6,000 attend first post-Covid arena show in NZ
At least 6,000 concertgoers attended a performance by reggae band L.A.B at New Zealand’s Spark Arena on Saturday (4 July), in the first major live show to take place since the Covid-19 shutdown.
Since 8 June, there has been no restrictions on mass events in New Zealand. Last month, 43,000 rugby fans attended a match at Auckland’s Eden Park stadium.
No social distancing measures were in place at the sold-out L.A.B show in Auckland, which utilised the lower tiers and floor of the 12,000-capacity arena.
In accordance with the NZ event sector voluntary code, promoter Loop and the arena team implemented contact tracing and provided facilities to enable good hygiene.
“In addition to breathing air back into the lungs of the live entertainment industry it was awesome to see 6,000 happy, smiling faces”
Loop is promoting another sold-out L.A.B concert in New Zealand on Saturday (11 July) at Hamilton’s 6,000-capacity Claude Arena.
“In addition to breathing air back into the lungs of the live entertainment industry it was awesome to see 6,000 happy, smiling faces,” Loop director Mikee Tucker told the New Zealand Herald.
“Nothing beats a world-class live music experience.”
The New Zealand government has dedicated a NZ$16.5 million (€9.5m) to aid the recovery of its live music industry, as part of a wider $175 million (€101m) financial stimulus package for the arts and creative sectors.
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Photo: Georgianixon21/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) (cropped)
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