New Zealand hosts 20,000 music fans in biggest gig since pandemic

18 January 2021, 17:36 | Updated: 18 January 2021, 18:02

The Six60 concert in Waitangi was the largest outdoor show in the country since the pandemic began.

20,000 New Zealanders attended a music gig on Saturday (16 January), making it the biggest gig put on by the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The huge crowds flocked to the nation's Waitangi sports ground to see Six60- one of New Zealand's most famous exports.

Fans didn't have to abide by social distancing rules and were seen closely packed together with some even on each other's shoulders.

Though the band's international shows have been cancelled, they can play in their home turf due to their success in the country's ability to deal with the virus/

This show marked the first of Six60 Saturdays, which sees them playing a date in six locations. After Waitangi, the Don't Forget Your Roots band will head to Hastings, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton.

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The event comes after the country lowered its COVID-19 alert level to one, meaning the virus is contained with only sporadic imported cases or isolated local cases occurring.

As of January 15 2021, New Zealand had 76 active cases of the virus, raising its overall total to just 2,246 infections since the start of the outbreak.

Lead singer Matiu Walters told the Northern Advocate: "Being here and able to get together while the rest of the world basically can’t has really given us a good appreciation of how well our country has done in managing Covid and just how lucky we are. I feel really proud that we have got our act together so well on Covid."

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Meanwhile, England is enduring its third lockdown since the coronavirus pandemic becane.

These scenes will no doubt be foreign to many, with music-lovers looking on with jealousy from the UK, where live gigs have been banned for much of 2020.

The Government have yet to place a date on when lockdown restrictions will be lifted in this country, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on 5 January this year that they would be in place until at least mid February.

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