On this page you will find a list of the main rock music festivals held in New Zealand between 1970 and 2010. Where possible, we have provided the name, location and date of each festival, along with any major acts that played there. If you know of festivals we have missed, or you know more information about the ones we have here, please let us know by emailing [email protected] or adding a Community contribution at the end of this page.
1970
- Redwood 70 – 31 January / 1 February, National Music Convention, Swanson
Headline act: Robin Gibb - 1970 Pop Festival – Whangarei, November
1971
- Englefield Rock Festival – 6 February, Belfast near Christchurch
Headline act: In Betweens (a forerunner of Slade) - Waikanae – 11 April
Highway / Sons & Lovers / Creation / Kal-Q-lated Risk - Jam Factory – 5 July (?)
Farmyard / Highway
1973
- The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival – 7 to 9 January
Black Sabbath / Sandy Denny - Te Rapa International Rock Festival – January, Hamilton
Slade / Status Quo - Moller’s Farm – 1973 to 1978, Waitakere Ranges
1977
- Waikino Music Festival– 30 January, Waitawheta Valley
Living Force / Forever / Dallas 4 / Hello Sailor / Th’ Dudes - Harvest Festival – 1977–1982, near Matamata
1977 – Mother Goose / Rockinghorse / Hello Sailor / Spats
1978
- Nambassa Music, Crafts and Alternative Festival – 28 to 30 January, Phil and Pat Hulses' 400-acre farm – Landlyst Rd, Golden Valley, north of Waihi
Skyhooks / Living Force
1979
- Nambassa – Three-day Festival of Music, Crafts and Alternatives – 27 to 29 January, Phil and Pat Hulses' 400-acre farm – Landlyst Rd, Golden Valley, north of Waihi
Little River Band / Split Enz
1980
- Brown Trout Festival – January, Waitahoro Valley, near Dannevirke
Th’ Dudes / The Crocodiles / Rough Justice - Sweetwaters – Festival of Music, Culture and Technology – 26 to 28 January, Ngaruawahia, near Waipa River
John Martyn / Elvis Costello / Renee Geyer / Split Enz / Mi-sex
1981
- Nambassa – 22 to 26 January, Franklin Rd, Waitawheta
Charlie Daniels Band / Dizzy Gillespie Quartet / John Mayall Band / Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee / Kevin Borich Express - Sweetwaters – 24 to 26 January, Ngaruawahia
Roxy Music / Split Enz (True Colours) / Cold Chisel - Raw Rock 81 – 12 December, Tomoana Showgrounds, Hastings
DD Smash / The Midge Marsden Connection / Screaming Meemees / Newmatics / Blam Blam Blam / Narcs
1982
- Sweetwaters – 29 to 31 January and 1 February, Pukekawa
Ultravox / Meatloaf / Cold Chisel / The Angels / Mental As Anything / Men At Work - Harvest Festival – 22 to 24 January 1982, Cedar Park, Hinuera
- Brown Trout Festival – 23 to 25 January, Waitahoro Valley, near Dannevirke
Danse Macabre / Blam Blam Blam / Instigators / Newmatics / Mockers / Screaming Mee Mees / Chaos / Dabs / Tin Syndrome / Skeptics / Herbs / Fat n Sassy / The Mockers / Hot Café - Rainbow Festival – 5 to 7 March, Solway Showgrounds, Masterton
Kevin Borich Express / Knobz / The Mockers / The Spines / The Hulamen - Nile River Festival – 6 to 8 March, Charleston, near Westport
The Instigators / The Pedestrians / Mainly Spaniards / The Chills / The Stones / 25 Cents / The Volkswagons - Pacific Peace Festival – 12 December, Western Springs, Auckland
1983
- Brown Trout Festival – 23 to 25 January, near Dannevirke
The Dabs / The Screaming Meemees / The Skeptics / The Mockers / Tin Syndrome / Topp Twins / Shadowfax - Sweetwaters – 28 to 31 January, Pukekawa
Psychedelic Furs / UB40 / Toots and The Maytals / Tom Robinson Band / Taj Mahal - Dargaville Music Festival – February, Tangowahine Marae
Herbs / Legionaires - Punakaiki Festival – 2 to 4 April, near Greymouth
Mainly Spaniards / Sneaky Feelings / Naked Spots Dance / Stones / Max Quitz / Children’s Hour / Sheep Effect / Nocturnal Projections / Balloon D’Essai / They Were Expendable / Blue Meanies / Not Really Anything / First Fifteen / Look Blue Go Purple
1984
- Sweetwaters North – 3, 4, 5 February, Pukekawa
Eurythmics / Jo Boxers / Pretenders / Simple Minds / Talking Heads - Sweetwaters South – 6 February QE2 Park, Christchurch
Talking Heads / Pretenders
1986
- The Rainbow Warrior Music Festival – 5 April Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Neil Young / Jackson Browne / Graham Nash / Split Enz - Radio Central Rock Festival
1987
- Radio Central Rock Festival
- Mangawhai Womens Festival – 13 to 15 February 1987
Dead Famous People - Mushroom Ball – 1987–1994, Mid-year punk festival in New Plymouth
1988
- Full Moon Club, Coromandel
- Neon Picnic – 29 January to 1 February (cancelled), Old Sweetwaters site at Pukekawa
The Pogues / Los Lobos / Bob Geldorf / Johnny Clegg and Savuka / Non Hendrix / James Brown / Roy Orbison
1989
- Full Moon Club, Coromandel
1990
- Stranded In Paradise – six-week celebration of New Zealand rock n roll – January, Carlaw Park, Auckland
1992
- Mountain Rock – January, Ballance, near Woodville
Push Push / Midge Marsden / Shihad / HLAH
1993
- Mountain Rock – January, Ballance, near Woodville
Shihad / Push Push / Muttonbirds / Shona Laing - Strawberry Fields – March 1993–1995, Queenstown and Raglan
Frente / My Conviction / Andrew Fagan Band / Moana and The Moa Hunters
1994
- Mountain Rock – 16 January, Ballance, near Woodville
Bill Direen / Corben Simpson / Andrew Fagan / Rick Bryant and The Skills / Kevin Borich / Dave Dobbyn / Shona Laing / Straitjacket Fits / Hello Sailor / Supergroove / Dragon / JPSE / Exponents / Head Like A Hole / Sticky Filth - Big Day Out – 5 February, Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Soundgarden / Smashing Pumpkins / The Breeders / Straightjacket Fits
1995
- Mountain Rock – 13 to 14 January, Aokautere, near Palmerston North
Midnight Oil / Yothu Yindi - Big Day Out – 20 January, Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Ministry / Primal Scream / The Cult / Offspring / OMC / Sisters Underground / The Clean / Dimmer / Sticky Filth / 3Ds - Parachute Festival – 1995–2010, Waikanae, then moved to Totara Springs, near Matamata (2001), then Mystery Creek
1996
- The Gathering – New Year's Eve, Canaan Downs, Upper Takaka
- Mountain Rock – 11 to 13 January, Aokautere, near Palmerston North
The Stranglers / The Cruel Sea / Mental As Anything / Joe Satriani / Pumpkinhead / HLAH / Knightshade / Shihad - Big Day Out – 19 January, Ericsson (formerly Mt Smart) Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Porno For Pyros / Rage Against The Machine / Elastica / Rancid / The Jesus Lizard / Tricky / Billy Bragg / Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds / Shihad / Bailter Space / HDU / HLAH
1997
- The Gathering – New Year's Eve, Canaan Downs, Upper Takaka
- Big Day Out – 17 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Soundgarden / The Offspring / The Prodigy / Fear Factory / Supergrass / Shonen Knife / Lemonheads / Bic Runga / HLAH / Shihad / 3Ds - WOMAD – Western Springs, Auckland
1998
- The Gathering – New Year's Eve. Canaan Downs, Upper Takaka
- Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- Vans Warped – 31 December, Athenree, near Waihi Beach
NOFX
1999
- The Gathering – New Year's Eve, Canaan Downs, Upper Takaka
- Big Day Out – 15 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Ash / Deejay Punk-Roc / Fatboy Slim / Fun Lovin’ Criminals / Hole / Korn / Marilyn Manson / Roni Size / Sean Lennon / Sparklehorse / Shihad / Bic Runga / Bailter Space - Sweetwaters – 23 to 26 January, Puhinui Reserve, Manukau
Elvis Costello / UB40 / Pere Ubu / Finn Brothers - Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- WOMAD – Aotea Square, Auckland
2000
- The Gathering – New Year's Eve, Canaan Downs, Upper Takaka
- Big Day Out – 21 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Atari Teenage Riot / Basement Jaxx / Beth Orton / Blink 182 / Chemical Brothers / Foo Fighters / Goldie & MC Rage / The Hellacopters / Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros / Nine Inch Nails / Red Hot Chilli Peppers / Happy Mondays / Beth Orton / Betchadupa - Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard near Wanaka
2001
- The Gathering – New Year’s Eve, Cobb Valley, Nelson
- Big Day Out – 19 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Black Eyed Peas / Coldplay / Happy Mondays / Limp Bizkit / Mudvayne / PJ Harvey / Placebo / Rammstein / Roni Size Reprazent - Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Raglan Town Hall
2002
- The Gathering – over New Year’s break, Cobb Valley, Nelson
- Big Day Out – 18 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
The Prodigy / Garbage / New Order / The Crystal Method / NOFX / Jurassic 5 / Dave Clarke / System of a Down / Alien Ant Farm / The White Stripes / Peaches / Basement Jaxx - Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
2003
- Big Day Out – 17 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Queens Of The Stoneage / Janes Addiction / Underworld / Foo Fighters / Kraftwerk / Wilco / PJ Harvey - Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – 23-24 February, Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- WOMAD – March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
2004
- Big Day Out – 16 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Metallica / Muse / The Dandy Warhols / Black Eyed Peas / The Darkness / Kings of Leon / The Strokes / Basement Jaxx / The Mars Volta / The Flaming Lips / Afrika Bambaataa / Peaches - Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Lines of Flight – 3 October, Dunedin
2005
- Big Day Out – 21 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Beastie Boys / Chemical Brothers / System Of A Down / The Donnas / The Streets / Carl Cox / Blues Explosion / Slipknot / Le Tigre / Kid 606 / The Hives - Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- WOMAD – March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
2006
- Big Day Out – 20 January, Ericsson Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
The White Stripes / Iggy and The Stooges / Franz Ferdinand / Kings Of Leon / The Mars Volta / Henry Rollins / Sleater-Kinney / The Magic Numbers / Mudvayne - Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- Lines of Flight – 5-6 October, Dunedin
2007
- Parihaka International Music Festival – Parihaka, near Opunake, Taranaki
- Big Day Out – 19 January, Mt Smart (formerly Ericsson) Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Tool / Muse / Violent Femmes / The Streets / The Killers / Kasabian / Crystal Method / My Chemical Romance / John Cooper Clarke / Hot Chip / Lily Allen - Camp A Low Hum – 3 to 5 February, Brookfields Outdoors Education Centre, Wainuiomata
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- WOMAD – March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
2008
- Parihaka International Music Festival – 11 to 13 January, Parihaka, near Opunake,Taranaki
- Big Day Out – 18 January, Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Rage Against The Machine / Bjork / Arcade Fire / LCD Sound System / Dizzee Rascal / Carl Cox - Camp A Low Hum – 2 to 5 February, Tatum Park, Ohau
- Raggamuffin - 2 February, Rotorua Stadium
UB40 / The Wailers / Maxi Priest - Soundsplash Eco Reggae Festival – Wainui Reserve, Raglan
- Vodafone Homegrown , Wellington waterfront
- Rippon Festival, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Rock2Wgtn – 22 to 23 March, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Alice Cooper / Ozzy Osborne / Kiss / Whitesnake / Poison - The Coromandel Peninsula Blues And Roots Music Festival (BluesFest NZ) – 22 March, Dakota Fields, Whitianga
Buddy Guy / KT Tunstall / Keb Mo / Wilco - WOMAD – March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
- Lines of Flight – 5 to 6 October, Dunedin
- Rhythm & Vines – 29-31 December, Waiohika Estate vineyard, Gisborne (2003-07 was 1 day festival held at same location on New Year's Eve)
Public Enemy / The Kooks / Franz Ferdinand
2009
- Parihaka International Music Festival – 9 to 11 January, Parihaka, near Opunake, Taranaki
- Big Day Out – 16 January, Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Neil Young / The Prodigy / Arctic Monkeys / My Morning Jacket / The Ting Tings / TV On The Radio / Hot Chip / Dropkick Murphys - Raggamuffin - 7 February, Rotorua Stadium
Ziggy Marley / Eddy Grant - Camp A Low Hum – 6 to 8 February, Homedale
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Vodafone Homegrown – 14 March, Wellington waterfront
- WOMAD – March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
- Rhythm & Vines – 29-31 December, Waiohika Estate vineyard, Gisborne
Moby / Empire of the Sun / John Butler Trio
2010
- Parihaka International Music Festival – 7 to 11 January, Parihaka, near Opunake, Taranaki
- Big Day Out – 15 January, Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
Muse / Groove Armada / Lily Allen / Mars Volta / Ladyhawke / Dizzee Rascal / The Horrors / Devendra Banhart / Fear Factory - Campus A Low Hum – 23 to 25 January, Flock House, Bulls
- Raggamuffin - 23 January, Rotorua Stadium
Shaggy / Ms Lauryn Hill / Sly and Robbie / Steel Pulse - Laneway – 1 February, Britomart, central Auckland
Echo and The Bunnymen / The 3Ds - Rippon Festival – 6 February, Rippon Vineyard, near Wanaka
- Splore – mid-February, Tapapakanga Regional Park, 70km south-east of Auckland
- Jim Beam Homegrown – 20 February, Wellington waterfront
- WOMAD – 12 to 14 March, Brooklands Park & TSB Bowl, New Plymouth
- Rhythm & Vines – 29-31 December, Waiohika Estate vineyard, Gisborne
N^E^R^D / Justice DJSet / Shihad / Carl Cox
Community contributions