King Kapisi is joining forces with Che Fu to perform as Hedlok. Photo / Supplied
King Kapisi is joining forces with Che Fu to perform as Hedlok. Photo / Supplied
The inaugural Sound Valley music festival survived the storm of lockdowns and alert levels last year, and the event will return to the Oceanview Speedway in 2022.
Festival director Gioia Damosso said the location was one of the few things staying exactly the same.
The second instalment would offer "somethingfor everyone", she said.
"Whanganui has a pretty eclectic, diverse community, we are pretty awesome, so the festival needs to be reflective of that," Damosso said.
"We want our visitors to get a good feel of everything we have to offer here."
The first artist announcement for Sound Valley/Taiororua 2022 features Che Fu and King Kapisi (performing as Hedlok), Lost Tribe Aotearoa, Deadbeat, Heylady, Valkyrie, Chicorelli + Tali, Raw Collective, Wellington Sea Shanty Society and Pātea Māori Club.
Whanganui acts House of Shem, Ludus and Something Zesty are also on the bill.
Damosso said this time each day of the festival, which is on Saturday, March 12, and Sunday, March 13, would have a different vibe and approach.
Saturday is restricted to people aged 18 and over, and Sunday will be structured as a whānau-friendly day.
Whanganui electronic artist Ludus is one of three local acts in Sound Valley's first 2022 announcement. Photo / Supplied
Children will be able to attend for free.
"I feel like people don't really want to just sit down and watch bands for eight hours," Damosso said.
"They should be able to walk around, get different experiences, engage with different people, shop, eat, all those sorts of things.
"There will be way more areas to experience and to hang out in."
She said having months to plan, as opposed to a few weeks, would make a lot of difference.
"It felt like last year, with everything that happened, we could only achieve the bare bones of a music festival. We did the best we could with what was thrown at us.
"Now we're painting in those white spaces. What we're painting it with is our Whanganui community, which is fantastic.
"Next year will more than just music, it's about turning it into a music/arts/culture festival with a whole bunch of extra stuff happening."
That "extra stuff" includes pop up art, performances, workshops and activities in various zones, including the Whanganui Pride Village and Hempress healing space.
Deadbeat will play in Whanganui for the first time at Sound Valley 2022. Photo / Supplied
An electronic stage - The Runners Club - will also be in operation over both days.
"We'll have big [musical] names on both days, but the drum and bass acts will be on the Saturday night and the likes of Che Fu and King Kapisi, the Wellington Sea Shanty Society and Pātea Māori Club are going to be on our whānau day," Damosso said.
Despite this year's last-minute venue change from Cooks Gardens to Oceanview Speedway, Damosso said she was happy she managed to get the festival's first edition over the line.
"There were moments I really enjoyed, watching The Black Seeds as the sun went down, for example, but I knew it wasn't all that it could have been.
"This time we've got seven and a half months to plan instead of a few weeks.
"I just want to keep adding things in as we go along."
The next artist announcement will be in November.
Earlybird tickets to Sound Valley/Taiororua 2022 go on sale on Wednesday, August 11.
