"That was watched seven or eight times, so we've now got a thorough understanding that when we go to Queenstown we have to go naked and jump off the bungy jump bridge," bagpiper of 26 years and co-founder Kevin MacDonald told the Queenstown Times.
Mr MacDonald was back in Edinburgh briefly last week to collect the band's New Zealand visas and catch up with his family before rejoining his eight band-mates in Boston, in the United States, and leaving for New Zealand on Sunday.
It will be the first time any of the boys have been this side of the world, but they were aware of the "massive" Scottish heritage in the South Island, he said.
"[New Zealand] is certainly up there in terms of the buzz that's around the band."
The 33-year-old said the band's world touring and record-selling success came as a surprise. The band started in 2002 for fun and "some beer money in your sporran".
The snowball became an avalanche as the "nine normal guys who like to play bagpipes" sold more than 250,000 copies of their four albums.
"The crowds seem to enjoy best Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars and the old hits we've been playing for years - We Will Rock You, Eye of the Tiger [and] Rockin' All Over the World." The pipers also play "loud and proud" Flower of Scotland in honour of the Scotland Rugby World Cup team and for the International Rugby Board, which banned bagpipes from stadia, Mr MacDonald said.
"I can understand their reasoning they're banning all instruments, but I also believe it adds to the atmosphere, and to cut that element out is sad."
The Chillis have performed to hundreds of thousands of fans all over the world and have been joined on stage by actor Ewan McGregor, played for Sir Paul McCartney, headlined New York's Tartan Week, opened the Eurovision Dance Contest in front of a television audience of millions and were one of the first Western bands to perform in Saudi Arabia.
"It really is the best job in the world."
The piper said audiences in the Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday and Revolver, Queenstown, on Sunday, along with five other centres, could look forward to "a high-energy, highly entertaining show".
• The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Revolver, Queenstown, October 2, 9pm. Tickets available from Quest and Ticketmaster for $30, or $35 on the door.
