Concertgoers asked views

UB40 played to a packed house at Kainui Road Winery, Kerikeri, on January 6 and concertgoers are being asked how to make future events held there even better. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The promoters who brought the British reggae/pop band UB40 to Kerikeri have asked concertgoers to help them improve future events.

A sell-out crowd of 5000 packed the natural ampitheatre at Kainui Road Vineyard north of Kerikeri in January for the first show of UB40's New Zealand tour. Former Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison and Kiwi reggae veterans Herbs backed the main event. Ticket buyers to that concert have now been invited to fill out an online survey.

"We are busy choosing artists for next time and looking at ways to make the experience as perfect as we can," said Jackie Sanders of Jacman Entertainment.

The company is looking at the options of a good 'local' artist ("Dave Dobbyn would be fab") and another international star.

"We are trying to get an act that appeals across the board, so maybe two concerts next year," Ms Sanders said.

She said the Far North District Council had been a helpful supporter of the event, and has indicated it would like Jacman to stage more shows.

"We all now know it can work. We want to be able to gather as much feedback as possible to plan things better, hence the survey. Was it mainly locals? Did people travel to the region? How did they get there?" Ms Sanders said.

"This will help us with marketing future events, but more importantly improve traffic management and provide more options such as better parking facilities and cheaper buses to encourage people to use those."

Ms Jacman said the survey to help future planning was partly in response to services being more expensive in Northland than elsewhere in the country, while the company could not charge more for tickets.

"We want to keep on improving the event experience so it becomes an annual 'must do' for Northland and hopefully drive more visitors to the region."

Meanwhile, the FNDC is making $80,000 available to grow the district's top festivals and sporting and cultural events. It aims to invest in three to four events in 2016/17 and the deadline for event organisers to provide business cases is June 16. Go to http://www. fndc.govt.nz/about-the-district/economic-development.