Stan Walker Celebrates 17 Years of Music with Sold-Out Symphonic Show

On Saturday night, 5,000 people packed Trust Arena in Tāmaki Makaurau and, for two and a half hours, sang, cried, laughed and danced as Stan Walker: A Symphonic Experience opened to a sold-out crowd.

Backed by a 36-piece orchestra, his full band and six powerhouse vocalists – Junior Soqueta, Elijah Tuala, Nate Dousand, Ngawai Campbell, Lavina Williams and Vince Harder – Walker’s first headline show this decade was well worth the wait.

Walker took the audience on an emotional journey over 43 songs, with the night moving from heartfelt tributes to his wife, mum and tamariki, to surprise appearances from Kings, Hamo Dell and Parson James, and the first performance of an upcoming collaboration with Te Wehi.

Whether on stage or in the crowd himself, Walker connected with everyone in the room, and opened by sharing how important the night was for him.

“This is the most nervous I have ever been for anything,” he said on stage.

His te reo Māori hits, including ‘Māori ki te Ao’, had the whole arena singing, inspired by his kōrero on the strength of the next generation and pride in his own tamariki.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who came to the show,” says Walker. “I wanted to show my tamariki all the cool things I’ve been lucky enough to do, from Idol to Mt. Zion. This next generation is so strong, and I want them, and all of us, to know we can be proud of who we are, proud of our identity and proud of our culture.”

That next generation took the stage when students from Flat Bush Primary School, winners of his Family Tree competition, joined Walker to sing a waiata from the Disney live-action Moana.

Stan Walker: A Symphonic Experience now heads south for two final shows:

Ōtautahi Christchurch: Saturday 7 November, Wolfbrook Arena

Pōneke Wellington: Friday 20 November, TSB Arena

Tickets are available at www.fabriknz.co.nz

Photo Credit: Mataara Stokes