Tim Finn plans a 19-show jaunt

Last year Tim Finn and some mates set some attendance records on their national tour, but this time Finn is heading out solo. Well, sort of.

His 19-show countrywide jaunt, which starts at the Kaitaia Community Centre on Monday October 1 before heading to the far south and back again, comes with a band consisting of drummer Ross Burge (the Mutton Birds), bassist Mareea Paterson (ex-Delta) and guitarist Ian Greenstreet ("from Mt Roskill").

Last year Finn toured with Dave Dobbyn and Bic Runga and they packed 'em in around the country. Finn says his new band is learning a lot of old Split Enz stuff and some of his past solo hits, and there will be a few new ones from his album Feeding The Gods (which won't be released until early next year) in the set as well.

However, Finn's support act, Christchurch-bred, Auckland-based singer-songwriter Anika Moa, will have her debut album Thinking Room out early next month and the tour will be an introduction to the country for the performer who is hotly tipped to "do a Bic Runga".

The 21-year-old, who is signed to Atlantic Records in the US, recorded her album there last year with producer Victor Van Vugt (whose credits include PJ Harvey, Beth Orton and Nick Cave) and leading American session musicians. She's already had one lucky break with the results of the recording session - one of her songs, Falling in Love Again, was included on the soundtrack to the romantic comedy America's Sweethearts which stars Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones and John Cusack.

Tickets go on sale on Monday.