Six60 made history in 2018 when they became the first kiwi band to sell out Auckland’s iconic Western Springs – an impressive 50,000 tickets in just ten weeks, with 27,000 sold the first twenty minutes of the general public sale.
Selling out Villa Maria’s winery last Summer was a walk in the park for the New Zealand favorites, and naturally, they started to think bigger. Being able to perform at Western Springs Stadium show is an impressive feat – to put numbers in perspective, their last New Zealand Summer tour sold a total of 40,000 tickets collectively.
Selling out Western Springs is just another achievement to add to the bands’ list of accolades, with a triple platinum 2011 self-titled-debut that earned them six New Zealand music awards, while their latest EP remains on the New Zealand album charts after 63 weeks. Despite no new material released since 2017, through the entirety of 2018, Six60 made appearances on either the Top40 Albums or Top40 singles charts. Not to mention, both of their 2011 and 2015 albums went quadruple platinum. Their ongoing list of achievements from the last eight years is nearly unheard of for a New Zealand act. The sell-out show at Western Springs assures them of their spot as New Zealand’s biggest band.
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Speaking on the massive accomplishment, front man Matiu Walters shared, “When we put on a show at home, it’s always with the thought of creating an incredible collective experience… Western Springs – the idea of 50,000 Kiwis together creating such a historical moment – just felt like it had to happen. It’s gonna be an honour for me to be part of the 50,000”
Auckland’s Western Springs opened in 1929 mainly for sporting events. Over the years it has only been occasionally use for concerts, due to the fact that filling a capacity of 50,000 is a considerable task. Some of New Zealand’s most historic shows have been held there, like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours tour in 1977, Bob Marley & The Wailers Babylon By Bus tour in 1979 and David Bowie’s ‘Serious Moonlight Tour’ in 1983.
The Dunedin boys have come a long way since starting as a cover band in 2008 to make some cash during university. A few years into performing and as their time at the University of Otago drew to a close, the boys decided to write some original tracks and record an EP. Without any industry connections, they walked into the Rock Shop and asked the man at the counter if he knew any producers, which resulted in him actually producing the EP himself. Since then, they’ve become a fan favorite, touring the world and adopting a business mentality that has ensured the longevity of their career, as they continue to impress fans with their laidback, distinctly Six60 style.
Six60’s performance at Western Springs Stadium on February 23rd will undoubtedly be a night that will go down in history.
