Red Eyes look to Leigh

Australian-based dub/reggae monster group The Red Eyes are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a NZ tour, which includes a show at the Sawmill Café at Leigh.

The NZ Homecoming Tour heralds the prodigal return of NZ’s long lost sons El Witeri and Damien Charles, both formerly of Auckland.

The two musicians’ musical roots were developed touring around NZ throughout the 90s before they re-met in Australia and honed their alternative dub/reggae style. Over the last decade, their fan base has spread and they are now a major drawcard at major festivals throughout the pacific and Australia including last year’s Australian Raggamuffin tour with Jimmy Cliff and Mary J Blige.

The band’s second album Red Army was a finalist for Best Blues and Roots Album at the Australian Independent Record Label Awards and lead singer El Witeri was a finalist for APRA songwriter of the year. The 2007 release Rudeworld and their two EPs Highplace and Prolific/My Kingdom have collectively sold more than 12,000 copies worldwide.

NZ audiences will be among the first to hear the band’s new track Circles, the first single release from their anticipated third album, which was mixed at the Andy Baldwin Studio in New York.

The Red Eyes will perform with Dubhead at the Sawmill on February 3.