Dunedin City Council employee Michael Laufiso co-ordinates the Youth Action Committee (YAC), which has thrown together tonight's shindig, the second youth gig it has organised this year.
"The DCC Youth Action Committee committed to holding two youth gigs in 2008. The first they held at Sammy's in May as a part of Youth Week 2008."
Mr Laufiso hopes the multi-band gig will "allow young people to exert some energy on the dance floor, and to come together and celebrate".
"The date was chosen to coincide with the secondary school term ending this week for juniors as well as exams being completed for seniors."
He says Celebrate 08 is about celebrating life and acknowledging achievement, in its broadest sense, which could be from getting an award or prize at school, to getting a job or even just getting through the year, which YAC acknowledges has been a tough one for many.
While the show is an "underage" event, Mr Laufiso says older folk can come along.
"It is billed as a youth gig and aimed at the 13-to-18 and up-to-24 age group. Adults are most welcome and, as with previous youth gigs organised by YAC, adults have been encouraged to bring their young people along and stay if they wish.
"Safety et cetera is often a concern for parents especially if their young people haven't been to a gig before or a venue like Backstage, which is often associated with adult night-life. So we try to encourage them to stay, observe and enjoy," he said.
"Backstage has an upstairs area which will double as a green room for performers and a space for adults who want to be there but not be visible and - for some - to get away from the noise."
The line-up for tonight's show includes youth-gig regular Anna McDonald, Mountaineater (featuring HDU frontman Tristan Dingemans), MC Beau, and the Biff Merchants.
Michael Laufiso says the line-up wasn't exactly hand-picked, but was an attempt to please as many people as possible, and reward bands who believe in the youth cause.
"The Biff Merchants and Mountaineater have been included as more established bands/performers to beef up the line-up as headliners. In talking with the Biff Merchants it was discovered that some of the band also do work with young people via the Edmund Rice holiday camps - perfect performers for a youth gig."
Mr Laufiso says people attending should "expect to have a good time and to celebrate their achievements no matter how small or insignificant you may think they are".
There is a $2 koha (for five hours of entertainment), which will go to Te Hou Ora, to contribute towards a young women's camp in January. The gig is a no-alcohol one and Mr Laufiso says, "attendees are encouraged to respect this kaupapa and not to come intoxicated".
Right of admission is reserved.
• Celebrate 08 is scheduled to begin at 6pm tonight at The Backstage.
