Readers look home and away for festival talent

Anika Moa

From Kiwi greats Anika Moa, Herbs and Lorde to international rockers the Rolling Stones and AC/DC, Northern Advocate readers have some firm ideas of the acts they'd like to see perform at Whangarei's annual Fritter Festival.

The third festival in March was the biggest yet, with the 5000 attendance 25 per cent up from 2014, according to a report prepared for the Whangarei District Council.

Venues and Events Whangarei manager John Lynch said 5000 people attended the festival which featured headline act Dave Dobbyn along with reggae band 1814 and Tahuna Breaks. Local bands included Tempist Fujit, JPG, Co-Lab, Legacy, Two Kay and Taylah Barker.

The festival injected more than $1 million into the local economy, with the average attendee spending $185 in the district.

Each year council contracts three headline New Zealand acts and completes the line-up with local talent.

We asked readers who they would like to perform at the next Fritter Festival.

Sally Elson: "Please please don't make it when the Beach Hop Whangamata is on!!! Make it before or after and get some Aussie Bands that come over for that too!!

Jenny Sergeant: "[Former Northlander] Danny Waho, I last saw him performing at a jazz festival several years in Paihia. He was playing with a NZ band called Continuum, for the festival. He now lives in Australia. A very talented, but humble musician. Love to see him perform again especially in Northland."

Gavin Toki: "Bands for fritters fest Ardijah, Hello Sailor, Sal Valentine and The Baby Shakes, Herbs."

David Kay: "The young guys from the band TWO KAY are a must for the 2016 Fritter festival. Why get in overseas acts when you have such brilliant local talent. Yes, I am the dad of one of the band members."

Ian Johnson: "Get the Rolling Stones or AD/DC, or if we can't afford them what about trying to reform Crowded House or Split Enz for a World comeback tour starting in Whangers, now that would get people talking."