Announcing Amplify Aotearoa

Amplify Aotearoa hits the stage on August 22, 2026, at Clarence Street Theatre in Hamilton, bringing together some of Aotearoa’s most respected musicians with local rangatahi in a one-of-a-kind concert and recording project.

The event pairs well-known New Zealand artists with emerging young musicians to reimagine classic songs, perform them live, and record the music for a vinyl release – uniting legends with the next generation in a shared creative space.

Artists confirmed include:

– Jason Kerrison (OpShop)
– Harry Harallambi (The Exponents)
– Andrew McLennan (Coconut Rough, The Swingers)
– Nathan King (Zed)
– Jesse O’Brien (Grace Falls)
– Emlyn Crowther & Mike Chunn (Split Enz)
– Don McGlashan (The Mutton Birds)

With more artists to be announced.

Amplify Aotearoa follows on from the 2025 project Mental Notes – a Split Enz tribute that paired young people with established artists and showed the impact of giving rangatahi real-world creative opportunities.

Beyond the stage, the project will culminate in a pressed vinyl record, capturing these intergenerational collaborations and preserving them as taonga.

The album artwork itself is a rare collaboration between three New Zealand icons: Dick Frizzell, Otis Frizzell, and Chris Knox – legendary musician and visual artists.

Reflecting on why he became involved, Dick Frizzell said:

“I fell into the project because it seemed such an outrageous and incredibly enterprising thing to do: tricking famous people into going along with your mad ideas.

I’m not sure; I think it’s something about the tone of these requests – and I get a lot of them – that either turns me off, or draws me in.

And something about the depth and breadth of Lachie’s daring just drew me in.

That, and his reckless disregard for polite protocols.

The world needs more Lachies!”

Harry Harallambi (The Exponents) shared:

“After being in music for a long time, it’s easy to forget how distant the idea of making a record can feel when you’re young. This project is about bringing that dream closer.

Working alongside rangatahi in a real recording environment gives them a genuine taste of what’s possible – not in theory, but in practice.

Even if they don’t all go on to become musicians, they leave knowing their creativity has value. That stays with you.”

The concert will showcase classic New Zealand songs – reimagined and performed by the next generation alongside the artists who shaped Aotearoa’s musical legacy.”

About the artwork:

The painting is by Chris Knox – one of Aotearoa’s most iconic musicians. He had a stroke in 2009 and no longer performs, but he continues to paint and create. Alongside Dick Frizzell and his son Otis (who also contributed the title and text, Bridge), it feels incredibly special to have Chris involved in this project.

Having a legend like Chris involved – alongside so many other incredible New Zealand artists – means a huge amount to everyone involved.