ORO'17

Overview

The soaring pines of Woodhill Forest will serve as the backdrop for a new boutique music festival this weekend. Created by former Northern Bass promoter Dave Roper, ORO'17 tips it hat to music festivals and raves of the '90s that were often held in spectacular outdoor locations. The inaugural event on Saturday 8 April is being staged in partnership with local iwi and owners of the land Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara.

With a pristine location already secured, the immersive festival experience will be completed by what Roper calls, "One of the most impressive outdoor sound and lighting rigs ever seen in New Zealand." The staging has been custom built to the specs requested by headline act, Underworld.

ORO'17 will be the first ever full-length show in New Zealand for the UK electronic group. Formed by Rick Smith and Karl Hyde in the '8os, the group is best known for their breakout single, 'Born Slippy', an electro anthem that exploded after appearing in Trainspotting. The group's appearance comes off the back of a world tour in 2016.

Joining Underworld at the day-long dance festival will be: US rapper Jeru The Damaja, French producer Evil Needle, DJ Phil Hartnoll of Orbital, local genre-benders SoccerPractise, London bass duo Koven, UK electro producer Feint, Dave Seaman, DJ Dubhead, and Greg Churchill.