Mel Parsons is heading out on the road this August and September for a seven-date national theatre tour celebrating her new album Castle Hill, due for release on 7th August 2026.
Presented by Plus1, the tour takes in some of Aotearoa’s most beautiful venues — Theatre Royal in Nelson, Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch, Glenroy Auditorium in Dunedin, Clarence St Theatre in Hamilton, Rangatira Q Theatre in Auckland, the Opera House in Wellington, and Globe Theatre in Palmerston North. The Auckland show is presented by 95bFM.
Taking its name from the remote mountain town in the Southern Alps where it was recorded, Castle Hill was produced by Josh Logan and captured live with Parsons’ longtime band members Aaron Stewart on bass and Jed Parsons on drums, joined by Ben King of Goldenhorse and Grand Rapids on guitars. Parsons describes it as “a full immersion recording experience over a stolen summer holiday” — and that sense of place and presence is already audible across the singles released ahead of the album. Those include alternative radio chart-toppers ‘Post High Slide’, ‘Brick By Brick’, ‘Be Here Now’, ‘Don’t Leave The Light On’, ‘Caravan’, and the most recent release ‘Grain by Grain’, which arrives with an official video out now.
Castle Hill follows 2024’s SABOTAGE, which Rolling Stone Australia called “pure triumph” and RNZ’s Tony Stamp praised for highlighting “what a remarkable instrument” Parsons’ voice is — “oceans of feeling sounded out with apparently little effort.” Since that release, Parsons has toured Aotearoa alongside Crowded House, performed in Canada and Australia, and received a finalist nod for Best Folk Artist at the 2026 AMAs.
The 48-hour presale begins Tuesday 12th May at 9am, with general sale opening Thursday 14th May at 9am.