One Direction, Train Returning

One Direction will return for a full-scale arena tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2013 through Nine Live, the band confirmed on TV.

The British pop band did four sellout shows in three cities April 13-18 during a promo tour that witnessed a media blitz and fan hysteria possibly not seen since Beatlemania in the ’60s and Abba’s visit in the ’70s.

As a result, its Up All Night album, which is topping the official ARIA charts, went double platinum and posted a 17 percent sales increase.

A piece of toast with Australian food paste vegemite (an acquired taste) spat out by a band member on breakfast TV show “Sunrise” had bids of $100,000 on eBay, supposedly put on the site to raise charity.

In other tour announcements, Live Nation is bringing Train back for a three-city theatre run on the East Coast June 7-11.
New Zealand’s Ladyhawke will undertake six theatre dates for Handsome Tours (July 17-25) after her May run through the UK.

Rob Potts Entertainment Edge brings Nashville-based Australian guitar maestro Tommy Emmanuel for five acoustic dates Aug. 6-21. U.S. guitarist Frank Vignola will open, marking his first visit downunder.