January 20, 2025 • 8 mins
Wellington's iconic Jim Beam Homegrown festival is leaving the city after eighteen years, with this year's festival the last in the capital.
Festival director Andrew Tuck told Nick Mills the decision was a hard one, with his team having explored every other option to keep the festival in the city.
He said New Zealand music remains enormously popular and the festival wants the ability to introduce more stages such as one focused on country music.
Tuck said they hope to have the new venue confirmed by April.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said be joining us now is Homegrown Festival director Andrew Tuck.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good morning, Andrew, Good morning to carry this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm sad.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
I understand, do you understand?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I do understand, but I all just correct Ethan and
let him know that fifty five percent of our audiences
over the age of twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah it was it was Max, not Ethan.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
But yeah, but all right, yeah, we'll just correct them
to start.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, okay, and I and I did stick up for
you if you if you were listening, because I did.
I did say that a lot of older people go
to Homegrown.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
They do absolutely, particularly this year with the symphony headline
on the Friday nights, it'll be a it'll be a
fantastic evening.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I mean, don't give me the myriad of Reason's story,
but I really want. I mean, you know, you've been
part of our You're part of our family, So why
are you leaving us?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We started with Front when it was ten thousand people
in three stages and have grown too, obviously twenty five
thousand and five stages. For the festival to continue, we
need to keep making changes and keep growing and keep
doing things that entertain an audience, and we just don't
have the space on the waterfront to be able to
(01:26):
do that.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Don't you think it's unique to the waterfront though? Don't
you think that this event I've been saying all morning,
this event belongs there. It's part of That's what makes
it what it is.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Part of Yeah, no, it does, one hundred percent make
a part of what it is. And I've been working
down at the waterfront now for twenty two years and events.
I used to do the X Games and then went
into homegrowing, so Wellington very much my second hope and
have had some fantastic moments on the waterfront over the years.
And it was a very very hard decision. That's decision
(01:57):
that took me a couple of years to make. But
for the future of the event and for the next
eighteen years promoting and new artists and homegrowing music, we
just knew we had to make a change and to
keep pushing the new genres and the different things that
have developed over the last two decades.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Did everyone do as much as they possibly could in
Wellington to keep it here? Did the council help you
to the other.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Society helping Wellington in ed and Wenington City Council have
been absolutely outsteering over the years that I've dealt with them.
They's been twenty two years and they have been the
best council and probably the reason that I've stayed for
so long has been because of them.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
They've been brilliant and Yep, We've.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Been working on lots of options over the years and
they supported every single one. So now there's definitely no
bad feelings between us and council. They'll be absolutely outsteading.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
How many numbers are we talking? How close are we
do you want to get it to forty five fifty
thousand and that's impossible in Wantington or is it you
just need another five or ten thousand?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Oh, look, we don't need any more people. People wasn't
the issue. What we want to be able to do
was create of new things at the festival. So we
used to do locally sourced stage. We don't do that
now because we don't have the space. We used to
do breakdancing and street dance, we don't do that now
because we don't have the space. So there's just lots
of things we want to keep, including into the festival,
to keep it entertaining, to make sure that people are
(03:23):
having a great time. You know, you look at things
like country music, now that's real ready kicking off in
New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
We don't have.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Space to develop any of those things. So it's just
purely about space and the ability to be able to
grow the genres and showcase the talent that New Zealand
has across the board.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
How much money does it bring into Wellington? And don't
tell me you don't know, because I know every one
of those meetings every year that when you talk about
next year, that numbers and figures come out in the
council will give you the figures. How much money do
you reckon that generates for Warrington?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Look, we turn over in Wellington. I think it's around
twelve million, but the actual profit for the city is
around that forty five million mark.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Wow, that's huge, isn't It's huge for everyone. It's huge
for the local acts that get in there because they're Wellington.
It's huge for the people to go out and see
those local acts because they're Wellington. It's a big loss
to our city, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Look it is, And you know I really hope that
at some stage we can bring something else to the city.
You know, we've always always got concepts and ideas, but again,
I've really got to look at this is promoted and
highlighted New Zealand music for the last two decades. And
when we first started in two thousand and eight, everybody
said it would last two years because we didn't have
(04:40):
the talent or depth of New Zealand. And here we
are eighteen years on and the talent and depth of
New Zealand is actually phenomenal.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
So we want to make.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Sure that first and foremost where we're celebrating that, and
we're helping those artists you know, get around the world
and get recognized and do their passion in showcase how
good New Zealand really is.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Where you're going not sure yet, We're come on, come on.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
No, no, no, We're done about three or four cities
and we're still doing some new diligence around that and
what that looks like. As I say, the biggest thing
for me is making sure that for the next two decades,
New Zealand music is still prominent. You know, I didn't
used to be played on radio, you know, three decades
ago we barely paid in New Zealand music and now
it's at the forefront. So we need to make sure
that we're keeping keeping honest to that and making sure
(05:29):
that we're doing it in a way that in two
decades time we're still here.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Okay, So you've got three or four. One of them's two.
I'm hearing rumors because I heard rumors before this announcement
was made that TOWERO was going to get home.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
One of them is christ Church obviously Auckland's there. What's
the fourth.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There's lots of rumors rolling around me.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Was told I was told by somebody yesterday it was
going to Western Springs and I just cracked up laughing
and I said really, And they said, you know, we
just heard that the rumor well and I said, oh, well,
the rumor mill is going good.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Then it's running. It's running strong.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So no, as I say, definitely, no, no where decided yet,
but when we do, we're hoping to have that decision
made by the middle to the end of April.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
We should have that concerned.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Is there anything God givingly possible that Wellington could do
as a city to keep you here?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Look, I've had those discussions We've looked at every possible place.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
We've looked at pott at All, We've looked at the Hut,
We've looked at.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
The stadium, we've looked at the ports where we've literally
looked at every possible space. We've looked at shutting streets, roads,
and when you're started unpicking it all and look at
how to do it, it just doesn't work.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
So yeah, I've spent.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Years looking at how we can grow through Wellington and
what that would look like, and unfortunately there isn't an
answer for how to do it in the city.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Sad, very sad.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Look to be honest, I've been in the events now
for twenty seven years and it's been the hardest decision
I've ever to make an event.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
What are you most looking forward to it on the
weekend of the fourteenth to March.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Oh, look, I'm really excited to see Symphony. I've seen
them at the Domain when they did the show last
year and absolutely outstanding. So I think that Saturday night
with the massive orchestra is going to be absolutely incredible.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And I think she had the last show. I think
they're really going to knock it out of the park again.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Sad day to see them go, but I'm sure that
they'll deliver an exceptional an exceptional show.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Andrew Tuck, thank you very much for being you. Thank
you very much for what you've done for our city
over eighteen years. I really appreciate you coming on the
show today. As I say, I'll just keep using the
words sad, but I understand, and you're a businessman and
you've got to do that what's right for your baby,
your product. I still will argue that Homegrown belongs on
Wellington water Front, and hopefully in the years to come,
(08:00):
I'll be proved right and you'll come.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Back really appreciate it. Mack. Thank you very much, Andrew Tuck.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
There who owns Homegrown? Its a sad day.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Said be joining us now is Homegrown Festival director Andrew Tuck.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good morning, Andrew, Good morning to carry this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm sad.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
I understand, do you understand?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I do understand, but I all just correct Ethan and
let him know that fifty five percent of our audiences
over the age of twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah it was it was Max, not Ethan.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
But yeah, but all right, yeah, we'll just correct them
to start.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, okay, and I and I did stick up for
you if you if you were listening, because I did.
I did say that a lot of older people go
to Homegrown.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
They do absolutely, particularly this year with the symphony headline
on the Friday nights, it'll be a it'll be a
fantastic evening.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I mean, don't give me the myriad of Reason's story,
but I really want. I mean, you know, you've been
part of our You're part of our family, So why
are you leaving us?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We started with Front when it was ten thousand people
in three stages and have grown too, obviously twenty five
thousand and five stages. For the festival to continue, we
need to keep making changes and keep growing and keep
doing things that entertain an audience, and we just don't
have the space on the waterfront to be able to
(01:26):
do that.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Don't you think it's unique to the waterfront though? Don't
you think that this event I've been saying all morning,
this event belongs there. It's part of That's what makes
it what it is.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Part of Yeah, no, it does, one hundred percent make
a part of what it is. And I've been working
down at the waterfront now for twenty two years and events.
I used to do the X Games and then went
into homegrowing, so Wellington very much my second hope and
have had some fantastic moments on the waterfront over the years.
And it was a very very hard decision. That's decision
(01:57):
that took me a couple of years to make. But
for the future of the event and for the next
eighteen years promoting and new artists and homegrowing music, we
just knew we had to make a change and to
keep pushing the new genres and the different things that
have developed over the last two decades.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Did everyone do as much as they possibly could in
Wellington to keep it here? Did the council help you
to the other.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Society helping Wellington in ed and Wenington City Council have
been absolutely outsteering over the years that I've dealt with them.
They's been twenty two years and they have been the
best council and probably the reason that I've stayed for
so long has been because of them.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
They've been brilliant and Yep, We've.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Been working on lots of options over the years and
they supported every single one. So now there's definitely no
bad feelings between us and council. They'll be absolutely outsteading.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
How many numbers are we talking? How close are we
do you want to get it to forty five fifty
thousand and that's impossible in Wantington or is it you
just need another five or ten thousand?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Oh, look, we don't need any more people. People wasn't
the issue. What we want to be able to do
was create of new things at the festival. So we
used to do locally sourced stage. We don't do that
now because we don't have the space. We used to
do breakdancing and street dance, we don't do that now
because we don't have the space. So there's just lots
of things we want to keep, including into the festival,
to keep it entertaining, to make sure that people are
(03:23):
having a great time. You know, you look at things
like country music, now that's real ready kicking off in
New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
We don't have.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Space to develop any of those things. So it's just
purely about space and the ability to be able to
grow the genres and showcase the talent that New Zealand
has across the board.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
How much money does it bring into Wellington? And don't
tell me you don't know, because I know every one
of those meetings every year that when you talk about
next year, that numbers and figures come out in the
council will give you the figures. How much money do
you reckon that generates for Warrington?
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Look, we turn over in Wellington. I think it's around
twelve million, but the actual profit for the city is
around that forty five million mark.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Wow, that's huge, isn't It's huge for everyone. It's huge
for the local acts that get in there because they're Wellington.
It's huge for the people to go out and see
those local acts because they're Wellington. It's a big loss
to our city, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Look it is, And you know I really hope that
at some stage we can bring something else to the city.
You know, we've always always got concepts and ideas, but again,
I've really got to look at this is promoted and
highlighted New Zealand music for the last two decades. And
when we first started in two thousand and eight, everybody
said it would last two years because we didn't have
(04:40):
the talent or depth of New Zealand. And here we
are eighteen years on and the talent and depth of
New Zealand is actually phenomenal.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
So we want to make.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Sure that first and foremost where we're celebrating that, and
we're helping those artists you know, get around the world
and get recognized and do their passion in showcase how
good New Zealand really is.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Where you're going not sure yet, We're come on, come on.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
No, no, no, We're done about three or four cities
and we're still doing some new diligence around that and
what that looks like. As I say, the biggest thing
for me is making sure that for the next two decades,
New Zealand music is still prominent. You know, I didn't
used to be played on radio, you know, three decades
ago we barely paid in New Zealand music and now
it's at the forefront. So we need to make sure
that we're keeping keeping honest to that and making sure
(05:29):
that we're doing it in a way that in two
decades time we're still here.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Okay, So you've got three or four. One of them's two.
I'm hearing rumors because I heard rumors before this announcement
was made that TOWERO was going to get home.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
One of them is christ Church obviously Auckland's there. What's
the fourth.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
There's lots of rumors rolling around me.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Was told I was told by somebody yesterday it was
going to Western Springs and I just cracked up laughing
and I said really, And they said, you know, we
just heard that the rumor well and I said, oh, well,
the rumor mill is going good.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Then it's running. It's running strong.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So no, as I say, definitely, no, no where decided yet,
but when we do, we're hoping to have that decision
made by the middle to the end of April.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
We should have that concerned.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Is there anything God givingly possible that Wellington could do
as a city to keep you here?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Look, I've had those discussions We've looked at every possible place.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
We've looked at pott at All, We've looked at the Hut,
We've looked at.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
The stadium, we've looked at the ports where we've literally
looked at every possible space. We've looked at shutting streets, roads,
and when you're started unpicking it all and look at
how to do it, it just doesn't work.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
So yeah, I've spent.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Years looking at how we can grow through Wellington and
what that would look like, and unfortunately there isn't an
answer for how to do it in the city.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Sad, very sad.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Look to be honest, I've been in the events now
for twenty seven years and it's been the hardest decision
I've ever to make an event.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
What are you most looking forward to it on the
weekend of the fourteenth to March.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Oh, look, I'm really excited to see Symphony. I've seen
them at the Domain when they did the show last
year and absolutely outstanding. So I think that Saturday night
with the massive orchestra is going to be absolutely incredible.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And I think she had the last show. I think
they're really going to knock it out of the park again.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Sad day to see them go, but I'm sure that
they'll deliver an exceptional an exceptional show.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Andrew Tuck, thank you very much for being you. Thank
you very much for what you've done for our city
over eighteen years. I really appreciate you coming on the
show today. As I say, I'll just keep using the
words sad, but I understand, and you're a businessman and
you've got to do that what's right for your baby,
your product. I still will argue that Homegrown belongs on
Wellington water Front, and hopefully in the years to come,
(08:00):
I'll be proved right and you'll come.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
Back really appreciate it. Mack. Thank you very much, Andrew Tuck.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
There who owns Homegrown? Its a sad day.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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