KEY POINTS:
As Gwen Stefani prepares to play her first-ever New Zealand show at Auckland's Vector Arena tonight, Linkin Park have just announced a one-off Auckland show at the venue on October 12.
Despite various criticisms of the venue's sound quality, no one can deny the influx of international artists visiting Auckland these days.
Since Vector Arena opened it's doors in March, it seems not a week has passed that a major tour announcement hasn't been made.
We compared the number of international acts visiting Auckland in recent times, compared to that of three years ago.
Looking at the lists below, you can see not only have the number of visitors increased, but so has the calibre of visiting artists.
INTERNATIONAL ACTS IN AUCKLAND
May '04 to October '04
Dizzee Rascal
Franz Ferdinand
Sonic Youth
Missy Elliot
Kelis
Natalie Cole
Jurassic 5
The Seekers
UB40
Black Eyed Peas
Muse
Busta Rhymes
Alicia Keyes
TOTAL: 14
May '07 to Oct '07
Pink (Vector)
Christina Aguilera (Vector)
Gwen Stefani (Vector)
Linkin Park (Vector)
Snow Patrol (Vector)
Guns N' Roses (Vector)
Steely Dan (Vector)
Bob Dylan (Vector)
Akon with Naughty by Nature (Vector)
The Cure (Vector)
Silverchair and Powderfinger (Vector)
Crowded House (Vector)
Bloc Party
Xzibit
Regina Spektor
OK Go
Jose Gonzalez
Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath the Dio Years
Ryan Adams
Ice Cube
Fall Out Boy
Marilyn Manson
The Editors
Hinder
TOTAL: 24
