After selling out shows across Aotearoa, Julia Deans’ ambitious live celebration Atomic! is returning this August, bringing another high-powered run of shows built around the songs and artists that shaped generations of women in pop and rock.
Led by the Fur Patrol frontwoman as musical director, Atomic! assembles a formidable cast of Aotearoa artists, with Boh Runga, Dianne Swann, Vera Ellen, and Jazmine Mary joining Deans on vocals, backed by an all-femme band featuring Karen Hu, Rebel Reid, Louisa Nicklin and Ilayda Tunali.
The 2026 run follows overwhelming demand for last year’s sold-out tour, and will hit James Hay Theatre on August 13th, Wellington Opera House on August 14th, and Auckland Town Hallon August 15th.
Part jukebox, part reimagining, Atomic! draws from a catalogue of iconic songs by artists including Blondie, Eurythmics, Pretenders, Kate Bush, Florence + The Machine and Madonna, reworked through the lens of some of New Zealand’s most acclaimed contemporary musicians.
“Atomic is about celebrating the artists who shaped us — and doing it together, on our own terms. It’s powerful, it’s joyful, and it’s loud,” Deans said.
“There’s something magic about this group of wāhine on stage — the connection, the musicianship, the sheer fun of it,” Runga added.
More than a straightforward covers show, Atomic! leans into something broader: a communal celebration of women’s creative legacy in music, moving from punk and new wave through to art-pop and modern indie, all delivered with the chemistry of a genuine supergroup rather than a nostalgia revue.
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“Don’t miss these modern legends of the escalating femme insurrection paying it back to some of the greatest performers of our times: a hitlist rooted in the glories of the past recalled and refreshed for future generations,” an early Atomic! promo read. “As Debbie Harry said way back in the day, “the only place left for rock to go is toward more girl stars. There’s nothing left for men to do.”
Tickets for all three shows are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
Atomic 2026 Aotearoa Tour Dates
August 13th
Christchurch, James Hay Theatre
August 14th
Wellington, Opera House
August 15th
Auckland Town Hall
