Tami Neilson to headline at Whanganui Vintage Weekend

Tami Neilson is guest artist at next year’s Vintage Weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Every year Vintage Weekend turns Wellington Anniversary weekend into an activity-filled spectacle for Whanganui people and thousands of visitors.

It is one of the highlights of the local calendar.

“The community is incredible at supporting it,” says Vintage Weekend Trust chairman Bruce Jellyman. “But, going forward, money will continue to be a problem for this type of project.

“If we want an event like this to carry on resonating with Whanganui people ... the out-of-towners come and they get one experience, but we need to keep renewing and revitalising the event for Whanganui people, so that they can feel that they can keep supporting it. Look, it’s great, but it’s got to keep being great.”

Next year’s event has brought Property Brokers on board as the major sponsor: they would have been there this year but it was cancelled for Covid-related reasons.

Vintage Weekend is sponsored by Property Brokers, Whanganui District Council and Whanganui & Partners.

“This next one is our 10th and we’re pretty proud of that. It’s outstanding. Part of that 10th anniversary is doing something like this — getting Tami Neilson here,” says Bruce. “Country singer, soul singer, she is one of those performing artists that you go to just because they are an outstanding performer.”

Bruce says she transcends genres to be a major attraction even for those who may not be into country music.

“This year, she won three awards at the New Zealand Music Awards.”

For her album, Kingmaker, she received Best Country Artist, Best Solo Artist and Best Producer. Tami produced the album herself.

“That is only beaten by L.A.B’s haul. She’s in pretty good company. So we’re really rapt to have her coming for our 10th birthday.”

Bruce says when they were working on what to do for the occasion, they were looking at elevating the event, not merely making it bigger.

“We wanted to make things resonate more. There are two projects around that and this is one of them.”

Tami’s concert is to fill Sunday night, to encourage people to stay in town and entice visitors to stay another night.

“It’s a big ask: the Opera House at this time is hugely busy so I’m very grateful to them for saying, yes, we can do this, Bruce. I have asked quite a bit of [Opera House staff] because they finish with the opera the night before. So we have to turn the theatre over and get this rehearsed and on stage.

“The theatre size is about right for her and she does tend to sell out shows.”

Bruce says the Sunday night concert could possibly become a regular part of Vintage Weekend.

Tami Neilson performed at Vintage Weekend in 2015 and Bruce remembers it well. She sang on the Ridgway St stage with her band.

“It was Elise [Goodge] who brought her here.”

Bruce suggests tickets to Tami’s show could be a good Christmas present for someone special.

“The other thing the trust is doing is invigorating Drews Ave. On the Saturday, Mainstreet will have the Caboodle, which is Avenue-based ... Drews Ave, by then, will have other businesses open.

“We are closing off Drews Ave and on the Friday night we’ll have an official opening, followed by a bit of a party at Porridge Watson, of course. It’s a quirky, artisan space, and we wanted to recreate Drews Ave as an artisan, retro space for the day. There will be retro stalls ... and there will be lots of activities on the intersection. That’s going to be a really cool space.”

Vintage Weekend in Whanganui is on over the three days of Wellington Anniversary Weekend — January 21-23 — with extra events on the night of January 20.