Friday 14 April 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CYCLONE CHANGES HURRICANE PLANS

The 55th National Jazz Festival in Tauranga was due to kick off yesterday, but the arrival of Cyclone Cook has thrown a major spanner in the works for the Festival team.

A large marquee had been erected on the Tauranga waterfront to house the Hurricane Parties occurring on Saturday and Sunday nights. Due to safety concerns surrounding the landfall of Cyclone Cook and its severe wind gusts, the marquee covers were removed early Thursdaymorning.

The Hurricane Parties will now be held at the Totara Street - indoor venue, 11 Totora Street, Mt Maunganui.

The Saturday Hurricane Party features powerhouse blues bands Swamp Thing and Brilleaux. The Sunday Hurricane line-up includes New Zealand’s most loved funk band Hipstamatics and The Cactus Channel.

“We have been planning the Hurricane Parties for more than a year, and it was awful to think all the hard work would go to waste. All four bands are from out of town too, including the Cactus Channel who are from Melbourne. It’s a relief that it can go ahead at the Mount, and it’ll be the place to be on Saturday and Sunday nights” said Chambers.

All other Festival events are still scheduled to go ahead as per the programme, however yesterday’s Youth Competition was postponed until this morning due to concerns about students and their families travelling in the cyclonic weather.

Further details and ticketing information can be found on www.jazz.org.nz

-ENDS-

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