Image Credit: Mitchell Miller for Muzic.NZ
It’s been a heck of a journey, from the very first Dougfest back in 2023, when an ambitious new promoter put on a two-night festival, featuring a 13-band lineup of local punk, rock, and alternative artists from across Aotearoa at Last Place, Hamilton. A few years and several shows later, and Dougspace: 3mo Night marked the tenth show for the flamingo-tinged franchise, and the last show in Hamilton for the forseeable future.
Reflecting on the first shows, Doug says “I went in to the first one going, oh, whatever happens, happens, and then it got big. And it’s like, okay, I need to start doing it properly, because people are relying up it. Well, not relying on it, but they have expectations… I think now, trying to do something that’s different is one of the hardest parts”. The initial Dougfest, for a festival, was considered small. But it worked. People turned up, discovered some new kiwi bands, and had a great time. And since then, the small festival has slowly but surely grown, and show after show, keeps selling out, and the only way to keep growing is to move to a larger venue.
“We’re aiming for bigger artists, aiming for bigger things”, muses Doug. “Not because we’re tired of Hamilton, which we’re not. But we want something to challenge us. Saying ‘oh f*ck, we need to do something really big’, and then it works out and I get such a big high out of it, which is fun. I mean, we’re going back to Double Whammy (Auckland) for DougFest 4, which I was really happy about. Labour Weekend, October 23rd and 24th, Friday, Saturday. We got an international headliner, that’s all I can really say.”
Details are yet to be revealed about the full lineup, but for now, mark your calendars.
There are huge plans in the works, as the DougFest juggernaut gains momentum among local music artists and fans alike. There is talk of more tours, featuring both local and international artists, but for now, Doug plans to continue to shine a spotlight on our local music scene. “We’re bringing back DougFest Presents. We did that last year for like 2 local bands, who have never played Hamilton before. I just wanted to help with gigging, for both new bands. I think now we’re going to be really selective with it, and do bands that we like, rather than just bands that ask.”
When it comes to how Doug and the team might make that selection, it’s all about the live performance. “I don’t care about recordings, I don’t care about the number of plays, the followers, whatever. Just how they sound like. Becuase we’ve got a really dedicated bunch of people who buy tickets to every event, regardless of who’s playing. And it’s just really good to see them come out supporting local live music rather than just going to bands that they, you know, know and see, like Avenged Sevenfold” (who’s upcoming Auckland show coincides with Night 1 of Dougfest).
Doug has always endeavoured to keep Dougfest shows accessible and affordable, prioritising cheaper tickets over making money. “Our main goal is always to break even, instead of owing people money. I self-funded everything, so much rather put money back into my account going, yeah, cool, I haven’t lost any money on this thing”. With concert prices for international artists continuing to rise, ensuring that the local scene remains affordable is so important.
Over the years, many well known and loved local artists have graced the DougFest stages. When asked who he would most like to have on the bill for an upcoming show, there was no hesitation. “Dick Move. Although they’re quite big, opening for Foo Fighters soon. And that haven’t played a Dougfest yet? Slow Rage. They’re a two-piece from Auckland, but their live stuff sounds exactly like their recordings. And their recorded stuff is super polished and it’s really f*cking good. They’re great.”
The most important message – “Support Local. Always support local. We’ve just lost The Others Way, they’re the biggest independently owned DOA festival in New Zealand. Same with Splore. They’re all gone. Even miniature festivals left, and we just need more people to come out and support the local bands.”
