Māori thrash metal stars to open for rock legends Guns N' Roses

With international artists making their way back to Aotearoa to perform for fans and catch up on postponed events, one Māori thrash metal band has been given an opportunity to rock out for one of the best rock bands in the world.

Alien Weaponry, the three-piece band that has captivated the world through Māori metal music, will open for hard rock legends Guns N’ Roses for their rescheduled 2022 shows in Wellington and Auckland in December.

Guns N’ Roses were originally scheduled to play in New Zealand last year before Covid changed things dramatically again.

Alien Weaponry have been hard at mahi performing all over the world as normal life post-Covid continues to see festivals, concerts and big events back in full force. Festivals where Alien Weaponry have performed include Hellfest Open Air Festival in France, Resurrection Fest in Spain and VOA – Heavy Rock Festival in Portugal.

Henry de Jong (drums, vocals), Lewis de Jong (guitar, lead vocals) and Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds are now supporting French heavy metal group Gojira as part of their European tour up till the end of July.

The band's latest album Tangaroa was last year in September. It's the next to follow their debut album Tū from 2018, which has fan favourite song Kai Tangata as their most streamed song on Spotify. The song's music video itself has gathered lots of international attention too for its Māori storytelling.

Bassist Morgan-Edmonds has also been making moves on TikTok, educating fans about Māori culture, with a few behind-the-scenes videos while out on tour.

When the Waipū-based group returns home from tour with Gojira at the end of July, their opportunity for legendary status will happen on December 8, Sky Stadium in Wellington and December 10, Eden Park in Auckland. Tickets for both shows are on sale now.