Truth be told before this morning's announcement securing the acclaimed Brit drummer and singer-songwriter, I'd a few reservations about the unprecedented midweek date for the 2019 iteration of our much loved concert.
For starters it's not only a Wednesday - but Waitangi Day. And thus, 'tis an unprecedented confluence of Treaty passions paired with a lively boozy gig in Greenmeadows.
One doesn't preclude the other, of course, but all politics aside the Wednesday staging itself may well have posed a few logistical problems.
That is, the booking of midweek accommodation and the consequent extra day or days (in addition to the public holiday) needed off work to get punters to the party.
While the date (and hence midweek dilemma) is dictated by the touring availability of the artist, let's also remember the week prior it's Auckland Anniversary plus the first week of the school term.
Many folk will already be partied out, hunkered down or both.
But the pull of Mr Collins should mitigate any of these misgivings. He's of a calibre that could make a hump day gig work; anyone less than an A-class act would have been risky for those of us who reserve weekends for play time and school nights as more muted, domestic affairs.
Producer Sports Entertainment Limited chairman James Erskine's superlatives earlier this week were bang on: "Beyond thrilled" with the artist, "bucket list, world-class ... concert fans will not want to miss this one."
Collins is undoubtedly a coup.
Either way, we're in for the biggest Wednesday in the region's history.
