Dunedin festival pairs live music with voter registration drive

Rock The Vote held a free, all-ages music festival on a street in Dunedin's industrial area on October 3.

The event combined live performances with a voter registration drive aimed at young people. Organizers stated that youth enrolment remains far too low in the region. Natasha Griffiths of DUN Records, a co-organizer, noted that the Dunedin music scene is criminally underfunded. She said the festival was designed to create a safe space for young people and remind them that their votes matter.

The festival ran from noon to 8 pm. The lineup included local bands 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. DJs from Tina Turntables also played sets. Retrospect Entertainment broadcast the event live on YouTube, with Craig Daniels of Campus Watch interviewing attendees between sets. This digital stream allowed audiences outside Dunedin to view the performances.

Southern Lights and DUN Records provided the production and organization for the event at no cost to the performers. All profits from the festival went directly to the musicians. The setup featured a large stage with professional lighting and a high-quality sound system. Politicians from the Alliance, Greens, and Labour parties attended the event. These candidates included Victor Billot, Francisco Hernandez, and Rachel Brooking, all representing the Dunedin electorate.

Francisco Hernandez said young people do not feel listened to by the current government. He noted that some politicians, however, do engage with students. Rachel Brooking agreed that some right-wing politicians are actively trying to disenfranchise youth. She pointed to the October 25 deadline for vote enrolment as evidence of this trend. Both candidates described art as inherently political.

Musicians at the event expressed enthusiasm for the scale of the production. Zac, a member of the band the pink opaque, said it was cool to see a showcase of the local scene in the form of an actual festival. He compared the event to music festivals in other parts of the country that have more funding. Tane, a member of Sivle Talk, said that music is art and art is political. He noted that the musicians present were motivated by their shared economic struggles and a desire to bring the community together.

The festival concluded successfully despite a minor technical issue. Bunchy’s Big Score played with enough intensity that they killed the power generator. The event demonstrated that political engagement can occur in informal settings rather than just formal discussions. The full audio and video of the day is available on YouTube for those who missed the live show.