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A brilliant new chapter in the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra story is about to detonate, with the announcement of its most ambitious and extravagant production yet. Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy is a beautifully bombastic jukebox-musical happening, set to illuminate the stage of the Aotea Centre’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre for one-night-only on Sunday 12 July.
Led by visionary conductor and bona-fide wizard Joshua Worthington-Church, and featuring members of The Beths, Princess Chelsea, LEAO, Fazerdaze, and plenty more, the Exploding Rainbow Orchestra is a 40+ piece psychedelic and orchestral powerhouse. The prismatic project marries classical instrumentation with rock & roll energy, complete with choir, strings, horns, harp, electric guitars, synthesizers, and a full rhythm section. Each performance comes complete with a visual cacophony of lasers, lights, giant mirrorballs, and more. The result: a euphoric, genre-defying sonic explosion paired with a stunning psychedelic visual spectacle.
Now, following a series of the Orchestra’s sold-out performances known as The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra Songbooks, this iridescent ensemble unveils The Jukebox of Joy. Audiences can expect a maximalist, interdisciplinary concert that revisits and reimagines select works created in collaboration with some of Aotearoa’s most exciting songwriters.
The Jukebox of Joy features an extraordinary lineup of contributing songwriters, with this one-off spectacular featuring performances by Chelsea Prastiti (SKILAA), Diggy Dupé, Grecco Romank, Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins), Elizabeth Stokes (The Beths), Joshua Worthington-Church (Mammalien), Mainard Larkin, Princess Chelsea, Priya Sami (Bub), Rachel Clarke (Elisa), Samara Alofa, Steph Brown (Lips), and Yolanda Fagan (Na Noise).
Aligning with the spirit of the 2026 Matariki period, The Jukebox Of Joy will also feature a special Rangatuone conduction by Rāhana Tito-Taylor.
True to its ethos of innovation and collaboration, Exploding Rainbow Orchestra: The Jukebox of Joy is expanding beyond music alone. Set to weave the evening into a cohesive, emotionally resonant journey, punk rock poet laureate Dominic Hoey is assuming the role of narrator.The Jukebox of Joy will also integrate specially commissioned elements of theatre, dance, and cutting-edge lighting design into a fully immersive experience.
The Exploding Rainbow Orchestra extravaganzas have become some of Aotearoa’s most unmissable live music experiences. The Jukebox of Joy promises to elevate that legacy even further, with this dream set of musical collaborations happening on the city’s most prestigious stage.
