History & Gallery 2013

Acknowledged as the leading female rock vocalist of the late 70s and 80s, and now after 3 decades in Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pat Benatar is a bonifide living legend. With songs like Love Is a Battlefield, Hit Me with Your Best Shot, Heartbreaker, Promises In The Dark and We Belong, Pat emerged fearless and fighting and forged a path for other female rockstars around the world.

In 1979, Pat Benatar’s life was to change dramatically when she was introduced to a fiery and inspiring guartist named Neil Giraldo. He shared the singer’s passion and used his skills to help design the now renowned Benatar-sound. Their debut album In the Heart of the Night featured a feisty sass of Top 40 hits like Heartbreaker and a Giraldo-penned We Live for Love, which ultimately went platinum. The 1980s Crimes of Passion album was a Grammy winner, reaching quadruple platinum and giving Pat her first Top 10 hit with Hit Me with Your Best Shot.

In 1985, Benatar and Giraldo became proud parents of a baby girl, Haley. Together they have won 4 consecutive Grammy Awards between 1980 and 1983 and after 3 decades of entertaining audiences they remain a Rock ‘n’ Roll power house. Theirs is a chemistry that will undoubtedly be thrilling audiences forever.

The musicians at the heart of the legendary band Bachman-Turner Overdrive, have reunited for the first time in more than 20 years. These 2 giants of Rock ‘n’ Roll became an extraordinary success with the bands’ distinctive brand of stripped-down, blue-collar, meat-and-potato rock! They have sold in excess of 30 million records, earning a staggering 120 platinum, gold and silver discs and reaching #1 on Billboard Single Charts with You Aint Seen Nothin’ Yet. They accumulated a handful of hits including Takin’ Care of Business, Hey You, Let It Ride and Roll On down the Highway. They are back to take care of some ‘unfinished’ business.

With over 40 years of perennial classic-rock, America became a global household name with an impressive string of hits following the early success of their first hit A Horse with no Name back in the late 60s. Their best-known tunes include I Need You, Ventura Highway, Tin Man, Lonely People and Sister Golden Hair. These were the cornerstone of the 70s Top 40 and FM rock stations. America’s albums including 6 gold and platinum with their first greatest hits collection History, reaching 4 million plus in sales, and ensuring they enjoyed massive success early on in their career. Today, founding members Gerry Beckley and Dave Bunnell continue to perform the songs that have transcended the generations with their uplifting music and positive messages.

The Summer Concert Tour 2013 kicked off in Taupo and it was the first time Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo had played in New Zealand. It was also the first time America and Bachman and Turner had played in Taupo. In order to improve value and experience for concert goers, three artists were now on the bill giving everyone a greater choice of music. The day was once again spectacular and this resulted in a sellout crowd. All three artists sent messages back home saying this was one of the best concerts they had performed at.

2013 was a first time for Matakana Country Park to be added to the tour and the concert attracted over 6,000 people. With little accommodation in the area, people came from all over the region to enjoy the outdoor setting and an atmosphere that was superb. Pat and Spyder took the helicopter option from Auckland to Matakana and got a bird’s eye view of the region, they were blown away by its beauty. This was by far and away the biggest concert for that region.

The third Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert was the largest yet with huge crowds and a sellout of over 16,000 people. The crowds, the artists and the whole region enjoyed a beautiful hot afternoon soaking up the sun. It was the perfect finale to the tour and left a lasting memory for everyone. The venue was presented beautifully, the crowd engaged with the artists and the artists put on their best performance of the tour. This still remains one of Greenstone Entertainment’s favorite shows.