Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Review: Lakeside 2018 in Rotorua a moving community event

Shauni James
By Shauni James
Rotorua Weekender reporter·Rotorua Daily Post·
18 Feb, 2018 04:05 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

This weekend I went along to my first Lakeside concert - and I am so glad I did.

My out-of-town friend and I settled down on our blanket, not 100 per cent sure what to expect.

I thought it was such a great idea to have all home-grown talent, and what talent this city has!

It was super-exciting to see my colleague Kelly Makiha up on stage, and she rocked it as usual.

Read more: Rotorua's Lakeside kicks off in superhero fashion
Piripi Curtis' vision to come to reality at Rotorua's Lakeside
Rotorua's Lakeside 2018: All you need to know

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Other highlights for me included former Western Heights High band Strangely Arousing and Sons of Zion.

Strangely Arousing are such a talented group and I loved how members took on more than one instrument in a song.

Lakeside. Racheal McConnell, (left), and Joe Fraser.
Lakeside. Heidi Rudd and Zoe Rudd, 4,
Lakeside. Richard Anaru.
Lakeside. Kathy Tuhakaraina with Cairo.
Lakeside.
Lakeside. Alayna Powley.
Lakeside. Noelle Dannenbring.
Lakeside.
Lakeside.  Modern Maori Quartet.
Lakeside. Moana Maniapoto.
Lakeside. Strangely Arousing.
Lakeside.  Kelly Makiha.
Lakeside. Kelly Makiha.
Lakeside. Stacey Morrison.
Lakeside.  Turanga Merito.
Lakeside. Sons of Zion.
Lakeside.
Lakeside.
Lakeside.
Lakeside.
Howie Morrison Trio and the Modern Maori Quartet.
Hohaia Macfarlane.

Image 1 of 23: Lakeside. Racheal McConnell, (left), and Joe Fraser.

Sons of Zion were great too, with amazing voices. I do wish we got to see a bit more from them though!

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

MC Stacey Morrison did a brilliant job keeping the show together, and highlighting all the "wonder women" we have among us.

The visual show behind the performers was top-class and really added to the overall performances.

The atmosphere was awesome, and it was great to see and hear families laughing and smiling all around.

The Modern Maori Quartet get the crowd swaying. Photo / Ben Fraser
The Modern Maori Quartet get the crowd swaying. Photo / Ben Fraser

Yes, there were groups of teenagers hanging around, being rowdy and slightly annoying at times, but I was lucky enough not to see any drama unfold during my break from the blanket to pick up snacks.

Discover more

Police studies students help at Lakeside

19 Feb 06:09 PM

Lakeside needs to find alternative funding

20 Feb 08:27 PM

Strangely Arousing finalists for album award

22 Mar 10:00 PM

Strangely Arousing performs in Asia

18 Aug 01:00 AM

The fireworks display was amazing for a free event. I was cringing a bit at the loudness of the bangs, but that is just because I am a bit of a wuss when it comes to those sorts of things.

One of my favourite parts of the concert was the memorial to local loved ones who have passed.

It was such a special moment to have everyone holding up their forms of light together and remembering all these people who were a part of our community.

It was such a great and moving idea and I am sure those featured on the screen would be proud to see their community coming together in this way.

I am also looking forward to finding out how much was raised for Waiariki Women's Refuge at the event.

Fingers crossed it was an awesome amount which will help it continue its amazing work.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Rotorua Daily Post

Bustles, ballgowns and bustiers: Why costumiers get bitten by the cosplay bug

25 Jun 05:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

20 Jun 04:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

19 Jun 05:01 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Bustles, ballgowns and bustiers: Why costumiers get bitten by the cosplay bug

Bustles, ballgowns and bustiers: Why costumiers get bitten by the cosplay bug

25 Jun 05:00 AM

Costumiers will wear their finest garments at a fantasy event in Rotorua next month.

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

Rotorua Home & Lifestyle Show returns

20 Jun 04:00 PM
How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

How to celebrate Matariki in Rotorua

19 Jun 05:01 AM
Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP