Pop superstar Ed Sheeran to perform Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch stadium concerts in January 2026
The Loop Tour, which also celebrates the singer's upcoming album Play, will touch down in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington in January next year before continuing on to Australia.
His
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Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival To Return In March 2026
Press Release – Duco Touring Duco Touring has today announced the date for New Zealand's biggest one-day music event Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival, returning in 2026! The festival will take place on Saturday 21 March, 2026 and will return to Auckland Domain. The 2025 event had record-breaking attendance, with the headline act SYNTHONY performing to an impressive sold-out crowd of 40,000. The $1.8 million dollar production featured 2000 working personnel plus 316 artists and performers. Following a successful double-header event this weekend at Spark Arena, with 10,000 Kiwi's attending Mānuka Phuel FULL METAL ORCHESTRA and SYNTHONY ORIGINS, Duco Touring are excited to continue to bring high-quality experiences to New Zealanders year-round. Duco Touring Founder David Higgins commented: 'After a massive turnout in 2025, and an incredible atmosphere across this weekend's events, we knew we had to bring SYNTHONY Festival back to the Domain. In 2026, we're planning to scale up every aspect, from the stage production to the artist line-up. SYNTHONY Festival will continue to be a destination event for fans nationwide.' Described as 'an enduring success' and 'enjoyable for everyone' (NZ Herald) and 'a magical farewell to summer' (RNZ) following Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival 2025, punters can expect the same unparalleled festival experience, local and international artists, world-class immersive visuals, and some of the biggest dance tracks of all time reimagined. 'Following the roaring success of last year, we're proud to once again come on board as the headline sponsor for Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival 2026,' said Alex McDonald, Co-Creator of Mānuka Phuel. 'Our partnership with SYNTHONY across multiple events in 2025 has proved to be the perfect collision of energy, sound, and culture — and embodies everything Mānuka Phuel stands for. We're proud to return in 2025 to phuel what we believe is one of the most powerful and unmissable live music experiences Auckland has to offer.' Tātaki Auckland Unlimited's CE Nick Hill says: 'We're proud to support the return of Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival in 2026. Last year's event was a phenomenal success, drawing a record-breaking crowd and creating an unforgettable experience in the heart of Auckland. It's exactly the kind of world-class, homegrown event that showcases our region's energy, creativity and love of music. We're thrilled to invest in its future on behalf of Auckland Council and can't wait to see it light up the Domain once again.' The first, stellar line-up will be revealed in early August. Presale registration is open now, with presale and general on-sale mid August.
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Mānuka Phuel Synthony Festival To Return In March 2026
Duco Touring has today announced the date for New Zealand's biggest one-day music event Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival, returning in 2026! The festival will take place on Saturday 21 March, 2026 and will return to Auckland Domain. The 2025 event had record-breaking attendance, with the headline act SYNTHONY performing to an impressive sold-out crowd of 40,000. The $1.8 million dollar production featured 2000 working personnel plus 316 artists and performers. Following a successful double-header event this weekend at Spark Arena, with 10,000 Kiwi's attending Mānuka Phuel FULL METAL ORCHESTRA and SYNTHONY ORIGINS, Duco Touring are excited to continue to bring high-quality experiences to New Zealanders year-round. Duco Touring Founder David Higgins commented: 'After a massive turnout in 2025, and an incredible atmosphere across this weekend's events, we knew we had to bring SYNTHONY Festival back to the Domain. In 2026, we're planning to scale up every aspect, from the stage production to the artist line-up. SYNTHONY Festival will continue to be a destination event for fans nationwide.' Described as 'an enduring success' and 'enjoyable for everyone' (NZ Herald) and 'a magical farewell to summer' (RNZ) following Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival 2025, punters can expect the same unparalleled festival experience, local and international artists, world-class immersive visuals, and some of the biggest dance tracks of all time reimagined. 'Following the roaring success of last year, we're proud to once again come on board as the headline sponsor for Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival 2026,' said Alex McDonald, Co-Creator of Mānuka Phuel. 'Our partnership with SYNTHONY across multiple events in 2025 has proved to be the perfect collision of energy, sound, and culture — and embodies everything Mānuka Phuel stands for. We're proud to return in 2025 to phuel what we believe is one of the most powerful and unmissable live music experiences Auckland has to offer.' Tātaki Auckland Unlimited's CE Nick Hill says: 'We're proud to support the return of Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival in 2026. Last year's event was a phenomenal success, drawing a record-breaking crowd and creating an unforgettable experience in the heart of Auckland. It's exactly the kind of world-class, homegrown event that showcases our region's energy, creativity and love of music. We're thrilled to invest in its future on behalf of Auckland Council and can't wait to see it light up the Domain once again.' The first, stellar line-up will be revealed in early August. Presale registration is open now, with presale and general on-sale mid August.
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Workmates: American Playboy, Narcos star Matt Whelan explores love and theatre in new NZ film
'I love the genre of romance and relationship dramas and exploring that,' the Go Girls alum admits. He says his latest movie, NZ International Film Festival entry Workmates, felt 'very real'. Matt Whelan and Sophie Henderson in Workmates, a love letter to Kiwi theatre and love itself. Directed by Curtis Vowell, Workmates draws on the real-life experiences Vowell and writer and star Sophie Henderson (Fantail) undertook as they found their feet in the wonderful world of theatre. Filmed at recognisable Auckland institutions like the Basement theatre and ASB Aotea Centre, and featuring an all-star Kiwi cast, Whelan says the movie shows an unseen side of the NZ theatre scene from those who know it best. Truthful, honest and messy are just some of the words he uses to describe the heart of the film. 'I think that's largely due to Sophie's real-life experience of running the Basement. She's had those experiences. 'I love theatre, and I love that we were able to create something as kind of like a little nod or a love letter to theatre and to the creative community.' Workmates explores the relationship between two people working in theatre, and the trials and tribulations of romance. Another big part of the project was trust, something Whelan says Vowell and Henderson had in bounds. There was a degree of improv involved, with the cast given freedom to work together to create something special from the script. 'There's that satisfaction of being able to really sit deeply in something, and just to be present and not be afraid of making dumb choices. It was malleable enough that we could take it to places and experiment,' Whelan says. It was also, in some sense, a full-circle moment for Whelan, who is once again stepping into the shoes of a romantic lead. It's been more than 10 years since rom-com drama Go Girls ended, an experience Whelan credits as a great 'learning ground' for his diverse career since. 'I think it was a big turning point in Kiwi television as well,' he says. 'It was a really fun show, and again, great cast and great people.' Kiwi actor Matt Whelan makes a star turn in season three of Narcos. Whelan has since made a name for himself on the world stage with his roles in American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story and Narcos, but reveals there isn't much difference between working on Kiwi projects and those in the US. 'It's not too dissimilar,' he says. 'The only thing that you notice is there's maybe some more lights around, or there's more crew, but as far as going into the shoot, it's a very similar thing.' A lot of that might have to do with his commitment to the work as an actor, fully engaging in the task at hand, no matter the circumstances. 'When the cameras are rolling, I'm only focused on the other person, you know, in the scene, or the other people on the scene. I'm just kind of there, present with them. In a way, kind of nothing else really matters.' Workmates was shot at theatres around Auckland, including the Aotea Centre and the Basement. For someone who's been in the game for as long as Whelan, it's no surprise he's learned a thing or two about the business and has some sage advice for young actors heading into the wild unknown world. 'It's not like something where you're in a corporate job, for example, and there's a ladder that you can climb. 'Sometimes the next job can feed into opportunities that can open up for you in the future, but nothing is guaranteed.' He says the key is putting yourself out there, and what better way to do that than in your local theatre scene. 'There will always be spaces for performers, so I would always encourage anybody who wants to pursue that to do it because there will always be a space for you to put something on and to create something.' But as with all professionals, making the most of your downtime is also crucial. Now based in Taranaki, Whelan isn't just stretching his acting muscles; he's also stretching his real ones after taking up weightlifting. 'I'm certainly not at an Olympic level, but it's lots of learning, like what a snatch and a clean and jerk are. I'm also a big board gamer.' Workmates will screen at the New Zealand International Film Festival 2025 on August 1 at the Civic in Auckland and will be released nationally on August 21. Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald's entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke's Bay Today.
