New Zealand holds 6,000 capacity gig as country lifts social distancing

The Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand hosted a gig with 6,000 attendees and no social distancing measures, as the country returns to ‘alert level one’.

Alert level one means the only measures still in place to handle Covid-19 are border restrictions and contact tracing. As of 9 July, New Zealand has had just 1,190 cases and 22 deaths as a result of Covid-19.

Venues are now able to open without restrictions, and Auckland’s Spark Arena was the first in the country – possibly in the world – to hold a major live event since Covid-19 caused widespread cancellations and disruption in March.

Reggae band L.A.B performed to a crowd of 6,000 on 4 July, and is performing another 6,000 capacity show at Hamilton’s Claude Arena on 11 July. Promoter Loop and the team at Spark Arena implemented contact tracing and hygiene facilities.

Loop director Mikee Tucker told the New Zealand Herald: “In addition to breathing air back into the lungs of the live entertainment industry it was awesome to see 6,000 happy, smiling faces. Nothing beats a world-class live music experience.”