The Groove Guide - Interview

I recently gave an interview to Groove Guide about the up coming festival season. Here are my responses. 

Going back to day one, you had a big dream at a time where there was nothing like R&V around. What was the initial concept for R&V? Was there a sort of, initial brief or idea between the three of you as to what you wanted from your event?

Yes we had a mission statement for the festival business which is still relevant today. We wanted to run a safe and secure event. We wanted to be a platform for up and coming NZ musicians. We wanted to do justice to being the first place in the world to bringing in the new year. And we wanted to run a sustainable and profitable business. I think having and documenting an intial vision and working from this has been a big part of our success.

 Did you imagine R&V would grow into the huge NY icon that it has become? Did you see it having a future?

Not intially we were more about having a fun summer job to avoid becoming a labourer, learning how to set up a business, and run a kick ass NYE part while enjoying a summer by the beach in Gisborne. I was also passionate about learning more about the music industry as was keen to pursue that direction after university.

It became clear after the first event that we had stumbled upon a unique recipe and with key learnings we began planning the second event which drew 5000 people. The next year 10,000 to 15,000 and so on.
The last 5 years of a three day international model have been very stratgic and focused. There has been a lot of commitment and sacrifice to achieve our goals. No success happens by accident and it has taken lots of hard work on the back of calculated risks to build the festival to the current model. Its time to set some new goals!

1800 people for your first event is a pretty big crowd! Was it just friends of friends? How did getting The Black Seeds on board come about?

Between us at Otago University we had a large network of friends from all around NZ. An early marketing initative was to get a wide spread of friend at Gardies, buy a few crates and encourage them to spread the word about our concert around campus to different pockets of mates. This followed through to long email chains being sent around the country encouraging people to join us in Gisborne. These were the days before social media remember so we had to use our ingenuity!
I guess with the initial turnout being so strong it showed there was a gap in the market for a viable NYE offering, people were sick of the same old pub bands and troubled hot spots.
I had heard the Black Seeds play in Dunedin and thought there sun soaked reggae would be perfect accompaniment to our summer party in the vines.  After gauging their initial interest we flew the manager to join us at the Gisborne Wine and Food festival that spring and plied him with wine until he commited! 

    You’ve had some massive acts over the years, who as been your biggest “get”? How did you manage to get this artist on board?

Looking back I think Calvin Harris was a great booking. He had a reasonably profile but we had the heads up from our booking partners and the label that his next album was set to do big things. We put a sizeable offer and waited. Sure enough the album blew up right around his performance at Rhythm and Vines in 2011. I think it delivered 8 US Top 10 hits. Now he is the worlds most in demand and well paid DJ, with residencies in Vegas and Ibiza. We hope to have him back in future - if we can afford him

No doubt there are also some pretty good backstage secrets, what’s the one incident or drunken moment that you’ve always remembered?

There was a lot of pressure on Moby arriving as he was known for his fussy vegan rock star behaviour.  I was late for the pick up so met him directly at his hotel. He appeared slightly frazzled from a long flight so we took him up to the penthouse to try and settle him in with no drama. All the rider including humus and raw foods were in place. He took a look around the penthouse as soon enough popped his head out from the ensuite:
'What is an indian man doing in my bathroom?' I poked my head in and sure enough a man of indian decent was hiding in the shower. Turns out it had been the hotel plumber who had been fixing a leak when we turned up to survey the room.
Luckily Moby saw the funny side of it and went on to have one of the most memorable performaces the festival has ever seen.
Often it is not the artist who is pressure but rather his team around him who don't want any issues for their client.

Over there years, what is the biggest thing you have learnt about running this festival?

Don't be scared to say no. Thats goes for booking bands outside of budget, trying fit in people outside of your consent or promising to every local vendor space to sell their wares.

And as Winston Churchill said 'never, ever, ever give up'.

What is it that makes thousands upon thousands of people keep coming back to R&V when the market has become more and more competitive with NYE festivals over the years? 

I think we have a great recipe at R&V. The venue is world class, with amphitheaters nestles amongst the rolling hills and vines it really is a magic place. The crowd is reknown the world over, they are passionate and responsive music lovers. But most of all R&V has a sense of occasion. Purpose. It is the first place in the world to celebrate NYE. You can't beat that.

What's the biggest crowd to date? (Just confirming it is around 30,000?) 

Last years 30,000 people for the 10th year anniversary. Arguably all of them were in the main stage arena to watch the fireworks and be the first in the world to bring in midnight.

How far in advance do you start planning the next year’s event? 

We try to keep things rolling in January. It actually is a busy time not just for our site team but also debriefing with staff and contractors, thanking sponsors, artists etc. It is nice to have some down time in Feb to enjoy the kiwi summer along with other people's events! But from March onwards it is all go again. A lot of planning then goes in over the winter, it is the busiest time for a lot of the team implementing marketing plans, securing talent, refining our internal systems. And come spring time its time to get the delivery and on site ready. So very seasonal but like any working business there is always something to attend to.

What’s a typical planning session for R&V like? Do you just dream up your perfect festival and go from there?

Ha not at all.  We go away as a business together in Feb and plan what we want to achieve for the coming year. Then weekly meetings are broken up into, marketing, program, sponsorship etc.
We have a passionate and committed team and we do try and get around the world experiencing other festivals. Its great to bring new ideas and contacts home to New Zealand.

Looking ahead, who is an artist you would love to get for R&V in the next few years to come?

I think a legendary dance act like the Prodigy or Daft Punk. It may be ambitious both acts are hugely popular around the world. Daft Punk for one have not toured in 7 years. But i think both suit the occasion. It is a party after all!

 What does the future hold for R&V?  

We want to keep the festival sustainable and stay in business which is paramount.  We don't have huge expansion plans for Gisborne and are happy with the current model. We may add like Glamping and possibly increased on site accomodation options. Focus needs to be on refining systems like RFID technology and. It would be great to see Rhythm and Alps on par with the Gisborne event. I'd like to see R&V be a catalyst for NZ tourism, just like Tomorrowland brings 1000's of visitors to Belgium each summer.
I think an exciting dream would be to the opportunity to export the R&V model to other markets.  We think we have a unique offering that would work well in other vineyards regions around the world. 

The Listener - Interview

I recently gave an interview with the Listener for the up coming festival season. These were my reponses to the questions.

What do people want in a music festival these days? Or does it fragment into age groups, artist genre selection and one-day vs multiple day events?

Of course most festivals are tailored to a certain crowd and demographic.  You can’t be something to everyone or you begin to alienate the core market. R&V is tailored to those who can take time off during the festive season to travel to Gisborne for one memorable kiwi summer music experience. We are about a journey and a celebration. R&V is about unbridled escapism and joy with your friends at a time of year when the last thing you want to think about is reality. Its about sharing this euphoria with friends and like-minded people in a world class setting.

It takes a culmination of things to achieve the ultimate festival experience. At R&V we pride ourselves on having a world class venue to start with. We have a history, a sense of occasion, and a purpose.  We have an experienced and passionate festival delivery team – all 2000 of them. We book acts which suit the occasion. Gisborne as a destination is a fantastic host city with its sunshine and beaches. Punters are there to enjoy themselves, there is never any trouble. Every one is there for a good time. Its tough to get the recipe right year in year out but when you do, it magic.

You started R&V when you were 21 and its been going for a decade now and employs a dozen full time staff. What else has changed about running a festival in that time?

When we began there were a lot of industry nay-sayers saying that music festivals in this country were a poisoned chalice, and were doomed to fail.  This was early 2000’s - hot on the heels of The Gathering’s demise, the Sweetwaters debacle - even the millennium celebrations in Gisborne which capitulated before peoples eyes.  We went in to our festival dream with blind ignorance, confidence and belief in our concept  Somehow we swept everyone up with us along the way. We wanted to run a professional venture and our mentors helped us establish a solid business structure from the outset which remains today and has been a big part of us achieving our goals with the project.

The advent of kiwi music has played a big part in our early success. From an initial cultural cringe came a proud following of homegrown talent, particulary in the roots reggae genre. This sounds suited the kiwi summer environment we were trying to create at R&V. On the back of this initial interest soon came complacency - many of these acts became tired and overplayed so we began to look at off shore acts. We have established touring networks to help attract fresh talent which continues today.

The growth of the internet has been a huge part of our growth, punters now have access to trends and concepts popular off shore. They watch festivals online like Coachella and Tomorrowland and want a similar experience here in NZ with large production and cutting edge talent. At no point can we compete with these festivals but we do our best to align our vision with international reference points.

Social media is a huge part of marketing. It means we can have constant communications with our market through out the year. In the early years we used to get our friends down to Gardies to spread the word about our party, or send on group emails encouraging people to forward them on. Now we do a post on facebook and have access up to active 80l

We have had four arrests in 10 years.  We have shown it is possible to gather large groups of youth, entertainmen them and they behave.  This was a vision for the festival from the start and it still remains. We have relatively realistic controls on alcohol consumption and crowd control.  We let people enjoy themselves. It’s a party after all!

Its not easy running successful music festivals. What did you learn?

Surround yourself with experts. We bought in some in areas such as production, event management and artist liaison. You only know what you know. Also to never, ever, ver give up.

We have learnt the hard way to stick to budget and work within your means. It can be a risky game when the numbers aren’t stacking up.

Why did you go from one day to three days in 2008?

After 5 years of the one-day concept we felt we had reached a ceiling.  We had had most of the top kiwi acts through the event.  We couldn’t secure international talent on a new years eve as they were price. 

We noticed people were coming to Gisborne for the week anyway, only to almost wait around for NYE.

Also we had all the site dressed up ready for one night, security on town etc. It made economic sense to spread these costs over three days.

You have to keep evolving and keep things fresh. Not just for the punters but staff as well.

You are now getting 25,000 attendees What do they tell you sets Rhythm and Vines apart for them?

The venue is one point of different. We always say our site at Waiohika Estate is our headliner. The rolling Tarawhiti hills nestled within the vines, with distant views to Young Nicks Head are reknown the world over from punters and artists alike. It really is a special place to hold a festival. A good setting whether its somewhere to lie on the grass, through to access to getting a beer or into a stage are in my eyes paramount to a successful and popular festival.

The sense of occasion is an original part of Rhythm and Vines. It was after founded as a new years eve celebration. A chance to let your hair down with friend with some top entertainement in a safe and secure world class settting.  This still rings true today. It was by conincidence that Gisborne is also the first city in the world to bring in the new year. The atmosphere and anticipation as the hours count down to midnight is. Then over 25,000 in unision experiencing the sky light up with fireworks. It really is magic.

The crowd also sets us apart. People travel from near and far. There is no riff raff. We have had 4 arrests in 10 years – no one is there to cause trouble.  Kiwi’s are great crowd. Artists love playing because everyone is so engaged. The stages are built for close crowd interaction. The vibe at R&V is electric and really is something unique to anywhere I have been in the world.

Is it hard to persuade artists and bands to come to Gisborne?

Intially yes. We had to convince kiwi bands to make the trip to Gisborne on the back of our wild idea. But we were providing fees and crowds they couldn’t dream of. Then we had to establish an international reputation. I guess we paid artists over and above initially to get in the market. I remember knocking on doors of agencies in London and trying to convince agents to send their acts on a plane. They wouldn’t do it for just one gig.

Now we have an established reputation.  We are friends with lots of the agents and musicians who support our event.  Our artist liaison team is world class and most have a memorable experience. This coupled with a passionate crowd who are engaged in every song.  What’s not to love?

There are some challenges with our kiwi peso and the production specs we can deliver in Gisborne. Its not like we can land a jumbo jet full of staging and production. But we work within our means.

Who are your must sees this year?

I’m looking forward to Rhythm and Alps! After 10 years in Gisborne I am heading down south to help spearhead our South Island festival.  With our new look site in the Cadrona Valley I really think it is going to develop into something that will give the Gisborne event a run for its money.

But both festivals have some great acts this year.  It’s exciting to have Shapeshifter back at the festival. They last played at the one day instalment 6 years ago. They are fanastic live band on the back of a killer new album going to be perfect to lead us into the first place in the world to bring in midnight.

We are also bringing out to Gisborne some of the hottest your producers from the UK including Dusky and Rustie.  These will be surely be names spoken about in years to come just as likes of Disclosure and Major Lazer all developed profiles on the back of memorable R&V performances.

Empire of the Sun, who’s performance back in 2009 was arguably one of the hottest show we have, are back on the back of popular festival run overseas. Hip hop has always gone down well with our crowd and Wiz Kahlifa is the biggest name in the genre. Plus chart toppers Rudimental taking us into 2014 – it’s going to be one to remember!

You have just won the 2013 PATA young Tourism Entreprenuer.  What does it take to be an entrepreneur in NZ?

I guess being an entreprenuer takes focus and commitment.  You really have to be clear what you want to achieve and stick with it.  Maybe not so much how you intend to do it, as this often changes along the way! I know I had to pass up the chance to use my degree and build a legal career, or stay in NZ when all my friends were heading off shore on their OE’s.  It seems like an easy decision looking back but these were all tests to my stickability and focus on following my path with R&V.  To have 11 years trading history and success is a testament to this commitment. We have definitely been through some ups and down’s at times holding on for dear life but we have never given up on our vision.

I think our generation in NZ have a great opportunity to become entreprenuers. One dimensional careers in the traditional sense are not as common place, people can multi task and transfer between industries with relative ease now days.  International trends and are now presenting themselves via internet, many great ideas are one mouse click away. Also the local environment is in place to launch an idea.  I understand NZ was recently voted one of the top places to start a business. There is relatively low barriers to entry. There is a great support network from the mentorships of Icehouse to government department’s NZTE with scholarships and grants.  It really is an exciting time to take a risk and follow your dream.

The Red Bulletin - Interview

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I recently gave an interview for the Red Bulletin magazine about the up coming festival season. Here were my responses.

      What and where was the first festival you went to and what are your memories of it?

The first festival I attended was the Big Day Out of 1999. After popping my concert cherry earlier that year at Pearl Jam at Mt Smart, I pleaded with my parents to let me hit a fully fledged festival experience. I had been inspired by sisters stories of the Prodigy and Soundgarden a few years earlier.  As a budding musician at the time I was still firmly entrenched in the grunge revolution so was intially not a huge fan of nu metal goths Korn and Marilyn Manson. I remember poking me head into the Boiler Room to catch Fat Boy Slim as dance music was at its peak.  I left soaked in sweat having run myself ragged, and was enamored with the experience of a full day out with music and friends.

When was the first festival you were involved with behind the scenes and what was your role?

The first Rhythm and Vines 2003! I had previously done some small promoting around Dunedin with my covers band at the time – ‘Big Men On Campus’.  I approached the infamous scarfie watering hole of the Captain Cook Hotel with an idea to perform and promote on Wed nights which were notourious for a wild night out, full of students fuelled up on cheap drinks to get over the hump day. They signed us up for three shows for $1000. I managed to negotiate a bar tab and burger for the band each night. We were away!

So when we had an idea for a new years eve party I just really taught myself on the job. I wasn’t scared to make mistakes or to pick myself back up and keep on learning. My father had had some experience with project management so was able to mentor us, making us right lists and tick things off.  We did our best to delegate to our small staff of friends who had joined us in Gisborne.  After the first R&V I was hungry to learn more so volunteered to help with the OUSA student concerts over Orientation.  I held up the crowd barrier for a racous rock and roll mosh pit when the Datsuns cam back into town fresh off their UK success. After leaving university I went to work for my cousin who runs Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. It was here I experience how a more corporate entertainment company works and it definitely inspired me continue to grow the R&V brand and festival.

-     When/where did you first get the idea of starting R&V? Paint me a picture of the conversations that were had about creating a music festival and how it came together?

I was studying law at the University of Otago when my friend Tom Gibson bought me into a conversation at a flat party wondering whether our band would be free to perform at new years. We began talking about how everyone was heading over to Sydney for NYE and there seemed no viable options for celebrating here in NZ. The idea expanded to to get all our friends together to be entertained by some local bands at a beach location somewhere. We wanted the event to be safe and secure and attract a more outgoing, sociable demographic along the lines of our friends at university. We had a few beers down at Gardies to flesh out the idea more and became more excited with the potential to gather networks from far and wide to a summer party. We just needed a venue.

My flat mate at the time Andrew Witters had a photo on his flat of his family property at Waiohika Estate. He encouraged us to write to his Dad to see if the venue would be free.  Next thing we were on a plane to Gisborne to pitch our party idea which we had named Rhythm and Vines. With the recently built amphitheatre in Gisborne secured we began booking bands and marketing the party around campus.  The rest as they say is history!

Was there a gap in the festival market you were hoping to plug? If so, what was the gap and how did R&V address it?

I think the gap we were going for was something a bit more premium both in setting and cliental, and something safe and secure. At the time NZ new years was reknown for riots, long lines and the same old pub bands playing up and down the country.  We wanted to drink Heineken out of glass bottles without the threat they would later be used to bottle us.  We wanted to hear new music and provide a stage for up and coming kiwi musicians.  We wanted to combine a new years party with a road trip and summer holiday in a classic kiwi location.  We wanted to meet like minded people from around NZ. I guess some of those early philosophies haven’t changed.

-     What has been the evolution of R&V in terms of line-ups and side shows to attract punters?

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In the early years we tried to encourage a wide spectrum of music. We booked different acts playing a variety of styles which grew in intensity leading up to midnight. We had a mix of folk, rock, ska, funky house, progressive house, drum and bass and breaks all on the one stage taking punters on a journey towards sunrise.

The line up we had in our third year of 2005 will go down as one of the greatest ever. Fat Freddy’s Drop had recently cleaned up at the NZ music awards, and along with old masters Salmonella Dub up and coming bands Kora Shapeshifter and the Black Seeds it encompassed the future of the scene. It really was an exciting time for kiwi roots music at its peak.

Since then we have tried to evolve in line with current music trends. After attending SXSW in 2008 I began to intergrate more of an indie sound which was popular internationally at the time.  This was spearheaded by local acts Mint Chicks, The Tutts, Motocade etc.  This was carried into our first three day model with headliners such as Franz Ferdinand and The Kooks.

Hip hop had a focus for a few years there with Public Enemy, NERD and Tinie Tempah, then onto the more recent EDM boom with acts such as Calvin Harris, Knife Party and Chase and Status. I guess we have tried to keep up with trends and acts relevant to our demographic and those that work with the sense of occasion that R&V celebrates. It is a new year eve party after all!

Given our size and scope now we try to encompass a full spectrum of styles and genres.  Whether it is the indie pop of Empire of the Sun, the hip hop of Wiz Kahlifa, the drum and bass of Rudimental. And a big focus on homegrown talent with leading kiwi acts Shapeshifter, David Dallas and Phoenix Foundation. Something for everyone.

In regard to side shows our relationships with agents have led us to have opportunity to present touring acts through our the year. We recently completed a sell out Disclosure show and we have also run shows for likes of Skrillex, Nero, Netsky and Fat Boy Slim. Have come along way from seeing him at Big Day out in 1998 to promoting him here in Auckland! We want to continue to be bringing world class artists to NZ and being part of a vibrant live music scene.

-     To your mind, how are festivals an essential part of live music culture in NZ in terms of allowing punters to see artists they might not get a chance to otherwise?

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I guess in the 10 years since we have been around festivals have become a common place in NZ.  The kiwi summer is full of something each weekend. The growth and development of NZ music has a huge part to play on this, but I think with the rise of the internet and touring networks, kiwi are also expecting and keen to see more international acts as well. Festivals are a great form of escapism from every day life. They are a chance to meet new friends and old ones. They are a chance to experience kiwi settings whether by the beach or the bush. We can celebrate home grown artists along with international ones.

The saturation of festivals in Australia has meant we can nip over the ditch to catch any number of acts.  There has never been a more popular festival market in this part of the world.

When does planning for the festival begin? Is it pretty much a full-time job?

It was initially more of a seasonal operation in the early years, running summer to summer. We now have a pretty full calender of events from Feast Gisborne through to our two new years festivals Alps and Vines which take a fair amount of preparation and focus all year around. We have 12 full time staff and a permant base in Auckland down at Britomart, along with the homestead at Waiohika Estate for when we head to Gisborne.

Post show is a time for debriefing and setting plans in place for the coming year.  You can’t just wind down from a three day festival over night! During the year is when the planning happens, whether it booking acts, new sponsorship, or rolling our marketing initatives.  We are constantly fine tuning whether it is ticketing systems, RFID wristnbands, or internal business systems. Towards the end of the year it is getting the delivery ready and by December it is all hands on deck.

Intertwined is our new touring arm which is taking shape, running concerts through out NZ. We intend to complete 30 side shows this year and grow this to 50 by next.

-     Who decides on which artists will play R&V?

We have a passionate and experienced program team who work through a matrix outlining a number of pros and cons in the delicate process of selecting the lineup. Access to relevant acts is important, obviously the cost and relevant return on investment as well.  Other factors like where they are currently on the touring and album release cycle, and how recently they had performed in our territory. We are lucky enough to get to a number of festivals throughout the world and keep a close eye on who is performing well. We are constantly talking to our demographic through social media and focus groups, following trends in NZ and around the world. A lot of it comes down to gut instinct as well, we are passionate festival attendees and have a fairly good idea what will work. I like to think this is one area of the festival we have been successful having championed a number of now prominent local and international acts so long may it continue.

-     Who are the musicians on your wishlist who are yet to play the festival?

Where to start.  We have been lucky to secure some acts that are constantly requested over the years.  Chase and Status, Disclosure, Pendulum, Netsky. We try our best to listen to the market and bring the most relevant acts to the festival.

An ultimate act? Daft Punk is often bandied around by punters and staff alike.  I think they culminate the sound of a generation of R&V attendees and their EDM soaked productions would be perfect new year eve fodder. Plus even more relevant with the release of a new album. They haven’t toured for over 7 years now but chances are they may be back on the road shortly.  We still check in with the agent every now and then as to their availability.  If you don’t ask you never know!

Personally – I’m a rock guitar man myself and a dream lineup could include any one of the White Stripes, The Strokes, Foo Fighters or Muse. We might need to extend the runway in Gisborne if we are ever going to land a big touring act though! Not to sure how their extensive productions would cope bringing a series of trucks down through the Waioeke Gorge to the edge of the world!

-     R&V's locations is as much a draw-card as the lineups. To your mind, what's the importance of the site in terms of attracting large crowds?

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-     We always say our site at Waiohika Estate is our headliner. The rolling hills of Waiohika Estate nestled within the vines, with distant views to Young Nicks Head are reknown the world over from punters and artists alike. It really is a special place to hold a festival. A good setting whether its somewhere to lie on the grass, through to access to getting a beer or into a stage are in my eyes paramount to a successful and popular festival.

What is the secret to catering to a NYE crowd?

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-     I think at the end of the day the entertainment needs to be something that make the crowd put their hands in the air.  It is a new years celebration after all. Need the create euphoria and of what a midnight celebration deserves. This is the crowds summer holiday, often a memorable and pivotal memory in their lives. We need to be the catalyst for this. Decent production is important. And getting a cold beer when you want and access to toilets!

What makes a great festival?

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-     It is a culmination of things to achieve the ultimate festival experience. At R&V we pride ourselves on having a world class venue to start with. We have history, occasion, and purpose.  We have an experienced and passionate festival delivery team – all 2000 of them. We book acts which suit the occasion. Gisborne as a destination is a fantastic host city with its sunshine and beaches. Punter are there to enjoy themselves, there is never any trouble. Every one is there for a good time. Its tough to get the recipe right year in year out but when you do, it magic.

What are the biggest challenges facing festival organisers and promoters in NZ - financial risk, planning consent etc?

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There are any number of challenges promoters such as ourselves face in doing what we do. The safety and security of our 30,000 punters is paramount. We work closely with local authorities and registered event professionals to run a safe and secure event. Having a sustainable business is essential, we need to ensure the numbers stack up to keep us in the game, year in year out.  We are lucky in that we have a successful trading and delivery record, and now the experience and reputation of the festival has begun to sell it self. We sell a number of tickets prior to the lineup coming out which as a promoter is a great place to be. Having fun is also key – if we are not having fun its not worth doing! We love our job and and the events we run.  Our staff are passionate about its presentation and success of our events. We try to keep each festival fresh with a new lineup, creative direction through to brand look and feel. Maintaining this level of passion in what we do is important. Without this we might as well work for a bank!

Do you need a cast iron stomach when it comes to the sort of financial challenges that putting on R&V entails?

For sure. Any business takes a fair bit of risk and you need to have the confidence an ability to weather a few storms on the way to calmer waters. I think it is key to surround yourself with good people. We have wide skillset within our team, and have engaged industry experts in areas to booster our expertise.  We always strive to be using best practice for all our business dealings and concepts. Never be to scared to ask for assistance. You only know what you know! But any venture requires a great deal of courage and belief. My philosophy is to focus on the end goal and never, ever, ever give up.