Today marks the eighth annual Gibbston summer concert — the seventh under Greenstone Entertainment’s Summer Concert Tour — this year featuring Nashville’s Fairground Saints, Colin Hay, of Men at Work, the orchestra starring former members of the Electric Light Orchestra and Alanis Morissette, who has spent the past couple of days making the most of what Queenstown has to offer.
Images uploaded to Twitter by the Canadian include photos of the Shotover Jet, luging at Skyline and soaking in a hot tub at Onsen Hot Pools, before today’s concert, the first of three being held nationally and the only one in the South Island.
Fairground Saints posted a photo to Instagram yesterday morning, taken from an aircraft, captioned "Good morning, New Zealand".
Greenstone Entertainment marketing and PR manager Hayden Dickason said that the performers had all come off long-haul flights. The majority had arrived in the resort on Thursday.
All signs pointed to a perfect day, with a predicted high of 28degC and some high cloud, he said.
"The weather forecast looks great — perfect conditions.
"We’re really looking forward to it."
He recommended concert-goers ensure they "slipped, slopped and slapped" and remembered to "hydrate during the day".
"There will be some complimentary sunscreen on site [and] there is free water available there.
"For smokers, obviously, be really appreciative that the conditions are dry [and] act responsibly."
The concert website says the car park will open at 9am and the express entry gate an hour later. The general gates will open at 11am.
Queenstown band The Cellar Doors will perform from 10.30am and Fairground Saints at 11.30am.
Hay is due to perform at 1pm, Morissette will be on stage from 3pm and ELO will close the concert from 5pm.
Both the 15,000 capacity Taupo and Whitianga concerts, being held on January 27 and 28, respectively, had sold out.
