Hundreds head to Whanganui's Pauls Road for annual music concert

Flocks of locals converged in Whanganui East on Sunday for one of the city's favourite annual concerts.

Cloudy weather and occasional showers didn't stop hundreds of keen locals gathering for the 13th annual Pauls Road Live music festival on Sunday afternoon.

Organiser Fred Loveridge said they dodged two bullets for the day, with New Zealand returning to Covid-19 alert level 1 to allow large gatherings from 6am Sunday, and any rough weather that would disturb the event.

"It hasn't been too sinister. It rained when we were setting up and looks like it might drizzle here and there, but nothing too bad," Loveridge said.

He said it had been a little bit stressful over the last week as they weren't sure whether they could go ahead.

More than 400 tickets were sold at Gatshack, with another 120 at the gate on the day, Loveridge said.

Adam Tipper was enjoying his first ever Pauls Road Live experience.

"I didn't know this was actually a thing. Enjoying my first time having some beers in the sun with good music."

By having only local acts in this year's show, the organisers ensured musicians from Auckland wouldn't be affected if there were alert level differences between Auckland and other regions.

Those local acts included The Replicants, Whisky Mama, Hot Potato, Heavy Water, Richard Littlejohn, Kessel and Burn the Machines who all put on a show for the crowd.

Money raised from the festival will go to the Starlit Hope charity, founded in 2013 by schoolgirl Gabby Devine who was undergoing intensive treatment for bone cancer and died two years later. Whanganui families of sick children will benefit from the proceeds.

"Bloody great turnout," Loveridge said.

"It's [the money raised] going to those three families so that's awesome. All the local bands have brought their A games and we're just really proud of them."

Logan Tutty
Whanganui Chronicle 8/3/21