Te Whakarewarewa Valley will be alive with the sound of music in November as traditional showband performers and some of New Zealand's latest pop artists come together on one stage in a spectacular showbands-style concert.
Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its establishment under parliamentary legislation, with a series of major events in November and December including the Showbands in the Pa concert on Saturday, November 30.
The concert celebrates the musical legacy of Rotorua iwi, Te Arawa, and combines the best of the Maori showbands era with contemporary artists and arrangements.
"The development of Maori showbands during the 1950s and 60s created an important cultural backdrop during a period when Te Puia also became a well-known cultural icon," concert producer Monty Morrison said.
"The concert celebrates the link between the past and present. Made famous by cultural icons such as Billy T James and the Howard Morrison Quartet, it is also about demonstrating that the era of Maori showbands is still alive today."