Local bands play on professional stage at Rock The Vote festival

Rock The Vote took over a street in the industrial area of Ōtepoti on Oct 3, placing local alternative musicians on a massive stage equipped with professional lighting, rigging, and a high-end sound system. The festival ran from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., serving as an all-ages event designed to encourage youth voter enrolment.

The lineup included 16 local acts, such as Motheaten, Coward!, the pink opaque, Grace Gemmell, Deaf Raccoon, Dolly Possum, Talking Furniture, Seek Help!, Sogg, Sivle Talk, Vagina Dry, U-No Juno, Bunchy’s Big Score, and Strap. DJ sets curated by Tina Turntables filled the gaps between performances. Retrospect Entertainment broadcast the full day on YouTube, with Campus Watch host Craig Daniels interviewing the crowd between sets for audiences outside the city.

The production and organization of the event were provided by Southern Lights and DUN Records. All profits from the festival went directly to the performers. Natasha Griffiths of DUN Records described the local music scene as criminally underfunded and noted that youth enrolment remains far too low. She said the event aimed to create a safe third space for young people and remind them that their votes matter.

Dunedin electorate candidates Victor Billot of the Alliance, Francisco Hernandez of the Greens, and Rachel Brooking of Labour attended the festival. Hernandez said young people do not feel listened to by the current government, though they do feel heard by some politicians. He noted that the political system is largely indifferent to students and said the group is working to create a system that is more friendly for young people, for Māori, and for everyone.

Brooking agreed with Hernandez, stating that some politicians on the right are actively trying to disenfranchise youth. She pointed to the Oct 25 voter enrolment deadline as evidence of this trend. Both candidates agreed that art is inherently political. Hernandez observed that whenever Chlöe Swarbrick walks on campus, she is mobbed by students, indicating that some politicians do connect with youth.

Festival attendees received bumper stickers after confirming their voter status. Zac, a member of the pink opaque, said it was cool to see a showcase of Dunedin’s music scene in the form of an actual festival. He compared the event to what might be seen in other parts of the country with more funding. Tane, a member of Sivle Talk, described the musicians as broke and sad, stating that this shared state brings the community together. He added that the people who try to be apolitical in their art are pussies.

The event featured a large Palestine flag and several food trucks. A minor technical issue occurred when the band Bunchy’s Big Score overworked the generator, causing it to fail. The festival was promoted in the weeks leading up to the date through hundreds of posters pasted around town and a zine distributed to give an overview of the bands.

The production quality of the event was described as exceeding that of other local alternative music festivals. Passer-bys initially assumed a large out-of-town act was performing. The stream of the event is available on YouTube for those who missed the live show.