Overview
UPDATE, September 27, 2023: Nile Rodgers & Chic have now added a Melbourne headlining show on Sunday, October 29 at the Forum, with tickets on sale at 11am on Thursday, September 28. This article has been updated to reflect that change.
Good times are coming to Australia and New Zealand in October, and disco-soul hit 'Good Times', too. After already locking in spots at 2023's Harvest Rock in Adelaide and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Nile Rodgers & Chic have announced their own headline tour. Ah, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle and Auckland, get ready to freak out.
The disco greats will hit up all five cities with their own shows, on top of their already-announced festival dates. Fans in Adelaide, you'll need to make a plans to see Rodgers and his band in a fest environment, because they're not doing solo gigs in SA.
Alex Marshall via Wikimedia Commons
"The pandemic had kept us away from our fans in Australia and New Zealand for too long but now we are coming back to kick off the summer with good times!" said Rodgers, announcing the tour.
Not only 'Good Times' but also 'Le Freak' is certain to get a whirl when the one and only Rodgers takes to the stage with the group that he co-founded more than five decades ago. Also on their recent setlists: Chic tracks 'Everybody Dance', 'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' and 'I Want Your Love'.
Mention Chic and Rodgers instantly springs to mind; however, as a guitarist, the latter is in a league of his own. You'll also know his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. And as a writer and producer, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'.
Accordingly, Nile Rodgers & Chic gigs are known to bust out tracks from across Rodgers' career beyond Chic. Cue 'Get Lucky' and its earworm of a guitar riff, both 'Let's Dance' and the always-delightful 'Modern Love' by Bowie, and also a Madonna double of 'Like a Virgin' and 'Material Girl'.
Because Rodgers and late, great fellow Chic member Bernard Edwards were involved in writing, composing and/or producing them, Diana Ross' 'I'm Coming Out' and 'Upside Down' also get a spin, plus Sister Sledge's 'He's the Greatest Dancer' and 'We Are Family'.
NILE RODGERS & CHIC AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2023:
Wednesday, October 18 — Civic Theatre, Auckland
Friday, October 20 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
Saturday, October 21 — Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Melbourne
Monday, October 23–Wednesday, October 25 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Friday, October 27 — Fremantle Prison, Fremantle
Saturday, October 28 — Harvest Rock, Adelaide
Sunday, October 29 — Forum, Melbourne
Nile Rodgers & Chic are touring Australia and New Zealand in October 2023, with pre-sale tickets to their headline shows on sale from 10am local time on Wednesday, September 6 — and general sales from 11am local time on Thursday, September 7. Head to the tour website for further details.