Auckland, get ready — Niko Ne Zna is back and bringing the fire.

 On Saturday, June 28, catch their explosive Balkan Brass sound live at the Dalmatian Cultural Society for a one-night-only event.

This isn’t just a concert — it’s a full-immersion experience. Think bold brass, infectious rhythms, and a dancefloor that won’t quit. 

Come early for Balkan delicious food , hit the cash bar, and settle in for a night you won’t forget.

Doors open at 7pm.

If you haven’t heard of or seen Niko Ne Zna live you are in for a treat!

Trumpets, trombones, saxophone, sousaphone, drums, percussion and vocals! Niko Ne Zna is a staple of the New Zealand festival circuit and frequently selling out shows at home and also in Australia.

A hot and spicy taste of the old countries right here in the capital of New Zealand. Playing captivating original music as well as classic songs from the Romani-soaked Balkan States, Niko Ne Zna’s hypnotic melodies and wild infectious rhythms will set even the most rhythmically challenged moving and grooving!

Combining driving rhythms, melodic brass and beautifully alluring vocals, Niko Ne Zna creates unforgettable moments for their audiences.

The 9-piece band have firmly cemented themselves as one of New Zealand's premiere and sought after world music groups, complete with wonderfully hypnotic melodies and cerebral rhythms that draw from the Balkan region.

Based in New Zealand’s creative and cultural capital of Wellington, all nine members are formidable instrumentalists and composers in their own right.Their current lineup consists of two trumpets, soprano saxophone, bass and tenor trombones, sousaphone, balkan bass drum (tapan) and snare drum, an exotic cocktail of instrumentation and musicianship that creates an atmosphere and vibe like no other. To top it off, their vocalist/percussionist Nikkie Rich sings in multiple languages, including Serbo-Croatian, Romani, Macedonian, Greek and English.

In addition to creating a strong back catalogue of original music, they have become notorious for their immense live shows that display undeniable passion, fuelled by their adoration for bringing people of all walks of life together. Choreographed dance moves and captivating theatrics fuse in harmony with their music, regardless of whether they’re performing impromptu on the streets, doing roaming/acoustic shows or letting loose on the big international stage.

Over the last decade or so they have regularly toured their home islands of New Zealand, and have performed multiple sold out shows in Australia. They were showstoppers at the WOMAD Festival NZ in 2019, have had three of their original songs featured in the internationally-acclaimed film 'What We Do In The Shadows', and have released two well-received full albums.

“It’s easy to forget where you are when you listen to these hypnotic melodies. It’s like being dropped amongst the hot and spicy lands of a country far away - to a place where you can free yourself with these infectious and wild beats that take their influence from the gypsy-soaked Balkan States.”

— wellingtonlivemusic.com“The group's jaunty carnival-style sound translates surprisingly well to disc, with trombone, sousaphone, sax and trumpet all vying for attention as the songs spiral riotously outward from a core riff before being reined back in again.”

“The group's jaunty carnival-style sound translates surprisingly well to disc, with trombone, sousaphone, sax and trumpet all vying for attention as the songs spiral riotously outward from a core riff before being reined back in again.”— Otago Daily Times

“Gypsy good times…”— Rip It Up Magazine

“… this is straight to the dancefloor”— Elsewhere

“Driving rhythms an intoxicating effect”— Taranaki Daily News