In a world as tumultuous as New Zealand live music, you celebrate the wins when they come.
One such moment arrived last week, when L.A.B and promoter Loop announced the inaugural 8TH WONDER, a new one-day festival that’s going all out for its first edition.
8TH WONDER, which is going to be the place to be if you want to hear reggae, roots, soul, dub, R&B, and much more, will first land in Rotorua on January 23rd of next year, before crossing the ditch for its Australian debut in Brisbane on January 30th (see full details below).
We’re prone to calling festival bills “stacked,” or “packed,” or “impressive,” but all three platitudes more than apply to 8TH WONDER 2027: breakout superstar Te Wehi, WA indie rockers South Summit, soulful icons Aaradhna and Ladi6, roots-reggae groovers Corrella, and the one and only Sir Dave Dobbyn all feature on the bill.
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The lineup doesn’t just end with those stellar names (see below). L.A.B, of course, will also play their own festival, and the band told Rolling Stone AU/NZ about what they think makes 8TH WONDER so special.
“The really amazing and exciting thing for us,” they said, “is the fact that it’s all ages and boutique.”
“Being able to see young faces in the crowd at a concert and see them having a great time is just magic, and it’s really awesome that 8TH WONDER gives the opportunity for families to come along and bring the whole whānau,” they added.
“By having the festival launch in both Rotorua and Brisbane, we’re really hoping this is the start of something that will last for years to come.”
Tickets are on sale now here.
Credit: Mark Russell
The promising 8TH WONDER news was followed this week by three other much-needed boosts to our country’s live music scene: the relaunch of Neck of the Woods, the return of Tora Bombora after a four-year hiatus, and Armand Van Helden and more being confirmed for Lakes Festival 2026.
Long may the positive news continue.
In other L.A.B news, the band featured in not one but two major Rolling Stone AU/NZ lists last year.
We named L.A.B IV as one of the 80 Best New Zealand Albums of the 2020s So Far, before including “In the Air” in our Best Australian & New Zealand Songs of the 21st Century So Far countdown.
“The song that’s soundtracked a thousand Kiwi barbecues.
“Skewing more pop than reggae, L.A.B surely knew they had a hit on their hands during the first recording session for ‘In the Air’, a breezy anthem that could have been a song of the summer contender in any year of the last decade,” we praised of the latter.
“‘In the Air’ was by far the biggest song in New Zealand music in 2020, and barely left local charts over the next few years.”
8TH WONDER FESTIVAL 2027
Ticket information available here
Saturday, January 23rd
Village Green, Rotorua NZ
Saturday, January 30th
Eatons Hill Outdoors, Brisbane QLD
Lineup:
L.A.B
Te Wehi
Sir Dave Dobbyn
Aaradhna
Che Fu & The Kratez
Corrella
The Elovaters (USA)
Ladi6
Son & Water
South Summit
