| Music Festival Name: | Rock2Wgtn |
| Location: | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Years Active: | 2008 |
| Dates: | 22 and 23 March 2008 |
| Genre: | Rock, Metal, |
| Website: | Official Website |
| Founders: | Capital C Concerts |
The Rock2Wgtn Festival was a two-day music festival. It is the second major music festival to be held in New Zealand, the first being the Big Day Out, but Rock2Wgtn is the first purely metal/rock festival. It is also the first two-day festival, as the Big Day Out is held over a single day. It was held at the Westpac Stadium, informally known as The Cake Tin due to the shape of the building.
The Rock2Wgtn Festival was held Easter 2008. The headliners were Kiss[1] and Ozzy Osbourne. The other bands to play were Whitesnake,[2] Lordi, Alice Cooper,[3] and Poison.[4]
New Zealand bands The Valves, Sonic Altar, and The Symphony of Screams played support over the 2 nights.
The special effects were supplied by Weta Workshop who have previously supplied effects for movies such as The Lord of The Rings.[5] [6]
Attendance over the 2 days was around 50,000.[7] The event was not a commercial success, and it was noted that Kiss bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons insisted on large volumes of free tickets being given out in order to obviate the appreciably noticeable empty seats at the venue.
| Acts | ||
| Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|
| KISS Sonic Altar Alice Cooper The Symphony of Screams Lordi | Ozzy Osbourne The Symphony of Screams Whitesnake Sonic Altar Poison The Valves | |
| Lordi | |
|---|---|
| Mr. Lordi - vocals | |
| Amen - guitar | |
| OX - bass | |
| Kita - drums, vocals | |
| Awa - keyboards, vocals |
| Alice Cooper | |
|---|---|
| Alice Cooper - vocals | |
| Brent Fitz - drums | |
| Keri Kelli - guitar | |
| Chuck Garric - bass | |
| Jason Hook - guitar |
| Kiss | |
|---|---|
| Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar, lead vocals | |
| Gene Simmons - bass guitar, lead vocals | |
| Tommy Thayer - lead guitar | |
| Eric Singer - drums, vocals |
| Poison | |
|---|---|
| Bret Michaels - vocals, guitar, harmonica | |
| C. C. DeVille - guitar, vocals | |
| Bobby Dall - bass guitar, keyboards, vocals | |
| Rikki Rockett - drums, percussion, vocals |
| Whitesnake | |
|---|---|
| David Coverdale - vocals | |
| Doug Aldrich - guitar | |
| Reb Beach - guitar | |
| Uriah Duffy - bass | |
| Timothy Drury - keyboards | |
| Chris Frazier - drums |
| Ozzy Osbourne | |
|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne - vocals | |
| Zakk Wylde - guitar | |
| Rob "Blasko" Nicholson - bass | |
| Mike Bordin - drums | |
| John Sinclair - keyboards |
The 2008 Rock2Wgtn was the last one of its kind in Wellington, with it being announced that the next Rock2Wgtn will be in another city (with the name being changed to suit). On the promoters website, http://www.capitalc.co.nz/, an image is shown with the text "In 2009 we are bringing it on again! Not Wellington... not easter... new artists!", along with a new logo that says "Rock2????".[8]
However mid-2009 it got changed to Rock22010 with no word on delays. Still stating New Artist, New City, New Date. As of September 2011 the Rock2Wgtn website doesn't even exist.