Detonate Festival 2010 New Years Taranaki

Detonate 2010. Wow. What a way to spend your New Years. Rocking out with some of New Zealand’s top rock acts while bombs, fire balls and all sorts of crazy stunts appear around you was an awesome way to start 2011. This was one hell of a party.

As I arrived and made my way down to the site of Detonate Reggae band Painted Black were rocking it out on the Rock FM Main stage. To the fresh beats of Painted Black I explored the area I was going to spend the last hours of 2010. There were all sorts of activities to have a crack at including helicopter rides, a gyroscope and a velcro wall. The paintball gauntlet and the mud slides seemed to be the most popular especially with the sun shining and there was 3 mud slides to choose from so even the faint hearted could have a go. The first of many bombs blows and it’s only a glimpse of what’s yet to come.

Heading down to the Rock FM Main stage The Good Fun have just started their set and a few of the earlybirds start to dance. To the left of the stage I found one of the little gems that made the day even more exciting. The fireball generator, man I felt like a kid in a candy store. There was a green button with a green light on it with a sign saying when the green light glows press the button. Press the button I did and the rush was amazing as from the valley below a giant fire ball appears and heads into the sky leaving a very cool smoke ring to float off.

Next to hit the stage was Hawke’s bay band Devils Elbow who brought their Alternative country rock to the show. 

Broken Avenue a 5 piece hard rock band from Auckland who reminded me somewhat of Papa Roach then picked up the pace and the crowd started to move a little more.  They even threw in a cover of Rihanna’s 'Umbrella' which I enjoyed a lot being a rock fan.

Next up were Pistol Youth who I was quite keen to see after hearing two of their singles 'Problematic' and 'In My Eyes' on the radio. They flew in from Wanaka and only arrived minutes before they were due to play, but you wouldn’t have known as they fire through a wicked set.

At this point it’s announced from the stage that TV One news would be going live as a burning car was going to go off a ramp into the valley below and man it was cool. The car flew over the ramp to explosions each side and plummeted into the valley, with a dummy falling out just for good measure.

These Four Walls hit the stage in another highly anticipated set and although there were several technical issues they played on without slowing down. This was pure hard rock heaven and the crowd loved it. We were even treated to a little Black Sabbath in the middle.

As the shadows started to appear and the lights started to glow Motocade played. This was a more pop set than rock but any fan of the Manic Street Preachers would have loved these guys as I did.

Autozamm then kicked into another rock set which started to get the crowd on their feet and out of the bar.  Rocking through a set of old material and the new singles the crowd was lapping it up the latest single '5^th Degree' getting the crowd pumped.

The Rabble for me was the band that stood out. I’m not a big punk fan but these guys rocked out and had a great time doing it. Along with a positive message and plenty of stabbing fists the crowd bounced along as darkness hit. There was plenty of talking to the crowd and they were the band that I didn’t expect to like but as it turns out I now do.

Steriogram are the last band to play the Rock FM Main stage and they were the ones that took us into the New Year and what a way to go. It’s so good to see these guys again as a live act they just explode. 'Walkie Talkie Man' and their new song 'Moving On' got the crowd singing along.

New Year’s hits and so does a wall of explosions across the side of the valley and then come the fireworks. Steriogram played into the New Year playing a cover of ACDC’s 'Back In Black' leaving you thinking that this is a band that are going to be around for a long time yet and leaving me with a warm feeling inside.

The weather was awesome, the crowd was the best, the security had a relaxed day and the organisation of this event was outstanding with safety first but plenty of action and excitement.

Caravans being dropped from 400 metres from a helicopter, the burning man and exploding cars and the talent of NZ music in one place. Detonate was the place to be for New Years. It would be a hard one to top but I’m looking forward to see what Detonate 2011 brings.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  The Boondocks
• 8
  Late to Chelsea
• 9
  Springloader
• 10
  Baconfoot

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• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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