Music fest vibes to brighten Kerikeri

The Far North's genre-defying band Norizin offers sounds to move everyone.

Live music lovers can anticipate festival vibes well ahead of the summer season this year with a range of bands and DJs plus a street performer set to entertain at Kerikeri’s inaugural beer festival.

Festival organisers Tyler Bamber and Gerry Paul said they sought to create an awesome event for Northland during winter, given “the ‘Winterless North’ is more of an expression than a guarantee”.

“We’re excited to transform the Turner Centre into a giant Oktoberfest-style beer tent to create a winter festival with epic entertainment, the freshest beer and Northland kai.”

Brew of Islands will feature three Aotearoa bands - Norizin, the Wellington Sea Shanty Society and T-Bone Trio - and three of Northland’s favourite DJs - VanBeBelle, JXO and Meg.

A ‘Festival Best Dressed Crew Competition’ will encourage attendees to go all out with their best festival attire, while Wellington street performer Conrad Coom will don a van load of clever and cheeky costumes to set the bar high.

Reggae rock band Norizin hail from the furthest northern reaches of Te Hiku and meld te reo Māori and English with melodic vocal tones, punk-rock riffs and hip-hop flows.

T-Bone, who recently won the title of Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa / Best Folk Artist Tui 2023, will take the stage as a trio. Photo / Dave Lintott

Good-Time-Americana-Kiwi-Folk Band T-Bone, who were well-received at last summer’s Barfoot & Thompson Street Party, bring a distinct Kiwi folk feel, with close vocal harmonies and fiery instrumentals on guitars, mandolin, banjo and fiddles.

The Wellington Sea Shanty Society can be counted on to get everyone involved, thanks to the song sheets they pass out to encourage singing along.

The festival’s upstairs cocktail bar and dance floor will host VanDeBelle of France, JXO, whose radio show can be heard on Beagle FM, and Meg, originally from the dark and sweaty clubs of London.

Alongside stellar party music, the festival will showcase Aotearoa’s best independently brewed craft beer and some of Northland’s top food producers.

Tickets are available via iTicket or Turner Centre for three sessions on Friday, July 21 from 6-10pm and Saturday, July 22 from 12-4pm or 6-10pm.