TOP INTERNATIONAL ACTS TO PERFORM AT WHITIANGA SUMMER CONCERT

 

Whitianga has been confirmed as a venue for a concert featuring legendary international rock bands the Doobie Brothers and Little River Band to be held in February 2012.

The Whitianga concert will be held on Sunday, 5 February (Waitangi weekend) and will be staged at Waterways South Highway- with locals in the Coromandel area the first to get access to tickets.

Jump Entertainment Limited director Dave Simmonds says the Coromandel is the ideal place to hold such an event. "Waterways South Highway venue offers the ultimate combination for an outdoor concert venue- stunning views and fantastic acoustics," says Mr Simmonds. "So
we are very excited to secure such a great venue to showcase these two highly regarded international acts.

"And we have purposely organised the event during a long weekend to accommodate both local concert-goers and visitors from around the North Island -and even further afield- who would like to attend the event. Also with the concert ending around 6.30pm it makes it a great day trip for many people."

With performances spanning the seventies and eighties until today, the Doobie Brothers have enjoyed broad appeal, with hits such as 'Listen to the Music', 'Long Train Runnin", and 'What a Fool Believes'. Little River Band has also had chart success through the last three decades -with classics including 'Cool Change', 'The Other Guy', and 'Take it Easy On Me'- and is often considered to be one of Australia's most significant bands.

Tourism Coromandel chief executive Jim Archibald says the concert will be a great addition to the region's summer events calendar. "One of the great things about the Coromandel, and especially the East Coast, is its place in the hearts of many Kiwis who had such great times on the Coromandel when they were younger," says Mr Archibald. "Securing the Doobie Brothers and Little River Band for Whitianga's Summer Concert is very much a part of this."

Tourism Coromandel event manager Megan Etherington says that events are key drivers in domestic tourism. "With comprehensive event management plans and sustainable measures, events provide significant economic and cultural benefits to the Coromandel," says Ms Etherington. "Every event offers opportunities for businesses to work together for mutual benefit. The Whitianga Waterways Summer Concert will bring increased economic activity to Whitianga and the region."

The Whitianga Summer Concert will be held at Waterways on South Highway Sunday, 5 February. Gates open at 12noon, and the concert commences from 1 pm, with New Zealand band Late 80's Mercedes. Ticket pricing will be $89 per person, with tickets available through Ticketek and i-SITE from Monday, 12 September. A special pre-release of tickets will be made available to people in the Coromandel from Wednesday, 7 September from the Whitianga i-SITE. Children under 11 years of age are admitted free-of-charge when accompanied by a ticket-holder. For more details, visit ticketek.com

A wide range of food, beer and wine will be on sale at the event. Concert-goers are also able to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.