Rhythm and Vines
Media Release
24 December 2012
It is now just five days until some of the world’s best musicians will descend upon Waiohika Estate vineyard in Gisborne to bring five stages to
life for three full days of New Year celebrations. Organisers are expecting upwards of 25,000 people to welcome in 2013
with them as they celebrate 10 years in the festival business.
Original festival founders Hamish Pinkham, Andrew Witters and Tom Gibson created a party for 1800 friends, and friend of
friends, in 2003. They hoped the day of music (headlined by The Black Seeds) would be a success, but they did not
anticipate the rapid rise in numbers to 5,000, then 10,000, then 20,000+ festival goers over the next decade.
Pinkham looks at year 10 as a proud milestone, as there have been many ups and downs over the years, and it was never
certain they’d make it this far. He says; “This year it will be nice to sit and enjoy a glass of vino, watch the last sunset of 2012, and reflect on how far we’ve
come. The festival as it is now is a testament to the original vision of delivering a world-class production, to the
city of Gisborne, and to the passionate music lovers in attendance each year. I’m personally proud of sticking with it,
it’s been so rewarding.”
When people are coming from all over the country to be in the first part of the country to see the sun rise on the new
year, organiser know they have to make the festival as a whole something unforgettable. This has been a particular focus
for year 10, with an additional 3,000 onsite camping spots available (bringing the number to 8,000), and a huge number
of new things to see and do around the site.
Gisborne city is also throwing a new level of support behind R The festival injects millions of dollars into the economy over a short period each year. So this year local
organisations (Gisborne District Council, Eastland Group, Eastland Community Trust and Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou) have
created a central point at the Inner Harbour Hub for people to congregate, check-in for R early, see some local entertainment including live music and art, and try local bars and restaurants.
Then when the stages open at 5pm each day, festival-goers will be treated to R’s biggest line-up ever. Among a long list of high calibre artists, the Rhythm Stage is hosting The Presets, Kimbra, Knife Party, Mark Ronson, Six60, Netsky and Chali 2na. The upgraded and upsized Vines Stage is hosting Tame Impala, the Hospital Records showcase, Benga, and Blood Red Shoes. The intimate and magical Adidas Originals Cellar Stage has Flume, Maya Jane Coles, Parachute Youth and Tim Richards. While Recloose, XXXY and Tiger & Woods will be on the Red Bull Music Academy Stage. The Jäger Cube and Jäger Bus will add Suren Unka, Banglade$h, K/Line and Diaz Grimm to the festival mix.
Can you think of a better way to celebrate summer, a 10th anniversary, and the first sunrise of the New Year?
Merry Christmas from the team at Rhythm and Vines – see you soon!
- ends -
Please note: R's first ever smartphone APP launches today (24 Dec) at 3pm. Get it first! Text 'app' to 9090 to download FREE