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Six60, which made New Zealand music history by becoming the first local band to sell Western Springs, have become the new face of a long-standing riot that hosts concerts at the All Blacks’ home.
“This is our main venue,” said Six60 leader Matiu Walters. “Madly, there has never been a concert here. We thought why don’t we just hit the brakes and see if we can make this work.”
Under the Auckland Council Unitary Plan, Eden Park can host six musical events per year, depending on the venue and the respective promoters obtaining consent from the resources.
The process is so expensive that Eden Park has not submitted an application to date; any offer is ready to be disputed by the Eden Park Neighbors Association (EPNA). The group opposes additional and noisy evening events on New Zealand’s “National Stadium” terrain.
But next Monday, the heads of Eden Park and the EPNA will be locked in a resource consent hearing at Auckland City Council after a proposal from the site administration to be able to host the six events annually without consent.
If Eden Park is successful, Six60 could add Eden Park to its 2021 summer concert roster. The nation’s largest city was a surprise omission from the band’s six-concert tour early next year.
Walters confirmed that after playing to two sold-out audiences at Western Springs, they were hoping to play Eden Park.
But then they realized the bureaucracy they would have to overcome in order to perform at the venue, the site of two World Cup winning efforts by the All Blacks.
No concert has been performed on the ground in its 120 year history.
Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner said he hoped the suburban venue would win, based on the support it had received before the showdown.
“Ninety-four percent of the participants strongly indicated that they support the music in the stadium,” Sautner told the Herald on Sunday.
“We have received support from a variety of individuals and organizations and are delighted to have an overwhelming level of support from our local community. This further shows the ongoing and ongoing positive relationship the stadium maintains with its neighbors.”
The neighborhood association is vehemently opposed to the measure. The latest bulletin on its website indicates that residents who did not object “run the risk of permanently giving up the rights and protections currently under the Auckland Unitary Plan without any benefit to you, your family or your community.”
“The goal of Eden Park Trust is to make a profit at your expense.
“If it is granted, that’s it. There is no way to reverse or review. You have the only chance, it is not worth the risk.
He warned about concerts that could end until 11 p.m. and could attract up to 60,000 people.
“Do not worry at all about the hype / fact-free campaign Eden Park is running,” the newsletter continued. “Fake news as they say.”
Eden Park had previously been in talks about hosting a benefit concert to raise money for LifePod Baby Incubators, with the lineup set to include chart-topping leader Phil Collins, in 2018.
That was shelved after opposition from some locals, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Walters performed the national anthem in the run-up to last weekend’s All Blacks / Wallabies clash at Eden Park.
He said it was “kind of strange” that I could sing the national anthem there, but “I can’t put on my own show.”
If Eden Park’s offer is successful, Six60 could play there in April.
“We want to be the first band to play in this stadium. It makes sense to us that it’s a local band and we’re in a position to do it, fill it up and do something here that’s crazy. I think we can put on an amazing show.
“It’s there, idle and ready. Look at it. You can see it there and how amazing it would be. How amazing it would be for Auckland and New Zealand music,” he enthuses, looking out over the park from the corporate office. box we’ve been talking about.
“Let’s do cool things and let New Zealanders do cool things in the most interesting places.”
