Music

'Better than Bono': Neil Finn plays all his classics at surprise Auckland Markets performance

What a way to spend a Sunday.

With a literal goat fittingly in attendance, one of New Zealand's best musicians surprised market-goers with a performance over the weekend.

Neil Finn rocked up to Coatesville Markets on Sunday and played a whole bunch of his greatest tunes with former Split Enz bandmate Eddie Rayner.

Michelle Vaughan, one of the people lucky enough to be there, shared plenty of footage on her social media. In her comments, she mentions that "so many" people walked past, thinking it was just another local musician busking.

Those who made the correct choice to sit down and enjoy the greatness said he smashed it.

"He was absolutely awesome," one person told the NZ Herald, adding that he played "all his bangers."

"When people walked by and realised it was him, they couldn't believe it."

One of the 'bangers' he played was the all-time tune 'Don't Dream It's Over'. After he finished the song, one punter reportedly yelled out "that was so much better than Bono!", about the U2 frontman recently covering the song at a Las Vegas Show.

In response to the audience member, Finn laughed and called it "such a Kiwi comment."

Organisers of the markets at Coatesville, located in Auckland's North Shore, asked Finn if he would play but "didn't expect he would say yes".

After he did, they were obviously stoked.

"You have our hearts, Neil Finn," they wrote in a Facebook post. "What an incredible day."

It was only a few weeks ago Aucklanders were treated to another surprise showing from a legend. Punters at the Foo Fighters' Mount Smart show got to bask in Jack Black's musical glory as he covered AC/DC's 'Big Balls' with the Foos' drum technician Fiona.

I knew I'd be having FOMO by not going to the Foos, but I never expected to have it by not going to a Sunday market.