11 September 2006
By TOM CARDY

Wellington may be in for a visit from three big Ps of popular music this summer – Prince, former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and Dolly Parton.


None of the three has yet announced a world tour. But music industry sources say there is a strong chance the three will include New Zealand in any tour plans and that Wellington would be considered in their itineraries.

Other strongly rumoured acts include the Who for the Big Day Out in Auckland and New Plymouth next January. The Taranaki Arts Festival Trust said last month it was pursuing the Who for the TSB Bowl of Brooklands.

Australian newspaper The Sun Herald reported last month that Prince may play Australia this summer. Speculation of Prince playing in Wellington surfaced 16 months ago. Wellington events manager Phil Sprey, who brought the Moody Blues to New Zealand last year, said he had been in negotiations with Prince's management early last year to bring him to Wellington, but he had been unable to do so.

Mr Sprey said he had recently been told Prince was contemplating an Australasian tour before the end of the year.

"He's on and he's off. He's one of those people who all of a sudden decides he's going to spend the next year writing a new album. We had been in some discussions, but it's an open market and there's always other people trying to get him."

Mr Sprey said he was "in negotiation with a number of people" to bring acts to Wellington. "But I try to avoid the rumour mill."

Other overseas bands rumoured to be visiting New Zealand next year include Red Hot Chili Peppers in April and, most likely in January, Tool, Muse and the Killers.

Big names known to be heading to New Zealand are U2 and Kanye West, Auckland only in November, and Eric Clapton at Napier's Mission Estate in January.

Overseas acts playing in Wellington include American blues singer Charlie Musselwhite (September 22), New Order bass player Peter Hook (September 22), British blues reggae band Mattafix (September 23), 80s British ska band the Beat (September 30), British dance band Coldcut (September 29), French jazz legends the Jacques Loussier Trio (October 17) and Australian punk band the Living End (November 2).