L.A.B gear up for New Zealand Music Month with a 2023 World Tour

With a population of just over 5 million people, New Zealand’s impact on the global music scene has been disproportionately high. Few artists illustrate the multi-island nation’s talent and unique cultural cocktail better than multi-platinum selling reggae fusion group L.A.B.

2022 saw L.A.B win Best Group, Album of the Year, Single of the Year & Best Roots Artist for the second-straight year at the New Zealand Music Awards, becoming the first artist to win those awards two years in a row. They were awarded Best Record at the inaugural Rolling Stone New Zealand Music Awards and closed out the year by being named with the Top Four most-streamed songs in NZ on Spotify, and three of the Top Four most-streamed songs in NZ on Apple Music.

As the world focuses on their country’s music during May’s New Zealand Music Month, L.A.B are taking big strides with the success of their latest single Take It Away. Already certified Gold and maintaining the number one position in the New Zealand charts for more than 10 consecutive weeks, the track received a fresh Spatial Mix. Take It Away brings together all elements of the L.A.B sound – reggae-inspired groove, soulful guitars, tinges of rock & soaring vocals from frontman Joel Shadbolt. 

April also saw the start of L.A.B’s global tour, starting in Australia, with an extra date added in Melbourne due to popular demand. They then head to the USA for a string of sold-out dates in May, before making a long-awaited stop in Europe in October. “Here we come London and Amsterdam!” said the band, with palpable excitement about reaching European shores. And just one month after the tour ends, L.A.B plan to release their eagerly anticipated sixth vocal album, L.A.B VI – currently on course to drop in November 2023.

Upcoming Live Shows:
May 5 – The Forum, Melbourne, Australia
May 6 – The Forum, Melbourne, Australia
May 19 – Observatory OC – Santa Ana, CA w/ Maoli
May 20 – House Of Blues – San Diego, CA w/ Maoli
May 21 – Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels – Las Vegas, NV w/ Maoli
May 24 – Roxy Theatre – Los Angeles, CA w/ Maoli
May 26 – California Roots Festival – Monterey, CA
May 28 – The Republik – Honolulu, HI
Oct 5 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct 12 – 02 Forum Kentish Town, London, UK