BIG BUSINESS

Tonight, Kiwi pop band Six60 will play to 50,000 people at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium. Take a moment to let that number sink in.

It’s a big deal. Especially when you consider the country’s other premier music venues are a fraction of the size. Spark Arena in Auckland holds 12,000 people, and Horncastle Arena in Christchurch holds just under 9000.

The outdoor venue has played host to some of New Zealand’s most memorable – and infamous – concerts. In 1983, David Bowie performed to an estimated 80,000 people after fencejumpers pushed the then-74,000 capacity to its upper limit.

Although modern health and safety regulations have put a lid on the number of people allowed into the stadium, the cultural significance of the venue has remained the same.

THE WESTERN SPRINGS SHOW

Selling out the iconic stadium is an incredible feat, according to music insiders.

When, in June 2018, the band members announced that in lieu of a summer tour, they would play a one-off show at Western Springs, industry reaction was mixed. Some thought it impossible a local band could sell out such a ground. They were wrong.

The pre-sale sold out in less than five hours – 13,500 tickets, gone. Several days later, in the first 20 minutes of general on-sale, another 27,000 were sold.

The band’s biggest show prior to Western Springs had been to an audience of 10,000.

Six60’s promoter, Brent Eccles, said at the time he’d ‘‘never seen anything like it’’.

‘‘I’ve seen international shows go like this, but for this band . . . bloody hell. It’s a sales pattern we haven’t seen before. We’ve sold more in our on-sale than our pre-sale. It’s incredible.’’

When show eventually sold out in mid-September, Eccles Entertainment’s Dave Munro said the team were astonished.

Selling out Western Springs will have the biggest impact on up and coming artists, who often feel the need to leave New Zealand to find success, he said.

‘‘For New Zealand bands and young artists, it should be a real encouragement. While it’s the one per cent of artists that achieve [this], it’s still something that [is] attainable. [They can look at Six60] and for them to look at and go, ‘If they can do it, why can’t I?’ ’’

Ahead of the concert, Munro said the mood among the band and those working on the show was comparable to the tense energy felt ‘‘before a sports game’’.

‘‘[SIX60] understand the enormity of this. Walking onto a stage in front of 50,000 people is no small feat. I think they want to walk out there and deliver the very best show they can for those people who have been waiting such a long time for it to actually happen.’’

Munro said the band never set boundaries when it came to their goals.

‘‘The sky is the limit, which is the way it should be for all of us. If you want something you go for it. You go for the jugular.’’

HOW THEY GOT THERE

The sellout show at Western Springs makes sense after the year SIX60 have had.

Their 2015 sophomore album (which includes hits White Lines, Special and So High) has spent the last 207 weeks in the New Zealand Top 40 Albums Chart. The EP they released in late 2017 spent 65 weeks there.

In November, they won five New Zealand Music Awards off the back of that same six track EP. And by the end of 2018, Kiwis had streamed their music on Spotify more than any other local act.

The band – Eli Paewai (drums), Ji Fraser (lead guitar), Marlon Gerbes (synths, samples), Matiu Walters (vocals, guitar) and Hoani Matenga (bass) – started SIX60 as a covers band while they were studying at Otago University. When Matenga left the band, Chris Mac took over as bass player.

Like all passionate scarfies, the band’s name comes courtesy of the flat the musicians proudly called home at the time, 660 Castle St.

They primarily covered Kiwi bands at the forefront of New Zealand reggae at the time. Then, in 2010, they released the song Rise Up 2.0. It peaked at No 1 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and cemented them as an act worth paying attention to.

A BUSINESS-MINDED BAND

Nine years, two albums and an EP later, the laidback nature of SIX60’s music makes it easy to assume their success is the result of the label-driven music industry. Because that’s how it usually works. People that famous are there because a label gave them a leg up. Not in this case.

SIX60 have been independent since the beginning. Universal Music supports promotion and distribution but the making and releasing of the band’s music is done with its own business, Massive Entertainment.

Massive Entertainment was established in 2010, the same year Rise Up 2.0 was released. Each band member owns 20 percent of the shares.

MUSIC FOR EVERYONE

When the Western Springs show sold out back in September, frontman Walters acknowledged the simple secret to their award-winning music: inclusivity.

‘‘Being inclusive is the magic ticket to people authentically enjoying themselves. We work really hard to achieve that.

‘‘We’re New Zealanders and we want to influence New Zealanders,’’ he said. ‘‘We’re trying to get across the point you can do this, and it’s not just the job of an international act to play to this many people and influence this many people.’’

Music commentator Alex Behan agrees, saying he has rarely met a band so audience focused.

‘‘During the song writing process they focus on two questions. One, is the vibe of this song something our audience will relate to? Two, how do help this vibe reach the widest possible audience?

When they’re not working on their own music, they’re developing the next generation of Kiwi artists.

Paewai, Fraser and Mac all have production credits on Mitch James’ recently released debut album, while Walters and Gerbes worked on Drax Project’s Noon EP.

For Sons of Zion frontman Joel Latimer, whose band is opening for the Western Springs show, the sell-out speaks to the current strength of Kiwi music, and SIX60’s limitless ambition.

‘‘I’m a strong believer in the philosophy, if you build it they will come. I’ve talked to the boys [SIX60] before about it and they were confident about putting on a show there, but again, to sell it out so far in advance, I don’t think anyone expected that.’’

SIX60 are nothing if not forward planners and are already thinking of their next challenge, not only for themselves, but for other Kiwi artists.

Frontman Walters reckons local music was made to be heard at the venue.

‘‘I can’t wait to see who the next one is to take a big bite out to play Western Springs,’’ he said.

Western Springs through the years 1975: Deep Purple:

Tickets to SIX60’s March 8 show at Forsyth Barr Stadium can be purchased from Ticketmaster.