A banner image showing a black and white photo of a large dense crowd at a Nick Cave concert, with the musician Nick Cave kneeling and singing into a microphone.
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds are in Pōneke this week.

Pop Cultureabout 10 hours ago

Waitangi Day, Laneway, Nick Cave and Nostalgia: The Spinoff event guide

Books editor
A banner image showing a black and white photo of a large dense crowd at a Nick Cave concert, with the musician Nick Cave kneeling and singing into a microphone.
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds are in Pōneke this week.

The Spinoff’s top pick of events from around the motu. Here’s the best for the week February 5–12.

Welcome to The Spinoff event guide, your weekly, curated selection of gigs, events and exhibitions happening across Aotearoa. If you want to pitch your event for future guides then please use this handy form.

Waitangi

A darkened shot at sunrise, with a crowd of people gathered on the upper Treaty Grounds at Waitangi, watching a big screen, not pictured
Members of the public watch the big screen on the upper Treaty Grounds on Waitangi Day 2025 (Photo: Te Aihe Butler)

Festival: Waitangi Day Festival

Waitangi Treaty Grounds
3–6 February
Free

Te Tiriti o Waitangi commemorations are celebrated and contemporary contexts discussed with a full family-friendly festival programme.

Tāmaki Makaurau

The poster image showing the line up and times for the acts at the 2026 Laneway Festival in Auckland. It is a bright poster with four vertical lines each with the names of musicians on them and the time they're playing.

Music: Laneway Festival 2026

Western Springs
12.30pm–10pm Thurs, February 5 
$249.90

Chappell Roan is headlining this one-day, multi-stage music fest and we are hot to go.

Rotorua

A promotional banner for Waitangi Day at Te Puia showing the illustration of a wharenui and with words detailing the event.

Festival: Waitangi Day at Te Puea

Te Puia
9am–3pm Fri, February 6
$5 (children free)

“Celebrate Waitangi Day at Te Puia | New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute with a jam-packed day of cultural festivities, delicious kai and wānanga. Kicking off at 9:00am, we’ve got activities for the whole whānau!”

Te Whanganui-a-Tara

A black and white photo of a large and dense crowd at a concert, with the musician Nick Cave singing into a microphone.

Music: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

TSB Arena
6.30pm, February 5 & 6
From $156

“Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds will perform a setlist drawn from their latest album Wild God, alongside songs spanning the four decades of their storied career, in this critically acclaimed two-and-a-half-hour show.” Also Aldous Harding is opening.

Whakatū

A promotional banner for the Adam Chamber Music Festival which shows a photo of a man playing the violin.

Music: Adam Chamber Music Festival

Nelson Centre of Musical Arts
Various times, 5–7 February
Multiple prices

“At the heart of the festival is artistic director Gillian Ansell of the New Zealand String Quartet, who personally invites an exclusive lineup of leading international and New Zealand musicians for ten days of exceptional music-making. The carefully curated programme spans classical masterpieces, contemporary commissions, artist talks and masterclasses — all presented in the intimate, acoustically superb Nelson Centre of Musical Arts.”

Ōtautahi

The poster for the Nostalgia festival which has an ornate border and the music line up.

Festival: Nostalgia 

Ferrymead Heritage Part
Saturday, February 7
From $59.90

Line up includes Troy Kingi, Tami Neilson, Hollie Smith and Ladyhawke.

Ōtopoti

A photograph taken from high up looking over a street performer with a large crowd encircling them.

Festival: George Street Market & Eats and Beats on Bath Street

George St
Saturday, February 7
Free

Street performers, food, markets and music all day and into the night.

Pop Culture