Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
{{short description|Outdoor music festival in New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox music festival
| name = Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
| image = GreatNgauruwahiaMusicFestival.jpg
| caption =
| location = Ngāruawāhia on the Waikato River, New Zealand
| coordinates = {{Coord|37|40|S|175|9|E|region:NZ_type:city|name= Ngaruawahia}}
| years_active = 1973
| founders = Robert Raymond, Barry Coburn
| dates = 6–8 January 1973
| genre = Rock music, pop music
| attendance =
| capacity =
| website =
}}
The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival was the first large outdoor music festival in New Zealand. It was held on a farm at Ngāruawāhia on the Waikato River, 19 kilometres north-west of Hamilton, for three days from 6 to 8 January 1973.[http://Ngaruawahia.com/about-Ngaruawahia/history/1973-the-great-Ngaruawahia-music-festival/ 1973 – The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival]
Management
- Robert Raymond
- Barry Coburn
Performers
- Corben Simpson (NZ) – opening act
- Black Sabbath (UK)
- Fairport Convention (UK)
- Blerta (NZ)
- Dragon (NZ)
- The La De Da's (NZ)
- Mammal (NZ)
- Max Merritt & The Meteors (NZ)
- Split Enz (then billed as "Split Ends") (NZ)
- Lindsay Marks (NZ)
- Bulldogs Allstar Goodtime Band (NZ)
- Billy TK's Powerhouse (NZ)
- Orb
- Butler (NZ)
- Ticket (NZ)
- Itambu (NZ)
- Treefoot (NZ)
- Teddy and the Bears (NZ)
Publicity
- Corben Simpson removed all his clothes on stage and was reported nationwide in the media, Black Sabbath burned a cross on the hill while getting the entire audience to light a match or lighter.
- Ticket never appeared. They were scheduled to appear and to tour Australia and Canada with Black Sabbath but singer Trevor Tombleson had a throat infection and guitarist Eddie Hansen's 'beloved yellow rig' was blown up by Sabbath's guitarist who was using it onstage without permission. Hansen refused to go on after that.
- "Todd (Hunter) ... gathered some friends and fellow performers for an appearance at the Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival. They wrote original songs for their set list, and someone pulled the name "Dragon" out of an I Ching book. Their performance at the Ngaruawahia Music Festival led to a better gig, a few weeks performing at the Occidental Hotel in Auckland."http://members.aol.com/boardwalk7/dragon/dragon.html
See also
{{Portal|Rock music}}
References
{{reflist}}
- {{DixStranded1988}}
- Keith Newman, personal interview with Ticket members including Eddie Hansen
External links
- [http://www.teara.govt.nz/NewZealandInBrief/CreativeLife/7/en Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070419210601/http://www.sergent.com.au/nzmusic.html Bruce Sergent New Zealand Music]
- [http://www.milesago.com/Festivals/ngaruawahia.htm Australasian music and popular culture 1964–1975]
{{Historic rock festival}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival}}
Category:Music festivals in New Zealand
Category:Music festivals established in 1973
Category:Rock festivals in New Zealand