Te Hiku residents set to catch vibes at new music festival

Kaitāia's Norizin are the support band for headline act 1814 at the upcoming Lakeside Vibes 2023 Festival at Lake Ngātu this Friday.

Far North music fans are in for a treat with a full card of local acts ready to take the stage by storm at Lakeside Vibes this week.

A star-studded line-up is on the bill for the Far North’s newest music festival, set to take place at Lake Ngātu on Friday, February 3.

The massive Roots/Rock/Reggae/RnB music festival will wrap up late in the evening with a set from Kaeo reggae giants 1814.

Household heroes Papas Pack put the Far North on the global map last year with their rendition of the well-known waiata (song) Muriwhenua.

The young, vibrant ‘pack’ of siblings and cousins sang their waiata to the Top 10 most played songs on Spotify for weeks on end and were selected to present the waiata at last year’s Waiata Anthems 2022.

Papa's Pack performing at Ngati Kuri's #HIKOITO100 music festival in May. Photo / Supplied

Kaitāia five-piece band Norizin has earned a headline support spot in recognition for their recent debut album dropped on Spotify, Lions Mentality.

A slick production full of epic songwriting, catchy hooks, smooth vocals, mean musicianship and dope beats, the group decided to ice this album with te reo Māori, showcasing Far North musical infusion at its finest.

These boys are the package, and watching them live is a roots-rock-reggae experience.

Other acts on the bill include Rotorua-based band Origin Roots Aotearoa (ORA), who have just released their debut album, Coming For Yah.

Crete, a former finalist in 2017′s Far North’s Got Talent, is a Hokianga-based vocalist. Her soulful and angelic voice captivated the ears of Stan Walker, who welcomed her to join his 2022 national tour.

Chemamari, led by one of the Far North’s musical godfathers, Jeff Harris, is joined by his son Gibz, who recently skyrocketed to national television stardom during his performances on the 2022 TVNZ show 60 Seconds.

Gibz ended his year on a high with an invitation to perform at Auckland’s Christmas in the Park.

Zentarge, better known in the Far North as “The Busking Ballers”, have earned a spot after a stellar year of performances throughout Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.

Their most recent performance captured the attention of L.A.B. keyboardist and multi-award-winning musician Stu Kora, who rewarded the young stars by joining their band for a three-hour-long jam session.

The dynamic duo will be joined by aspiring young local vocalist Promise Taniwha.

Lakeside Vibe 2023 will deliver non-stop music and laidback vibes in the idyllic environment of Lake Ngātu, along with a huge emphasis on whakapapa (ancestry), whānau (family) and whenua (land).

Event spokesperson Boycie Tawhara said he’d watched many of the performers growing up, honing their craft and following their dreams at various talent events he and sister Micah had organised over the past 20 years.

As anticipation and momentum builds ahead of next week’s big event, Tawhara reminded veterans of the local music scene how Lakeside Vibes harked back to the renowned Sweetwater Festival, held at the same location on Jeff Walker’s farm in the early 1970s.

On behalf of organisers, he acknowledged the founders of the original festival for their inspiration and mana, before turning his attention back to Friday’s show.

“We have nine hours of entertainment, with other artists on the cards including 1SS, Come on Up, DJ Venom, IllumiNgāti, Incite, JTB, Just2Māori, Musika Collective, Nary, Pierce, Soulsista, The Unknown, Tihei, TS and Two for the Road” he said.

Each general admission ticket to the all-ages show allows entry for one adult and two children, aged 12 years and under.

Food stalls and a licensed bar will be on-site, while small picnics will also be allowed at the SmokeFree, MSD, Hāpai Te Hauora, The Plugg, and Tribe Collective-sponsored event.

All profits will go to Shine On Kaitāia and Te Hiku Music Academy.

Both organisations place a heavy focus on promoting and raising the profile of talented youth creatives.

Lakeside Vibes will be held at Lake Ngātu on Friday, February 3, from 1pm to 10pm.

Tickets for the festival start from $50 general admission and $100 VIP, and can be purchased from iTicket.co.nz.