Pearl Jam NZ tour: Liam Finn announced as support act for local dates

Pearl Jam are coming to New Zealand in November. Photo / Danny Cinch

Pearl Jam has today announced Kiwi Liam Finn as a supporting act for the New Zealand leg of their Dark Matter World Tour.

The legendary Seattle rock band will perform two dates - Friday, November 8 and Sunday, November 10 - at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

Pearl Jam’s long-awaited return Down Under spans seven stadium shows, five of which are across Australia. The band last played for Kiwi crowds at the Big Day Out festival in 2014.

Their 12th studio album Dark Matter was released on April 19 this year, debuting on the Aria Album Chart at number two.

Pearl Jam perform at the Big Day Out, Western Springs in Auckland on January 17, 2014. Photo / Natalie Slade

Alongside Pearl Jam and Finn, alt-rock group the Pixies will also perform as special guests for the New Zealand dates.

They’re not the only dates Finn, 40, will be doing this year.

He joined father Neil Finn’s much-loved band Crowded House in 2020, and the group will be touring New Zealand and Australia in November and December.

Liam Finn, pictured at Roundhead Studios in Eden Terrace in 2020, will perform with Pearl Jam for their New Zealand shows, and tour with Crowded House later this year. Photo / Peter Meecham

Finn released his debut album, I’ll Be Lightning, in 2007 to widespread popularity.

He helmed most of the instruments himself and served as its producer, as he would do on follow-ups FOMO (2011) and The Nihilist (2014). Finn began performing solo in support of the debut, using loop pedals to trigger guitar parts he could sing along to, as well as accompanying himself on drums.