By Adam Burns
Electric Avenue has arrived in unknown waters a decade since its inception and now remains the “largest festival in Australlasses.” The 10th Christchurch Music Festival Race extended two days for the first time on Fridays and Saturdays, attracting more than 70,000 revelers to North Hagley Park to the most significant chapter of the event so far. Organizers are already thinking bigger and better for next year, bold flexibility for a time when live music events around the world are struggling to breathe.
There was a moment during the second day of Saturday of Electric Avenue, which may have brought a lot of satisfaction to the organizers.
It was during the presentation of the main stage of Sun-Baked by Kooks; Thousands in unison singing the opening verse of her single ‘she moves her way’.
This is a band whose first career conventional cut is almost 20 years behind them.
But at the moment, while Brighton’s band was going through their airy singles from their debut in 2006, it seemed an obvious cast of cast.
Even vocalist Luke Pritchard seemed surprised by the size and jubilant his participation.
“Wow, I think we’ll have a lot of fun together, you’re amazing.”
It was a similar story a day earlier, when the guys arrived on the “hangar” stage in a shrill reception.
New Zealand royalty, yes.
But listening to the crowd roaring the chorus to ‘happiness’ from the depths of the main stage was surprising, given the abundance of Millennials and Gen-Z’ers on site.
Photo: RNZ / Stan McFerrier
This year’s account was easily the largest and most expansive since the beginning of the festival.
And it had to be as organizers boldly committed to two days.
It was one of the main factors about why it attracted more than 70,000 through the gate in two days.
North Cantabrian Richard Low was one of a group of three who attended Saturday.
He spoke of memories of past local festivals of the past with the inclusion of established 90s titans such as The Prodigy and DJ Shadow.
“There are some old school DJs playing today, which I was interested in the meeting, maybe 25 years ago,” he said.
His friends Dean Griffin and Peter Hatton, both originally from Birmingham, agreed that Electric Avenue was the best music festival in the country.
“Pete and I are from the UK, so we are used to going to all these great festivals like Creamfields,” said Griffin.
“Prodigy and DJ Shadow is what we grew up.
“It’s great to have a dance festival, so we just gravitates it for that.”
The main attractions of Saturday, the prodigy, were a clear card for many of the festivals that RNZ spoke, particularly those who reached the age of their classic album trilogy in the 1990s that brought Rave Culture to the charts.
But several others in the artist of more than 50 Bill were enthusiastically referenced, highlighting how vast and eclectic an audience the promoters had cut.
The founder of the Callam Mitchell festival said that the careful curatorship of the formation goes a long way.
“We try to be very large in the programming and this is reflected in those who participate in the event.
“It’s not just 18 to 25 years old, a mixture of 25 to 35, a mixture of 35 to 45.
“We try to serve everyone and I think this reflects on the programming.”
Costs ‘passing through the roof’
Festivals like Electric Avenue are not cheap.
This year’s event cost $ 12 million, with almost half of the budget absorbed by the artist’s rates and accommodations.
Increasing inflation has seen event costs around the world firing to “inaccessible levels” and ensuring headline acts is also coming at a high price.
The European Festival Report (EFR) compiles initiatives and data from the festival throughout the continent.
The editor of his 2024 report, James Drury, said there were signs that the industry was experiencing a big excitement.
“The behavior and demands of the public, especially among younger participants, are changing quickly.
“The continuous increase in stadium shows; inflation in general, while ticket prices need to be kept under control and main attraction rates are rising to almost inaccessible levels, all are signs that this is a time of transition.”
The struggle to get headline talent was a big problem, Mitchell said.
“If you look at Coachella last year, they fought to get some of the great headlines they did in previous years,” he said.
“Many of these acts were doing stadium shows and tours and probably prefer it this way when they can control all aspects of the show.
“The cost to get the headline talent is going through the roof, let’s face it.”
Many festivals in Europe fought to make profit last year.
An anomaly has been a common term to describe the success of Electric Avenue.
In general, music festivals underneath are falling at a rate of us.
Electric Avenue, on the contrary, wants to increase.
Several festivals from New Zealand were canned to 2025, including Splore, Juicy Fest, Bay Dreams and Paradise City Rock Festival,
Next month’s place will be the last time the event will be held in Wellington, with its future and 2025.
Across Tasmania, the situation is more serious.
The splendor in the grass was discarded for the second year in a row, with the organizers explaining that they “needed a little more time to recharge.”
Other sign festivals, including spilled milk, the Falls Festival, Harvest Rock, Groovin the Moo and Caloudra Music Festival were not attended last year.
Last year, Australia’s live music was also placed in the federal microscope with the Minister of Arts requesting an investigation into the wavering sector.
ABC also reported that more than a third of Australian music festivals was losing money.
But long -time New Zealand musical promoter Brent Eccles said the New Zealand and Australia markets were overloaded by saturation.
“I think the word ‘festival’ has been really beaten lately.
“Personally, I don’t think many of the events that were presented are festivals.
“They have no ethos about them, they are just a formation.
“There have probably been many in the market and I think through natural friction they are falling and the real are standing … like Electric Avenue.”
Most expensive for artists tour
The English electronic duo and the state of Maribou were one of the main names of Saturday’s summary within the “hangar”.
Their sound, which mentions an organic and electronic zig -like Zig -like people like British colleagues such as Mount Kimbie and Bonobo, recently returned with a new album after a seven -year absence.
They are already realizing seismic changes when it comes to tour and postcovid tour and logistics.
Speaking to RNZ on Saturday before taking the stage, Liam Ivory explained that some artists were doing it very difficult.
“It is mainly up to the finances.
“Tour costs have just become much more expensive.
“Even the logistics side, it’s harder to move with your team and your kit.
“Flight costs are on the roof, airlines don’t need so much baggage so you need to carry your equipment, which is another cost.”
He added that he thought the organizers of Electric Avenue had reserved the couple “at the top of the account.”
“It’s very stressful to think about how difficult it is now, versus as it was a few years ago.
“It makes me think of bands that are at the level we were in 2018 and 2019 and how difficult it would be for them.
“My heart is with them because we are also finding it very challenging.”
Photo: RNZ / Stan McFerrier
Photo: RNZ / Stan McFerrier
Next steps to Electric Avenue
“Nothing lasts forever, but you ride while you can.”
That was Mitchell’s response when RNZ asked before the weekend festivities if Electric Avenue “Bubble could explode”.
The big question after the last edition of the festival was whether the two -day format worked and if an expansion to South Hagley Park could ensure that the event increases a little more.
There have been abundant highlights in both days, from Yurt Party Balkans to Electro Mashup, Pop and Duk trance, the size of a Duk arena, which sent thousands to delirium.
Speaking to several customers who participated in both days they got a mixed response to the two -day format, some preferring Friday’s “refrigerated” appetizers compared to Saturday’s attack.
Others felt differently and that the second day was the biggest day of the festival,
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Louise Upston, was seen on the second day of Hagley Park for Electric Avenue’s second day with her office saying she thought the event “was great.”
RNZ understands that the organizers discussed with Upston the eligibility of the Festival for Central Government financing through its main event strategy.
But for now, and in the face of serious challenges, Electric Avenue analyzes 2026.
