Franti with industry icons Sly and Robbie (Grace Jones,, Rolling Stones, Black Uhuru, No Doubt). Other singles show a Franti that is funkier than ever. Unquestionably this is the definitive album in Franti and Spearhead's career.
For those fortunate enough to have secured a ticket to their past live shows, the power of Franti's personality remains foremost in the mind. Franti exudes a presence that is difficult to resist. In many ways his shows are almost a religious experience for his audiences - such is the strength of Franti's personality, the message he conveys and the music he performs. Attendees are spellbound by the performance, oblivious to everything but the music until the last note has died in the air around them. Past tours to Australia and New Zealand have seen audiences line up for up to an hour after the shows to share a moment with Michael Franti - to receive a hug and a word from him - a tradition that he repeated show after show, night after night.
Joining the tour lineup will be special guests Zephyr Timbre. Already a firm favourite in their home state of Queensland, Zephyr Timbre are fast attracting the attentions of a broader national market.
Without doubt Michael Franti and Spearhead are a band set to revolutionize the music scene of Australia and New Zealand. As a live act they are an experience that won't be forgotten. Make sure you secure your tickets early as the numbers converting to Franti and Spearhead are escalating by the day.