Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop is hitting the road for a 51-date international tour, marking the band’s first shows since the death of founding member Chris ‘Mu’ Faiumu earlier this year.
The tour would celebrate the 21st anniversary of their landmark debut album, Based on a True Story, which was independently released in 2005 and went on to become the country’s longest-charting album.
It spent 111 weeks in the Top 40 and won eight New Zealand Music Awards.
Lead singer Dallas Tamaira said the band was united in its decision to continue with the long-planned tour despite Mu’s death in July.
At the time, the band said it was a “seismic shift in our world” to lose their “talismanic founding member, production maestro, selector and brother”.
Chris Faiumu was known by his stage name DJ Fitchie or DJ Mu and was a revered member of Fat Freddy’s Drop. (Source: 1News)
“It’s important for us to honour the intentions we had with MU, and playing this album live is part of that,” he said.
Saxophonist Scott Towers said the success of the band’s first full length studio album was the “springboard for what has been an incredible journey together”.
“We want to pay tribute to the music, to MU and the band he established. And, of course, to play to our fans around the world who have supported us through everything.”
New Zealand fans will have six chances to catch the band live: two shows at Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre on May 1 and 2, two at Christchurch Town Hall on May 9 and 10, and two at Auckland Town Hall on May 15 and 16.
Ticket go on sale at 10am on October 28.
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including a swathe of weather warnings, thieves make off with France’s crown jewels, and a new police investigation into Prince Andrew. (Source: 1News)
