Living in Los Angeles, one of the most intense and creative cities on the planet, is inspiring for New Zealand musician Greg Johnson.
But it is still a treat for the singer-songwriter to pack up from time to time and head down under to perform to Kiwi audiences.
Johnson will launch his ‘‘Every Song Has A Story’’ tour of five New Zealand centres and three Australian cities, with a show at Dunedin’s 50 Gorillas on Thursday, March 7.
‘‘I’m really looking forward to my return to the deep South,’’ he said.
‘‘I have a loyal fan base in Dunedin, so it will be nice to see everyone again.’’
Next month’s shows form the second-half of a New Zealandwide tour for Johnson, which started with a series of shows last year in the north of the country.
The show will be strippeddown to just Johnson (piano/guitar/vocals) and Ben King (electric guitar/vocals).
Johnson will tell stories about the songs and have images from decades of performing and touring projected on to a big screen.
‘‘It really brings the stories and the songs to life, and it seems to connect well with the audience,’’ he said.
The songs to be showcased have been selected from across Johnson’s extensive musical catalogue, including some that have never before been performed live.
‘‘I chose most of them because they have a good story to go with them.’’
Being on the road is a change of pace for Johnson, who spends much of his time recording a variety of artists, doing soundtrack work and caring for his 6-year-old daughter.
It has been several years since Johnson released his most recent album, Swing the Lantern (2015), and he is writing now towards a new project later this year.
