Revolver festival to be planned as annual event

Te Rua Wallace models a design created by a Waiariki student. Photo/Ben Fraser.

The Revolver Music and Creative Arts Festival is being planned as an annual event after the success of its inaugural show.

The event held at Waiariki Institute of Technology's Mokoia Campus on Saturday featured local bands alongside students of the Academy of Singing and Music.

Event organiser Richard Anaru said highlights included performances from this year's Smokefree Pacifica Beats winners Strangely Arousing and Smokefree Rockquest regional winners Aftershock and reggae band 1814.

"It was fantastic, the music was incredible as well as the fashion show from the students of the Creative Arts and Design. There was tremendous input from everyone involved.

"The boulevard at Waiariki was simply outstanding, it was a natural amphitheatre and although we were light on numbers, there was still a high quality of music."

Mr Anaru said it was a chance to celebrate the work of the music academy students and give them an opportunity to play on a big stage in front of an audience.

"They were able to perform their original music and have it critically assessed and appreciated, to a certain extent.

"We will certainly be putting Revolver on the Waiariki event calendar.

"There are still things to work on and do better but we now have a really good template to make this bigger and better, so really looking forward to next year."

He said the organisers appreciated the support they received from Waiariki and Rotary Sunrise and the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) band that took part.