Raggamuffin Reggae Festival at Rotorua Stadium

Ali Campbell performs his last New Zealand concert with UB40. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua has hosted the biggest musical event in New Zealand outside of the Big Day Out with close to 35,000 people at the inaugural Raggamuffin festival.

And despite the massive influx - a crowd about the same size as Taupo's entire population - emergency services and concert organisers were pleased with behaviour.

About 20 people were arrested, mainly for being intoxicated, and six people were transported to Rotorua Hospital by St John Ambulance, mostly due to dehydration coupled with drunkenness, drugs and party pills.

Raggamuffin was a 10-hour reggae festival at Rotorua's International Stadium featuring international superstars UB40, The Wailers, Maxi Priest and Arrested Development as well as New Zealand artists Katchafire, House of Shem, The Black Seeds and The Midnights.

Leesa Tilley, general manager for Raggamuffin promoter Andrew McManus Presents, described the atmosphere as "fantastic".

"We were really pleased with the turnout and the behaviour of the crowd and we were honoured to do the concert in such a beautiful place."

Miss Tilley said the nature of reggae music made for a peaceful and positive atmosphere.

"You can't help but have a positive experience when you are being serenaded by The Wailers singing One Love."

She said another big concert would be back next year if Rotorua welcomed it.

An announcement was expected within a month.

Senior Sergeant Brent Crowe said three men were arrested for separate incidents including assaulting a female, assaulting a security guard and unlawfully being on a property.

There were several other arrests for drunkenness with police reporting a total of about 20 arrests overnight Saturday.

There were no drug- related arrests.

Mr Crowe said most of the trouble happened on the fringes of the stadium, a problem which would be looked at at future events.

Paramedic Darryl Stretch, the St John Ambulance event co-ordinator for Raggamuffin, said six people were taken to hospital. St John treated about 40 patients from needing plasters for blisters to dehydration and drunkenness.

Towards the end of the afternoon, St John staff described the crowd as "dropping like flies" because of the afternoon sun, caused by concert goers not drinking enough water. He said St John had 15 staff covering the stadium with the biggest "logistical nightmare" being getting to people who needed help. He said having access aisles might be needed at future concerts.

Event Venues general manager Peter McLeod said everyone he had spoken to about the concert used the word "awesome".

"It was right for the Rotorua market and the crowd responded in a magical way."

He said the overall feeling was that it "went off".

Mr McLeod said it proved Rotorua could handle such a big event.

"We will be in the mindset of all promoters when they are bringing major shows to the country."

Final figures of the economic impacts were not yet known but it would be in the millions of dollars, Mr McLeod said.

The number of noise control complaints would also not be known until today

He said council staff were keeping tabs on the volume with special monitors but didn't have to ask sound engineers to turn it down.

- DAILY POST