Dragon Celebrate 50 Years of ‘April Sun In Cuba’ with National Tour

Legendary rock band Dragon are returning to New Zealand in April 2027 for a special 15-date national tour celebrating 50 years of their iconic hit April Sun in Cuba a song that has soundtracked generations and remains one of the most instantly recognisable anthems in New Zealand music history.

Few songs can get a room rocking quite like April Sun in Cuba. Fifty years on, Dragon’s signature hit remains as infectious as ever. Released in October 1977 as the lead single from the band’s fourth studio album, Running Free, the song climbed to #9 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and #2 in Australia, launching Dragon into the mainstream on both sides of the Tasman. Since earning 5x Platinum certification in Aotearoa, April Sun in Cuba has become a fixture of radio, road trips, parties and live shows, its enduring appeal reflected in more than 80 million Spotify streams alone.

Now, half a century on, Dragon are celebrating the anniversary with audiences across Aotearoa, bringing their 50 Years of April Sun In Cuba New Zealand Tour to 15 towns and cities throughout April and May 2027.Tickets for all shows on sale 12pm Thursday 19 November via eccles.co.nz

Formed in Ponsonby, Auckland in 1972, Dragon went on to become one of the most successful rock bands to emerge from New Zealand, building a formidable reputation on both sides of the Tasman. Alongside April Sun in Cuba, their catalogue boasts an extraordinary run of enduring hits, including Rain, Still in Love with You and Young Years songs that have stood the test of time and continue to connect with audiences across generations.

Joining Dragon for all dates are Fur Patrol. From the moment their debut EP Starlifter landed in 1998 until their last studio album Local Kid arrived in 2008, Pōneke’s Fur Patrol built a legacy that endures. Their debut album Pet rode high on the New Zealand Albums Chart for an astonishing thirty weeks, with the breakthrough single Lydia peaking at number one on the singles chart. Their catalogue of three albums and two EPs, backed by hundreds of shows, has earned them a reputation as a formidable and unmissable live act. Anyone who has caught the band in recent years will attest that they have lost none of their potency, power, or energy.

DRAGON – 50 YEARS OF APRIL SUN IN CUBA 
NEW ZEALAND APRIL – MAY 2027 
With special guest Fur Patrol
Presented by Eccles Entertainment & The Sound

Tickets for all shows on sale 12pm Thursday 19 November via eccles.co.nz

14 April 2027 @ BNZ Theatre, Hamilton
15 April 2027 @ Lion Foundation Centre, Tauranga
16 April 2027 @ Opera House, Whanganui
17 April 2027 @ Town Hall, Wellington
18 April 2027 @ Wairarapa Event Centre, Carterton
20 April 2027 @ Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka
22 April 2027 @ Events Centre, Queenstown
23 April 2027 @ Civic Theatre, Invercargill
24 April 2027 @ Town Hall, Dunedin
25 April 2027 @ Town Hall, Christchurch
26 April 2027 @ Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
28 April 2027 @ Sir Howard Morrison Centre, Rotorua
29 April 2027 @ TSB Theatre, New Plymouth
30 April 2027 @ Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North 
1 May 2027 @ The Civic, Auckland