Friends of the Bush Charity Gig to Support Predator-Free BOP

A charity concert at Astrolabe Bar in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, 15 March is set to raise funds for Predator Free BOP, with money going towards free rat traps for Bay of Plenty households to help protect native birds. The lineup includes DJ duo Twenty2 & Peasoup, JNR One Drop, Francis Kora and Mirage, with doors open from 4pm and DJs running from 9pm until close. Tickets are $20 per person and available through Humanitix.

Organiser Te Ara Dirkse from Envirohub said the event builds on last year's success, when the gig raised enough to fund 84 rat traps for the group managing native forest at the end of Whakamarama Road. This year's beneficiary, Predator Free BOP, aims to continue distributing free rat traps across the region. 'Our native birds need protecting and every dollar raised goes directly towards that,' Dirkse said.

Francis Kora — lead singer of Kora — will perform a solo set, and Dirkse said his vocals are something special. Mirage, a psychedelic indie band from Mount Maunganui, will headline, having just dropped their new EP Sun Goes Down.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).