Audio Empire Announce 'Northern Lights' Summer Tour

2008 could not have gone better for Auckland-based Audio Empire. The group is riding high after recently opening Southern Amp's main stage, and receiving praise for their new single "Lights", which is currently featured on national radio and TV. Now after honing album material, and chucking in a few new creations, Audio Empire are ready to hit out on the road again for the Summer '09 'Northern Lights' North Island tour.
With shows in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Tauranga the AE juggernaut are close enough to a town near you so you certainly can't afford to miss them!

With "Lights" and previous singles "The Great Escape" and "Goodbye Las Vegas", rock radio has introduced the band to the masses, to a hugely positive response. Their debut album is a highly-charged, diverse and slick-sounding offering that has been well received and only scratches the surface of their breath-taking live show.

Produced by Paul Matthews (Blindspott, Five Star Fallout, Stylus, Tadpole), the album's nine tracks cover a spectrum of emotions and styles. From the furious pace of "The Great Escape" to the ballad of "Lost In You" and album-closer "Flying", the band constantly shifts gears whilst maintaining their unique sound. "They've got a great sound, I really wanted to work with them on this because I think they've got huge potential, both here and overseas," says Paul.

Combining elements of Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Breaking Benjamin, Incubus, Pearl Jam and various others, the sound is atypical of the standard New Zealand rock format. The end result is polished, professional and radio-friendly, with enough grit and integrity to keep heads bobbing and fists pumping.

The band will be touring with new high energy RockNRoll band Rata & Sons featuring Maia Rata, one of the most exciting, soulful voices in town.
A uniquely New Zealand kind of rock n roll, Rata & Sons tips its hat to any number of classic guitar bands. It also features a set of new songs with hooks to burn by Nick Sampson (Netherworld Dancing Toys
- For Today), Steve Simpson (Pash - Doo-wop) and Aaron Carson (Dead Flowers - Thorazine Shuffle - Larry Normans) and an explosive rhythm section from ex-Able Tasman Craig Mason who's never forgotten Keith Moon.

Also joining them for much of the tour will be Mercury Crowe.

Don't miss what promises to be the tour of the summer...

Jan 30th Rising Sun Auckland with Rata & Sons + Figurehead + Mercury Crowe
Jan 31st The Basement Bar New Plymouth with Rata & Sons + Mercury Crowe + The Catch + First Floor Riot

Feb 20th Crazy Jacks Tauranga with Rata & Sons + Mercury Crowe + 29 Blackbirds

Feb 21st Bar Mode Palmerston North with Rata & Sons + Mercury Crowe + DJ Haze

March 6th The Dogs Bollix Auckland with Rata & Sons + 29 Blackbirds

March 7 Garden Club Wellington with Rata & Sons + Mercury Crowe + Moonlight Flit