Franz Ferdinand head Downunder. Photo / Richard Robinson
Franz Ferdinand head Downunder. Photo / Richard Robinson
KEY POINTS:
Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand are set to work on their tans this New Year, headlining Gisborne's annual Rhythm & Vines festival.
The band join fellow Brits The Kooks and soul singer Jamie Liddell, a clutch of international DJs, and a who's-who local line-up for the event which hasexpanded from a New Year's eve gig to a three-day, multi-genre musicathon that is sure to beg Sweetwaters comparisons.
Starting as a dance music event, Rhythm & Vines' first show in 2003 attracted just 1800 punters. Since the festival has grown exponentially, with around 15,000 at last year's concert.
This year's R&V local contingent includes Shihad, The Datsuns, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington, Liam Finn, The Phoenix Foundation, The Black Seeds, Little Bushman, P Money, Katchafire, SJD and more.
Last year, the venue gained consent to host up to 20,000 people at the Waiohika Estate vineyard. However, it remains to be seen how the small East Coast city will cope with the increased number of visitors, having already struggled to accommodate the smaller crowds of previous years.
Fans hoping to catch the British headliners away from Gisborne are out of luck, according to event organiser Paxton Talbot, who said the acts wouldn't be performing any additional shows while in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, you can still get a hit of Brit-rock action when The Charlatans head to New Zealand for two shows, playing Auckland's Powerstation on November 12.
The tour is their first visit Downunder and celebrates their new album You Cross My Path, their 10th since they formed in 1989. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek.
