Fortify Events NZ

05/08/2024

Ahoy hoy Facebook friends!

Guess what, it's event week so you know what that means! Yuppp, I'll have a harrowing thousand-yard stare wherever I go as we approach Friday night at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum.

The RIFF FOUNDRY is gonna be a weird and wonderful live show with some super exciting bands, in an iconic venue in South Dunedin. (Its around the corner from K-Mart btw, if you want a sick asf detour to your late night shopping mish)

We've got the groovy instrumental trio Puppet Milk kicking off the night, followed by the hectic ensemble No Danger with an array of wacky viral covers and originals. Later in the piece we're maxing out the synths with live DnB duo donnahue and rounding the night of with a bombastic time from the South's favourite electronic rock trio, Robots In Love. Big sounds, big stomps, but not like hardout metal, so Nan can come too.

There'll be some heckin delicious hot meals and sweet treats served up by Latin Corner / La Cueva Del Buro!

Sounds loaded in by Avo Audio!

Get in at 6pm, the music starts 6:30!

Feels very special to put this show on. Very lucky to invite these awesome bands and supporters into this wicked space. It would mean the world to us if you come along for the show! If this one goes real good, then well the blueprints are there for more shows.

The proof is in the pudding though! Tickets are still available on Humanitix for $14 or $20! Will link it in the comments below to skip the algorithm kiss of death. Or door sales 20 bucks!

Like many organisers, my fiery anxiety is linked to how much these rock shows will blow gaping holes in my bank account. But for all the risks being faced and fires under my butt, there's no better life on this planet for me.

15/07/2024

STALLS, VENDORS, PEOPLE WHO SELL COOL STUFF

So! A kickass live music event in 6 weeks' time... I want to include a community market, but this kind of thing is best done informed by the community, so I need suggestions....

What would a community garage sale look like if it's intermingled with official brands of clothing, art designs, jewellery etc.? Intermingled with community and well-being groups? And I daresay intermingled with plant / seed stalls?

There's a point where we know how much is too much. But right up until that point, I'm keen to help artists, practitioners, and passionate people create this awesome market plaza environment that centres growth and expression. So am figuring out what's compatible, what's accessible, and what's memorable.

Should I (try) keep a straightforward offering for a market zone?
What stalls or groups would you like to see join for this?
Is it still a 'community' market if there are local brand commercial stalls?
Do people make $50+ purchases at event markets? If you know well in advance?

All these questions and more are circling my brain...

03/07/2024

Oh helloooo there! What's your plans for October 10 - 14th? How about Circulation Festival! https://www.circulation.co.nz/volunteer

Keen to spring into action for a most wonderful community festival? Support a rich environment of performance, creativity, and spectacular festival vibes we all know and love?

Then Circulation wants to hear from youuuuu!! These events are only as strong as the volunteers who carry the whole experience. Join us at Waiora Scout Camp, Dunedin, for a weekend of magic, thrills and delight.

What help do we need? Setup missions! Decor! Gate! Kitchen! Cafe! Facilities! Fire Zone! And packdown!

Guess what! You don't have to be a spinning or performing aficionado to participate in Circulation. I'm certainly not! It's really one of the best places to be introduced to flow arts. But like I said, Circulation is fronted hard by a supportive community, so clicking on with that vibe is the way to go.

Follow this link to join for a real wholesome time on the Circulation volunteering crew: https://www.circulation.co.nz/volunteer

06/06/2024

Hey check this out! A sh*t-hot lineup poster and some yarns...

When the Carnival doesn't have me seeking the most competitive chocolate fish prices in the region, or amassing the aquatic legions of lantern sea creatures, or tussling with the DCC, or booking the tastiest night market lineup (watch this space), or rallying the biggest art aficionados in town, or trying not to swear on public platforms, or attempting to make a 150y/o building accessible for all, or subtly turning a family community event into a dark undersea cosmic horror experience....

I'm having the cheekiest wee crys about missing the south's most epic party of the year!! For real. Winter Solstice was one of the first things that went through my mind on Boxing Day when I opened my eyes sitting sideways in my crashed car.

"I need to get home and do this with my people"

But beyond the gusto we stoke in our hearts, the circumstances of life cannot be predicted. And so we must make choices against the unwavering circumstances.

The thing is, I won't really be missing Solstice. Not really. Have been so intrinsically linked with the planning, that the spreadsheets tell the stories for me. The experience design and the content of the event is laid out clear for me to see. The passion from the crew makes it palpable. Barring a long night and a full moon, I've basically been there this whole time.....

"Dancing in the wind
As roses born again
There you'll find me

Before the dawn of man
In castles made of sand
There you'll find me

Writing in the caves
As fire lights the way
There you'll find me

Mask of royal glow
Done in pharaoh's clothes
There you'll find me, let it go

Rings of dust and ice
Weightless in the night
There you'll find me, let it go"

- Cosmic, A7X

21/02/2023

The next adventure is just around the corner! Yatra Festival '23 is coming to life in three days, and I'm super proud to have joined in the creation of this genuine balls-to-the-wall psychedelic music and arts festival.

It's been an exciting and committed period of running the social media promotion, so humbled by the organisers' faith in me and my ability to spin a good yarn for the people!

Representing the underground music culture in this little way has done wonders for my outlook on it all! The commitment from the whole crew, the contractors, artists, performers, designers, and suppliers have raised the hype to stupdenous levels!!

Another round in the Cobb, coming right up 🔥🔥

19/02/2023

Festivals in NZ are curving towards a higher duty of care, and recognising what's needed to ensure everyone on the paddock are having a safe and comfortable time!

This movement hinges on the awesome work of support teams such as Ngā Kaitiaki! How brilliant!

Yeoww our final event of the Aotearoa festival circuit is less than 1 week away!
Which gives us an epic opportunity for some reflection on how much of an awesome summer/year our organization has had. Ngā Kaitiaki taught a total of 15 consent education workshops across Aotearoa (including Lauren speaking at two corporate seminars), 4 big festivals, trained 48 new guardians in bystander intervention, helped start up a new consent guardian project at AUM New Years Eve Festival ॐ AND protected and educated the dance floors of over 8,000 people!!
What a time. We have been operating for several years now and the growth and awareness that improves each year in the underground music scene is completely astounding.
Biggest of shout outs to both Psy-Care NZ and Know Your Stuff NZ ❤️
Together we are a catalyst of change and what an honor it is to be doing this mahi!
Huge thanks to everybody who has supported us in this journey.

23/12/2022

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the site
All the creatures were stirring, dancing through the night;
The stage lights were hung by the riggers with care,
In hopes that Saint Wookalas soon would be there;

The gremlins were nestled all snug in their dreads,
While visions of kaleidoscopes danced in their heads;
And Mumma in her Oodie, and I in my mesh,
Had just settled down for a long pensive sesh,

When out on the paddock there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the tent to find this Mad Hatter.
Away to the zipper I flew like a flash,
Tore open the cover, gave myself whiplash.

The moon on the breast of the wide river flow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my glazed eyes should appear,
But a warped fractal sleigh, and eight buzzing reindeer,

With a little old driver, so energetic and slick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Wook.
More rapid than tribeats, his coursers they came,
And he birdcalled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PINGER and V***N!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, BOOFER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the stage! To the top of the hil!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away we will!"

He was dressed all in patterns, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with scorch marks, how cooked;
A bundle of flow toys were flung on his back,
And he looked like a raver, the lineup all stacked.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a sublime face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Wook,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of my look;
A wink of his eye and a flick of his dreads,
Soon gave me to know he was no deadhead;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Mixing these sick tracks; then turned with a jerk,
Saw the next DJ waiting their turn,
Saint Wook slung his poi, ready to burn;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his crew gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, snares sharp as a thistle.
But I heard him holler, 'fore he drove out of sight,
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND bro....got a light?

Image: John Speaker, johnspeaker.com

19/12/2022

Camping festivals, right? What an absolute mission to get yourself sorted for a week or so out in the paddock, in the secluded sites that these wonderful experiences come to life. So many supplies and equipment to remember! Clearly I still find spots for luxury here and there in the bush.

Can't forget your outfits, your cooking gear, and by the grace of the gods you cannot forget your sunscreen. This sun will cook your face without a second thought. Bring all you can to face the elements, from sunhats to insect repellents, long sleeves to sturdy footwear. There is no doubt a festival takes its toll on you, but we have the ability to minimise that with solid prep!!!

There's other little bits that will make all the difference on the dance floor, such as chewing gum and earplugs!! Keep a leash on your jaw with chewing gum, and earplugs allow you to safely traverse the speakers' kill zone; the vibrations are deeper and more luscious when you're not worried about your eardrums being stabbed over and over again, in my humble opinion. Would you say so?

And you can never have too many water bottles!! So long as you keep track of all of the plastic. PRO TIP: Fill up small water bottles and freeze them before embarking on your trip INSTEAD OF BAGS OF ICE. This way you won't have a pool of water in your chilly bin by Day 2.

07/12/2022

Summer is upon us. And many of us have BUTTERFLIES in our stomach as we plan ahead for the life-changing festivals and celebrations we shall immerse ourselves in. And there's a lot to do to get ready in time! So much packing and preparation.

Ultimately, the most important task to ensure you have a magnificent time on the paddock and create lifelong memories and to keep energised and empowered, is to practise self love.

This is a relationship we're talking about here. Beyond your dear partner, your buddies, your family, the only relationship you have from start to finish is YOU. It's the most complicated, because you can't walk away from you. You'll make mistakes in this relationship, and you must forgive every one of them. You have to face every flaw if you want to truly maintain the love you have for yourself. The love that will carry you through every external struggle; people and jobs and life events will come and go, but only you will remain with yourself right to the end.

Nurture this relationship like any other. Prioritise it over others, but in a way that does not disparage others. Remember that forgiveness and gratitude will carry you to the greatest states of being.

Remember that if you want to be happy and successful and find meaning in your life, you need to know who you are first!

And buddy, when you're neck deep in Day 3 of a psychedelic festival where your body is cooked, your mind is frayed and your soul is gaping, you'll have plenty of time to figure out who you truly are.

Let the external judgments and the false internal opinions of you be swept away by these grand experiences that leave you facing yourself and deciding how you'd like to be born anew. Your present self must be strong to heal your past self to ensure a paradise for your future self.

03/12/2022

Hey so what does the logo mean? Why Fortify?

I'm glad you asked! There is a mountain of pressure you must swallow in order to run a successful event. The five domains of event management are:

🚀 Experience Design (what's happening at your event?)
📅 Administration (how is your event being monitored and tracked?)
🔥 Risk Management (what can go wrong at your event?)
📣 Marketing (how will people know about your event?)
⚙️Operations (how will your event be carried out on the day?)

We can dive into specifics later on. The middle three domains don't always get as much attention as is needed for effective planning and delivery, and can cause unnecessary stress and turmoil if not approached diligently and wholeheartedly. Therefore these domains must be fortified with strategic and principled practices, in order for the planning to be effective and the delivery to be glorious.

These plans and strategies are represented by the interlocking ring. Looks like holding hands in a great big circle, go figure!

Then there's the butterfly! For my part, I see the butterfly as the fleeting magical moment you can experience at events. The circle ring represents the planning, organising, logistics, all the coordination of interlocking elements to come together to make the event... to attempt to capture the fickle fragile yet heavenly moments at events that can change peoples' lives. Moments you cannot grasp or control, but by the graces of strategic and principled planning, they are there to be embraced.

Isn't that just remarkable?

29/11/2022

Tēnā koutou katoa, friends, family, former colleagues, fearless festivalgoers, frenzied organisers, and everyone in between! My name is Nate and I've got something cool to show you.

For years you've watched me play a part in your event, big and small, watched me run around like a madman, organising and toiling away at bringing these dreams to life with wholehearted passion and principle, zest and zeal, holding a vision of a better world where amazing people work together to deliver transformative experiences.

Understanding what society needs to thrive, and making some friends along the way.

And now you shall see my skills, qualities and offerings stand on their own two feet as a sole trader business entity.

Come one, come all, and join the journey of Fortify Events.

You can follow me on other social medias!

IG: instagram.com/fortifyevents/
LI: linkedin.com/company/fortify-events-nz
URL: Coming soon!

🦋🦋🦋