Groovy crowd keeps number-crunchers guessing

Mc Imonstar entertains the crowd at Groove in the Park. Picture / Greg Bowker

Up to 18,000 attended this year's Groove in the Park concert at Auckland Domain yesterday, according to some estimates.

But it was impossible to tell because no one stayed still long enough to be counted.

Scores of concertgoers crowded the stage, while hundreds more danced among the rugs and sun umbrellas.

"It's our most ambitious undertaking yet," said Jef Kay station manager of organiser George FM. He put the crowd at "18,000 and growing" by about 3pm.

"I look at the crowd today, and I would say it's more family-oriented than ever."

The annual concert, which is now in its third year, featured acts ranging from the MC antics of Imonstar, the dub/reggae sounds of Taranaki band Kora, to the Auckland Kapa Haka Group.

Melbourne-based Kiwi drum-and-bass outfit Shapeshifter also played, with support from the Auckland Philharmonia. 

Emergency services reported a lack of injuries commonly associated with rock concerts.

One St John Ambulance worker said her team had dealt with little more than "blisters, mosquitoes and one bump to the head".

Senior Sergeant Mike Macdonald estimated 7500 people were in the stage area by mid-afternoon, but admitted he had not checked on numbers in other areas.

He was sceptical of suggestions 18,000 concertgoers.

"It's not a big area down there."

The concert concluded about 7pm, with police reporting two arrests, one for possession of a knife, the other for possession of cannabis.