Six60 performing in Whangārei. Photo / Amy de Klerk
When Covid-19 hit our shores and social distancing became the new norm, the thought of jamming to music in a crowd of people seemed like a thing of the past.
And while it's still the case around the globe, in Northland punters can welcome in 2021 the way 2020 started for many - spending time with whānau and friends, dancing to summer jams.
Here is a guide of gigs in Northland you can head to this summer.
When Six60 hit the road, people follow - and in big numbers.
The band sold an incredible 130,000 tickets to their Saturdays tour earlier this year and with international touring out of the question for some time, Six60 is hitting the road again, starting in Waitangi on January 16.
Each time the band has performed in Northland, the crowd has grown.
Six60's first performance in Whangārei was in 2015 at the Forum North Expo Hall to a crowd of 660. When they returned in 2016 and performed at Northland Events Centre the crowd grew to 5000, that number doubled to 10,000 - a sell-out show - in 2018 and this year the capacity at Northland Events Centre was set at 15,000.
The 2021 tour will kick off at Waitangi Sports Grounds on January 16. Northland's own multi-award-winning singer Troy Kingi is included in the line-up, as well as Drax Project, The Clutch, Paige and Neko.
Tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster.
With the line-up featuring pop phenomenon Benee and Kiwi legend Dave Dobbyn, the annual Bay of Islands Music Festival is sure to be a great time.
The festival will be held on January 8 at Kainui Vineyard & Brewery in Kerikeri and with the addition of an acoustic stage and festival village, the event will be the biggest yet.
Also included in the line-up is urban poet Melodownz, indie stars The Beths, and big-ballad songstress Tami Neilson.
For more info on the venue, parking, buses and accommodation options visit facebook.com/YEAHBOINZ
The Feelers five-date summer tour kicked off in Whitianga on New Year's Eve and will end with a show in Paihia on Waitangi Day.
The Feelers will present an array of chart-topping songs. Some of the many hits include Pressure Man, Venus, Larger Than Life, One World, Fishing For Lisa and Astronaut.
Joining the line-up will be special guests Capital Theatre, who will deliver a set of memorable rock songs including their debut single Force to Fight.
The Paihia show, at Zane Grey's On the Dock, runs from 7pm.
• OPITP Tutukaka Music Festival 2021, Saturday, January 2, 5pm, Tutukaka Marina, Marina Rd, Tutukaka, Whangārei.
• Summer Sessions, Friday, January 8, 12pm, Carrington Estate, Doubtless Bay, Far North.
• White Chapel Jak @ Mangawhai Tavern, Friday, January 8, 7.30pm, The Mangawhai Tavern, 2 Moir St, Mangawhai, Kaipara.
• Flaxxies and Casper, Saturday, January 9, 8pm, The Mangawhai Tavern, Mangawhai, Kaipara.
• Part Time Rangers Presents George Summer Tour, Saturday, January 30, 8pm, The Mangawhai Tavern, Mangawhai, Kaipara.
• The Karl Austin Experience, William Fraser Memorial Park, Riverside Drive, Whangārei, Saturday, January 16, 9am and Sunday, January 17, 9am.
The latest news bites from around the region.