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.