Atlas - The Magic 8 Tour
16th October 2007



Atlas exploded onto the New Zealand music scene with a number one hit Crawl which spent seventeen weeks in the charts - and owned the top position for nine weeks. Now Atlas are hitting the road performing in centres throughout the country!

While the genesis is perhaps in Zed which had a nine year run as a leading New Zealand act up until 2004 and featured Ben Campbell and Andy Lynch, Atlas was conceived at the legendary Knitting Factory in Los Angeles. Ben and his sister, Beth were there with old friend, LA based producer, Hank Linderman (The Eagles, America, Chicago) discussing solo album concepts.

Hank introduced them to American performer, Sean Cunningham, who hails from Hank's home state of Kentucky, thinking that they may combine their talents to write songs for separate solo careers. Cunningham needed little persuasion to head half way around the planet to Christchurch where Atlas started to take shape through a number of development line ups while the inventory evolved. Is This Real, a mix of searing vocals over guitars charted, followed by the ground-breaking Crawl.

'It was immediate.' says Ben. 'There's great music in us all and when we hung out, jammed and played we discovered songs, riffs, connections, melodies and ideas that were a lot stronger through the connection.'

Also in Los Angeles at the time, playing with the legendary Sting was Ben's former Zed bandmate and future ATLAS lead guitarist, Andy Lynch. When ATLAS re-located to Auckland, Andy Lynch settled into is edgy lead guitar slot and the line up was completed with the discovery of drummer, Joe McCallum who was extracted from Christchurch.

ATLAS are supported by alt rock trio Gasoline Cowboy, who are about to release their new single 'Outta My Hands' from their debut album – 'Pave The Way' due for release Feb 08.

ATLAS is one show not to be missed… it's a helluva trip…a helluva show!

The Magic 8 Tour
With special guests Gasoline Cowboy

Oct
Thurs 25th - Finn MacCuhals Irish Pub, Taupo
Fri 26th - Basement Bar, New Plymouth
Sat 27th - Bar Mode, Palmerston North

Nov
Thurs 1st - Colosseum, Tauranga
Fri 2nd - Boiler Room, Whakatane
Sat 3rd - Bar Bodega, Wellington
Sat 10th - Southern Amp Festival, Christchurch
Thurs 15th - Glue Pot, Invercargill
Fri 16th - Dux de Lux, Queenstown
Sat 17th - Backstage, Dunedin

Tickets on sale Wednesday 17th Oct from Ticketek and Venues

www.myspace.com/atlastheband
www.christchurchmusic.org.nz/artists