Organisers of a truoble-plagued festival have ordered a clampdown -- with no bring-your-own alcohol or music at a beach event this year.
Team Rhythm and Vines says it plans to tighten its focus while aiming to widen and freshen the appeal of its new-look summer music festival.
Prices will be slashed for a leaner R&V and the emphasis will build on the Waiohika venue, as the beach-based BW scales down to a smaller campground with no music and no BYO alcohol licence.
Though credited with being of regular benefit to Gisborne's economy, R&V has struggled financially since the last festival, requiring an injection of capital and a reduction in staff numbers to get back in black.
Bad behaviour at last year's BW Summer Festival -- which has hosted around 8000 festival-goers at beachside campgrounds and offered music events independent of R&V -- has also contributed to a number of changes.
The night-time concerts previously hosted by BW at Gisborne's Outdoor Theatre will stop, removing a drawcard that brought thousands of young people to the region a couple of days before the main event.
To curb problem drinking, BW's BYO licence will not be renewed. Instead there will be a beach bar adjacent to the campgrounds.
With more visitors likely to set up camp at Waiohika Estate, numbers at BW's multiple campgrounds will be capped at 3500.
Those who decide to go beachside will also get cheaper rates, with four-night packages starting at $70 -- about a third of the 2014 cost.
"It's about balancing access with safety," says founding R&V director Hamish Pinkham.
"We hope people will understand that."
Mr Pinkham has been travelling to events in Europe and the United States, and says he is committed to ensuring R&V continues to offer an exciting, international-level experience.
"We definitely want to freshen things up with a new direction for the festival, while still booking acts that highlight that party atmosphere," he says.
"We already know Rhythm and Vines can hold its own internationally and we'll always stay true to our roots, but at the same time we're always working to make each festival better than the last."
Mr Pinkham and chief executive Kieran Spillane have spent the past few weeks canvassing thousands of social media followers on issues from their camping preferences, to what big acts they would like to see return to Gisborne and what musical genres float their boats.
The result, they say, is a leaner event that does away with costly distractions, while still offering an international-grade festival experience at Gisborne's Waiohika Estate.
It will be a lot cheaper, with three-day camping and ticket packages starting at $245 -- around $200 less than last year.
"We're still going to have a cutting-edge line-up of international and local music talent which we will announce soon," Mr Pinkham says.
"But our new-look format will see the festival's stage and camping areas reconfigured to showcase the stunning vineyard setting.
"We'll have earlier starts -- 2pm -- to make the most of each day, and there will be improved food and drink offerings, including gourmet food, craft beers and local wines."
But he says there will be no compromising on the fun.
"Those staying on-site will enjoy improved facilities and several new zones, along with full access to festival activities like the lake and waterslides they have always loved."
* Rhythm and Vines 2015 will be on at Waiohika Estate on December 29, 30 and 31. Earlybird tickets will be released next Wednesday, May 27.
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Refocus at Waiohika
* R&V has been held at Gisborne's Waiohika Estate since 2003, reaching an audience high of 25,000 in 2010 but dropping back to 18,000 last year
* To ensure the event's longevity, organisers have made changes for 2015, including making tickets for both R&V and BW Summer Festival cheaper and working to attract a broader audience
* To refocus on the main event, the associated BW Summer Festival will no longer offer independent concerts, will have no BYO licence for the campgrounds and will be capped at 3500 campers
* To compensate, Waiohika Estate will be used to its full capacity of 6000 campers
* Pre-registrations open on Friday. Earlybird tickets will be on sale from May 27, and a line-up announcement is expected in late July.
By Kristine Walsh of the Gisborne Herald
