Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium this evening. Photo / Supplied
Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium this evening. Photo / Supplied
Aucklanders are in for a bumper Saturday evening with a couple of big events to keep them busy tonight.
Rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to play Mt Smart Stadium as part of their global tour, along with multi-platinum rapper Post Malone.
For sports fans, the Football Ferns will play the USA at Eden Park in a precursor game to the Fifa Women’s World Cup hosted by New Zealand and Australia later this year.
Skies will be partly cloudy with the odd light shower likely in the afternoon.
It is set to be a hot and sticky evening with a high of 25C throughout the day.
Eden Park: Auckland was a runner up in World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination. Photo/Supplied
Transport to and from both events by bus and train is included in concertgoers’ and fans’ tickets for travel from 3pm until the last timetabled services.
Trains on the Eastern and Southern lines will be replaced by buses between Ōtāhuhu, Papakura and Manukau on Saturday.
Free special-event buses will run from the central city at 120 Quay St to Mt Smart Stadium from 5pm to 7.30pm and will return once the concert ends.
However, no special-event services will operate for the football match.
Western line train services will operate as normal, as well as the Northern Busway and ferry services.
Flea (L) and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Photo / Reuters
Auckland Transport’s manager of metro optimisation, Richard Harrison, said anyone driving to the concert should consider carpooling with friends or family.
Free parking would be available at two locations on Great South Rd, about a 10-minute walk from Mt Smart Stadium.
“It’s going to be busy so allow plenty of time. Drive safe and please ensure you have a nominated sober driver for the night,” Harrison said.
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ worldwide tour kicked off in Spain in June last year after the release of their new album, Unlimited Love, with shows in Paris, Dublin, London, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and more.
Football Ferns captain Ali Riley with fans at Sky Stadium in Wellington. Photo / Photosport
Not only are Red Hot Chili Peppers one of the bestselling acts in history, they’re still one of the most-streamed rock bands today.
The Football Ferns were able to hold off the world No 1 United States for 52 minutes before they eventually fell 4-0 in Wellington on Wednesday.
Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova has talked a lot about lessons this week, and there was plenty to learn from this match.
The New Zealand side were thoroughly outclassed, succumbing 4-0 to the visitors in front of a crowd of 12,508 – a record for a Football Ferns game in New Zealand.
