Top acts deliver best Winery show yet | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

It's not often you get three of New Zealand's top acts on one playbill in Tauranga, so it's no surprise the More FM Winery Tour attracted a record crowd on Saturday.

More than 3500 concert goers flocked to the Wharepai Domain show, which featured Brooke Fraser, Opshop and Midnight Youth.

The tour is in its fifth year in Tauranga and is becoming something of an institution, to the point where the line-up has become irrelevant to some fans.

Hot summer nights, great Kiwi music and a glass of wine in hand - what's not to like?

Previous line-ups have set the bar high but Saturday night's show at least matched it and I'd go as far as to say it was the best yet.

Midnight Youth kicked off the night with hometown boy Jeremy Redmore at the mic.

The Tauranga Boys' College old boy's voice is seriously good and was showcased to its best on rock hits such as Cavalry and All On Our Own.

He showed his versatility singing the ballad Golden Love, and a funky blues version of radio hit The Letter.

Opshop was next to take the stage, with charismatic frontman Jason Kerrison holding the crowd in the palm of his hand.

He belted out hit after hit, from oldies like No Ordinary Love and Maybe to songs from the band's latest album Until the End Of Time.

It wasn't long before Kerrison had the crowd at the front of the stage doing what he described as the "pogo" - bouncing up and down in a fashion seen at all good rock concerts.

Highlights of the set were Maybe and Big Energy, Little Spaces. After seven years on the local music scene, Opshop have put themselves firmly at the top of touring acts in this country.

If there was any doubt Brooke Fraser is a star, that was put to rest by the hordes of screaming - no, squealing - fans who rushed to the front to see their idol.

Fraser has grown as an artist from her What To Do With Daylight debut, and that journey was evident as she performed songs from each of her three albums.

Singles from her latest offering Flags - such as the catchy Something In The Water and finger-clicking Betty - were well received. And new songs including Jack Kerouac and Flags showed there's plenty more good singles to come from the album.

Fraser's smouldering voice was at its best in songs like the poignant Albertine and her debut single Better, which still rings true seven years after its release.

Fraser invited Kerrison and Redmore to the stage for a memorable version of The Beatles' Let It Be, a highlight of the night, before singing the crowd out with wedding song favourite Arithmetic.

The tour is something of a juggernaut - with 55 crew heading to 19 venues from Northland to Dunedin.

With those kinds of logistics, it's not surprising that this is one slickly produced show.

Lighting and sound couldn't be faulted, and event management was spot-on with toilets, rubbish and recycling facilities, food and drinks all well managed.

I know I'll be returning next year, no matter who's on the bill.