Black Barn Vineyards events manager Francis de Jager says Bryan Adams is already proving a top billing for the Bay. He chats with Mark Story.
You must be rapt to have Bryan Adams at your venue next year? Is he a good fit for Black Barn?
Bryan Adams is being billed as one of the biggest gigs to ever come to Hawke's Bay and for Black Barn it's a perfect artist to create a brilliant winery concert experience. For us it means the realisation of plans to bolster our concert experience by being able to present significant international artists in the beautiful Tukituki Valley venue, Black Barn Offsite.
What does the Black Barn Vineyards offsite have as a venue that the amphitheatre doesn't?
While the venue is different, Black Barn Offsite is as the amphitheatre is, a stunning venue. Add the beautiful Tukituki Valley and Te Mata Peak and you have the ingredients for a brilliant event. The larger capacity allows us to viably attract international artists to the region, that may otherwise head to a major centre.
How are ticket sales going?
Following the release of further tickets, these have almost sold to the capacity of 10,000 people.
When does Black Barn's Growers' Market open for the season and are there any changes to the lineup/running of it this year?
The market kicks off on Saturday December 2nd, as always the stalls are full of local producers and growers offering the best food from Hawke's Bay. The market will run every Saturday of summer through till the end of February. On the same day we also kick off summer at the amphitheatre with Waiata Mai, which is a brilliant collaboration of Kiwi artists.