Cyclone can’t undo Kanikani attitude

The can-do attitude of the Kanikani Katoa organisers has seen them face down a cyclone, create a replacement livestream event with the Hot Potato Band, then rally once more to launch a dance event that resurrects the vibe of the community dances of Kerikeri’s past.

The 11-piece Hot Potato Band is a brass and percussion ensemble from Australia that has played WOMAD (World of Music and Dance), CubaDupa in Wellington and the Coastella Music Festival. Its sound is a mix of New Orleans brass and modern ‘dance machine’ and is possibly as irrepressible as the Kanikani Katoa event organisers.

The original event, planned for Sunday 12 February in the Turner Centre plaza, was free thanks to funding from the Australian High Commission and a $7,000 grant from the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.

But Cyclone Gabrielle had other ideas - it arrived on 12 February instead.

With 970 tickets already reserved for that concert (of 1,000 available), organisers decided against cancelling and instead did a classic pivot – with the Hot Potato Band performing the concert via a livestream to 1400 people on 14 February. Organisers have refunded $2,500 originally granted by the board for the February event.

Now event organisers are back, resurrecting the original idea of a live band getting the crowd jumping in the Turner Centre plaza. The new date has been set - Saturday 11 November at 6pm - thanks to the Australian High Commission getting back on board for a second time. 

The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board has also come to the party, this time granting $4,500 to go towards venue hire, advertising, technicians, staging equipment, hospitality. More tickets can now be made available for the event.

People will be asked to pay what they can afford for tickets, starting from $5 per ticket.

For more information visit the Turner Centre’s kanikani-katoa webpage.