Capital’s big ‘opportunity comes once in a lifetime’
Wellington’s had some performance blunders in the past but Eminem is coming, and organisers say this is the capital’s chance to capture the moment.
The act is expected to attract an audience of more than 40,000, and Westpac Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon said they were expecting it to be the highest demand for a show in Wellington in recent times.
‘‘If this goes well, it will put us in good stead to attract more concerts of this calibre.’’
But the show comes after years of the stadium struggling in some weather conditions.
In June the capital’s first international ice hockey game, between Canada and the USA, was eventually scrapped following two postponements, a full day after its original start time.
The cancellation was triggered after one of the pipes containing the agent used to freeze the water on the temporary rink at Westpac Stadium burst.
In 2015, AC/DC fans had to wait 40 minutes after just two songs in 2015 when technical glitches stopped their concert at the stadium during another summer storm.
‘‘All of our events in the past we can learn from for the future,’’ Harmon said.
But the stadium also had some advantages, including the easy access of people being able to walk to and from the stadium from the CBD, he said.
To cancel an event due to weather would only happen due to ‘‘very extreme risk’’, he said.
‘‘We’re no different to any other outdoor venue in the world where you’re going to be exposed to the environment.’’
Wellington Mayor Justin Lester said the Eminem performance had the potential to be the biggest show to be performed in Wellington yet.
‘‘I think Wellington should lose themselves in the concert, they’ve got one chance . . . this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.’’
Lester said generations had loved Eminem. ‘‘I am a fan, I will definitely be going.’’