Checkerboard Lounge NZ Tour 2027

For more than thirty-five years, CBL has carved out its place as a blues, roots and soul institution in Australia — a band built on improvisation, instinct, heart and serious musical firepower. Led by astonishing singer, songwriter and drummer Carl Pannuzzo, CBL has featured a rich mix of musicians over its lifetime. For the New Zealand tour, Carl is joined by Richard Tankard on keys and Shannon Bourne on guitar, who together, on stage light up the blues, soul and roots music igniting it with dazzling virtuosity, deep groove and fearless improvisation. From the very first bar of the first song the chemistry is unmistakable. Every performance carries a spark of discovery. With a playful, almost childlike sense of adventure, the band reinvents the music night after night — immediate, authentic and impossible to predict. From standing ovations at festivals to packed Melbourne pubs, CBL leaves audiences lifted, energised and completely enthralled. This is music played with honesty, integrity and raw feeling — the very essence of a live show that stays with you long after the final note. Support Act John Tame & Celine Filbee