Inaugural Auckland City Limits Hailed A Success

It drew a capacity 25,000 to Western Springs Stadium March 19. “Being the first of its kind, we conservatively expected 20,000,” said NZ promoter CRS Presents’ Campbell Smith, who organised the 12-hour event with C3 Presents and Live Nation Australasia.

“It was one of the easiest, smoothest, most well-run music festivals Auckland has ever had,” declared the NZ Herald.

The bill over five stages was headlined by Kendrick Lamar (organisers had also hoped to secure Beck) and included a mix of international acts including The National, Action Bronson, Kamasi Washington, Modest Mouse, St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Girl Talk, and major globally acclaimed New Zealand acts The Naked And Famous, Ladyhawke, Phoenix Foundation, Broods, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Tami Nelson, Che Fu and Shapeshifter.

Auckland City Limits drew kudos for the diversity of its bill, its organisation (despite early sound problems and lengthy food, bar and toilet queues) and a laid-back atmosphere augmented by art installations, festival fashion, food from the city’s top chefs, markets, amusement rides, a virtual reality room and a dedicated kids space.