Source: Radio New Zealand
About 25,000 dance music fans flocked to Mount Maunganui to see Australian DJ Fisher.
A minute silence was held to acknowledge the six lives lost in a landslide tragedy nine days ago at the nearby Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park.
All of the six victims have now been formally identified after the landslide on 22 January.
A rāhui is in place at the site where the six people – including two teenagers – were caught in the slip.
The Fisher event was on the calendar for the last weekend of January, and plans to go ahead were made thoughtfully, Trademark Live co-director Toby Burrows told RNZ.
“Everything was sort of on pause for a bit there,” he said, in the week that followed the tragedy.
“We’ve just been working with council and local kaumātua to get their blessing, which we got. It’s been pretty tender times down here, for everyone.”
Tauranga-based Burrows had heard from DJ Fisher, and other acts daily, who wanted to make sure everyone involved was fit to go ahead.
“They’ve been in close touch with us about it … They’re all deeply moved by it all, obviously and concerned.
“….It’s very close to home for us, and we’re down at the mountain like every day, you know, and a lot of our staff are as well, so it’s rocked us real hard.”
Burrows said the festival had used their platform to help raise funds for the families and community affected.
“Objectively I think it’s like people need to actually come together and talk about this as well. It’s not necessarily like celebrating, but just being with your friends. And it’s not a necessarily a time to just, you know, be at home by yourself … but I understand if people don’t feel it’s appropriate.”
Burrows, along with Mitch Lowe, were behind one of the country’s biggest music festivals, Bay Dreams.
UB40, featuring Ali Campbell, will perform at Bay Oval at Waitangi Weekend, as part of the Kingston Calling 2026 tour.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
