An Auckland-based venue CEO says it is time Auckland had more mid-level venues across the city to cater for smaller bands and nurture more talent.
Eventfinda Stadium CEO Brian Blake has over 20 years experience in the business and says while venues like Spark Arena are important for the region, it's vital smaller venues exist to bring forth the next Six60 or Troy Kingi.
A recent survey by Eventfinda Stadium found over 53 percent of its local residents were "concerned or very concerned" at the loss of independent music venues in Auckland.
In recent years venues like the Dogs Bollox, Kings Arms, Logan Campbell Centre and St James have disappeared.
"We've got the amazing place that is Spark Arena, which we're very, very lucky to have for the city. But not everyone needs a Spark Arena; not everywhere needs that size," Eventfinda Stadium CEO Brian Blake told Newshub.
"Smaller venues are getting lost."
The survey also found over 70 percent of residents would welcome more concerts from international acts at its North Shore venue in Glenfield, which has been refurbished after damage from the Auckland Anniversary Floods in 2023.
But Blake explained to Newshub to ensure success, any new venues around the region need to widen their remit rather than just copy another's success.
"Auckland's not the biggest city in the world. If we're going to have multiple venues, they need to do multiple things, a number of commercial events across a really wide spectrum of attractions."
However, Blake believed it was up to the events industry to shoulder a lot of the responsibility.
"As operators, we have an obligation to try and attract as many people from across the community as we can. [That is] not just the people that want to come to a concert or just the people who want to play basketball, but the people who want to come to a kickboxing match, or all the people who want to come to a home show or Silver Ferns match or Breakers match," he said.
"If you can cross that in terms of the spectrum of people, the venue becomes a whole lot more viable because it's not just doing one thing for one portion of the community."
Blake's comments come after Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner revealed in February the venue is "exploring our options with Auckland Council to update our consent and secure more international artists" as management tried to extend the number of concerts allowed there. Currently, Eden Park is only allowed to put on six concerts a year, meaning they missed out on potentially securing a run of concerts from Taylor Swift when she toured Australia.
Conversely, Eventfinda Stadium is allowed to hold 25 "special noise events" per calendar year.
In its previous life as the North Shore Events Centre, it hosted bands such as Pantera, Tool, Korn and Green Day.
Blake thinks the only way to ensure future venues do not go down the same path of extinction is to adapt to the local needs.
"On the North Shore, we have a powerhouse of basketball here because it's one of the biggest growing areas [for it] in the country. Out in West Auckland, they have some amazing indoor and outdoor concert stuff going on because that's what they've been told that community wants to go to, and so because of that they're not as nowhere near as much of a [financial] challenge or a risk. But you've got to get the mix right for that community."
However, Blake is also patently aware venues like his can't necessarily cater for the biggest bands due to a capacity of somewhere around 5000. But he doesn't believe that should hold back venues from putting on different events - nor does he believe that mean those acts shouldn't be booked.
"We did [retro '80s band gig] Auckland Sounds a few weeks ago. There's those types of acts which are either on their way up or just coming off the top. Those are the ones that we're most likely to see, but those are the ones that need somewhere to play," he rationalised.
Newshub spoke to Blake prior to the announcement that music festival Splore is to take next year off due to economic difficulties, but Blake is adamant Auckland needs a "truly independent Kiwi music festival".
"The next Six60, or the next L.A.B, the next any one of those bands or groups that's coming through right now, it would be amazing to see some of them come through and build on their that heritage, that pedigree and that we got to be the first ones to get them to play. I think that's the bit that's missing."
