Unique Havelock North concert to shine light on youth suicide

The Rock the Bay concert was sparked by the death of Hastings mechanic Reid O'Leary in 2020. Photo / NZME

Three big musical acts will hit the Black Barn stage for a unique concert with a cause this Saturday.

The inaugural Rock the Bay gig, which organisers hope will become an annual event to raise money for Hawke's Bay youth suicide awareness, has lured Kiwi rock legends Devilskin, triple platinum selling The Feelers and the up-and-coming rock trio Capital Theatre.

The brainchild of the Reid O’Leary Charitable Trust, the first-time event will be held at the Havelock North vineyard..

The concert concept was sparked after Hastings mechanic and infamously cheeky "life of the party", Reid "Reido" O'Leary took his own life aged 21, a month before Christmas in 2020.

A resolution to front-foot the reality of his death was something his parents Keady and Karen, and sisters Tyla and Eden, decided on early.

The Feelers are one of three top acts to headline Rock the Bay at Black Barn on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

“Too many people put it behind closed doors - there’s no trying to change the stigma surrounding mental health. The day we found out mum, dad, me and Ty all agreed that we’re going to be open, honest and in a sense own it,” Eden said.

Following the tragedy, the trust was created with the aim to raise awareness and educate young people with skill sets to manage their emotional wellbeing.

All of the profits from Rock the Bay are being donated to the trust to reduce the frequency of youth suicide in Hawke's Bay, raise awareness and provide education.

"The trust has a purpose to create and make readily available a digital platform to help educate young people on how to self-manage their emotions and seek support when they most need it," trustee Steve Sylvester said.

"We believe that prevention is the key to having a tangible impact on NZ's youth suicide rate and that early identification of poor thought patterns and the ability to reverse them are critical skills that will help improve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people. "We really hope people come along to the concert, enjoy yourself and support the cause."

• Tickets to the concert on Saturday, November 19th at Black Barn, are available at rockthebay.flicket.co.nz.