We started off the morning with a nice healthy breakfast of cold BK (Hungry Jacks) burgers from the night before and an ice cold strawberry and lime cider as the beverage to top it off. It all went down like a cold cup of sick because we were hungover so we brushed our teeth, packed our gear and strolled on down to the Wellington beach front. There we swapped paper tickets for material wrist bands and lined up to get in the gates while trying to avoid the quicksand mud swamp that had formed from the rain earlier that morning.
The weather by now had cleared up more than we had originally predicted which was awesome! First act on our jam packed schedule was our brothers Katchafire playing up a storm and getting us into the groove again.
Throughout the day we swapped between the Urban and Dub & Roots stage’s to see these bands Black Seeds, Anika Moa Ft Tiki Taane, Kora, HomeBrew Crew, Ladi6, P Money and most importantly Shapeshifter. I made it to the barrier for Shapeshifter and I may have cried a little because I was so excited.
Every band killed it and Homegrown was just like any other kiwi music festival, Cold, calm and entertaining which made for a bloody awesome day! I got my first ever material wristband, finally after all these years which I will now cherish for the rest of my life. Highlights would definitely be Kora’s set as their music was cut early but the crowd was loving them so much they played accapella until the sound guys brought back the power. Another would be finally seeing HomeBrew live after all these years where I knew every word and even the heavy rain wasn’t going to stop me rocking out. But more importantly seeing Shapshifter finally after waiting almost 6 years to see them live I had high expectations and they did more than deliver by being everything I wanted them to be and more!
If I didn’t already miss home enough as it is the kiwis and atmosphere of Wellington brought that feeling all back at Homegrown! Bring on next year !!! Because I will be back!
Full Length Review & VIDEO COMING SOON!
