Rock stars stretch Auckland's resources

Don't be surprised if you see Keith Richards having a beer with Snoop Dogg at one of Auckland's posh hotels this week. Or Stones sticksman Charlie Watts discussing the finer points of jazz with youngster Jamie Cullum at the other end of the bar.

And those establishments had better lock down the TV sets too because we all know what rock stars like to do with them, don't we?

The week ahead is shaping up as Auckland's busiest for concerts by international stars. The biggest crowd-pullers will be hip-hop star Snoop next Saturday at the Mt Smart Supertop and the Rolling Stones at Western Springs on Easter Sunday.

The rush of acts starts on Monday with hit English singer James Blunt's sold-out show. As well as the Stones and Snoop, the Easter weekend will feature Canadian rockers Nickelback (opening for the Stones) and British stars David Gray and Cullum.

While the Stones are the mega act, the musical invasion represents worldwide record sales in the multi-millions.

It's also the weekend of the annual Waiheke Island Jazz Festival, while Icelandic art-rock band Sigur Ros and blues musician Keb Mo are in town on Monday and Tuesday.

All of which means concert organisers are stretched to the limit for venues, caterers and artists' services. Everything from forklifts and fencing to security guards, drivers and catering staff are in short supply. There's also a shortage of seating, not to mention a squeeze on Toyota Previas - the car of choice if you're a rock star.

Driver-to-the-stars Sue Everett's company has 35 vehicles on the road next weekend. These vehicles range in size from normal cars to eight-seater Previas, stretch limos and even luxury helicopters.

Although Everett will not confirm how Snoop will be travelling, you can just see him in a limousine, can't you? But not, apparently, the Stones.

"They are really down-to-earth," she says. "They don't want stretched limos because it's a beacon. They just want to quietly do their thing."

And the secret of a good driver? "Being discreet. Anything they hear in the vehicle stays there. Reliability. And you've just got to be able to smile and happily do whatever is asked of you even if it's not a good idea."

Chairs are a huge problem and things like marquees get up pretty quickly too, says Paul Ashby, the local site co-ordinator for the Stones' gigs in Auckland and Wellington.

Ashby says a container-load of extra seating was brought in from Indonesia especially to accommodate the crowd at the Stones' two concerts.

The band's stage set-up also requires 3000 sheets of plywood - 1500 in Auckland and 1500 in the capital - meaning a special order had to be run off at a local factory.

The Frontier Touring Company's Helen Eccles, who is promoting Blunt, Gray, and Cullum, says luckily they knew the Stones were coming to town early because it meant essentials such as drivers, cars and hotel rooms for their guests were booked well in advance.

"If you wanted to book a room now you'd have a real problem and I booked the Previas ages ago too," she says.

Music store The Rockshop on K' Rd won't exactly be stocking up on extra guitar strings just in case Keith or Ron Wood has an emergency. But, says manager Richard Murray, they expect a few of the roadies to pop in for supplies.

"Russell Crowe's guys came through last week and we're expecting a bit of a spin-off this week," he says.

Not even the city's pianos are safe, it seems, because Cullum has smashed five and damaged a further 12, in his short career.

When asked how he felt about playing on the same night as the Stones, Cullum said: "We're gonna play anyway, even if there's five people. And trust me, you'll have a better time at my show than you will at theirs."

Now that's rock'n'roll.

ROLLING STONES GATHER NO CASH

Seats for the Rolling Stones' two New Zealand concerts are being offered at discounts of up to $200 by a corporate hospitality company.

"We over-purchased a couple of hundred and a week out from the event just want to get rid of them," said Corporate Host spokesman Mike Marsden.

The company is advertising tickets at $175 plus GST for "diamond" seats inside the Western Springs speedway arena that were originally priced at$350.

Farther back are "premium" seats for $100 plus GST which had earlier sold for $175.

Mr Marsden said most of the surplus seats were for the April 16 Auckland show as tickets for the April 18 concert in Wellington had sold rapidly.

On the Trade Me website yesterday bidding for six "diamond" tickets reached $400 each.