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| The Beatles Tribute band during their second set. |
Words and photos: David Hulme, President, Rotary Club of Matamata, NZ
The
Rotary Club of Matamata’s second annual Concert by the Lake event is
being hailed as a success with organisers now looking for ways to draw
an even bigger crowd in 2017.
Almost
300 people attended the concert which was held on the property of
Rotarians Peter and Ineke Thissen, in Matamata, New Zealand.
Peter,
an engineer, designed and built the pontoon which the artists performed
from out on the water in what can only be described as picturesque
surroundings.
He
dreamed up the concept of a concert on a pontoon at his property
several years ago and 2015 saw that dream become a reality as 350 people
attended the inaugural event.
This year’s crowd were entertained by Kiwi songstress Jamie McDell, who performed a number of her solo hits before teaming up with her younger sister Tess in a world debut performance of their new collaboration called Dunes.
The
McDell sisters were joined on stage by the Tim Armstrong Beatles
Tribute Band who literally had the pontoon bouncing as they pounded out
the Fab Four’s hits while Tauranga-based jazz/blues band Kokomo provided
a melodic accompaniment
during their time on the pontoon.
Matamata
Rotary event director Lynette Stanley said overall the club was very
pleased with the way the concert had gone. “We have received nothing
but positive feedback from concert-goers and we know there were several
other huge events
nationally that clashed with ours, meaning ticket sales were down on
last year,” Lynette said. “We are confident that next year with the
positive publicity that we have achieved, numbers will grow and we will
be able to give even more money to worthy causes.”
Proceeds
from this year’s concert are being split between two local charities –
Pohlen Hospital (the town’s privately operated hospital) and Starfish
Social Services (a counselling/mentoring programme for at risk youth in
area).
“Both of these charities have a large impact on our community and it is great that we can support them in any way we can,” Lynette said.
Work will begin shortly on getting ready for the 2017 concert with the first priority being signing the acts to perform.
