Mini rock festival features local bands

Primacy are at the top of their game with a thick heavy rock sound, and perform at this month's Rock Fest. Photo/supplied

A mini-rock festival is on at Totara St this month featuring six bands.

The festival aims to promote and support local rock musicians, as well as bring in other bands from out of town.

"Thus ultimately building the rock music scene in the region and throughout New Zealand," says organiser Kingsley Smith.

Bands playing are Primacy, Midnight Switch, 8 Steps to Madness, The Carradines, Liberated Squid and Metaract. The Carradines have a dirty rocky Motorhead style and Liberated Squid are a punk rock band.

Midnight Swith are a good time hard rock band akin to AC/DC, and so is 8 Steps to Madness.

Metaract is the special celebrity guest band, featuring Chris Yong from Tadpole and Sharne Scarborough from Just One Fix.

Smith says the rock scene in Tauranga needs more gigs and he wants to make the Rock Fest an annual event.

"The rock scene in Tauranga has been quite scattered and never really that well supported. Reggae festivals such as One Love have been highly successful and continue to pull thousands of supporters. So, we want to nurture the local rock scene and create events like the Rock Fest to help boast it up."

The mini-festival is at Totara St which is the perfect venue for events of this size.
"I believe it to be the best medium sized venue in the Bay of Plenty for rock, reggae, and pop bands. It is definitely starting to gain a reputation for hosting quality gigs - for local, national and international acts." Rock Fest musicians and promoters are all giving their services free, so all proceeds can be given directly to the local Cancer Society.

"Everyone promoting this event, including myself, have people in our lives who are suffering from cancer. My band, Knightshade, just played our final gig this year because our singer has stage four asbestos cancer and sadly can't continue to sing. Many of the musicians performing have also been strongly affected in their lives by this relentless disease. "This is a community event for locals to really get behind and give to a great cause," he said.

the fine print
What: Rock Fest 2016
Where: Totara St
When: November 26
Tickets: Eventfinda, $10