Your Guide to Auckland City Limits

The inaugural Auckland City Limits festival is just a stone's throw away and with a combination of local and international acts preparing to journey to Auckland's Western Springs Park on March 19, the day looks to be one that will be remembered. No matter rain or shine, acts will play across four stages from 11am to 11pm.  The day is destined to emit purely good vibes, with great artists including heavy-hitting local favourites Shapeshifter, Ladyhawke, Fat Freddy's Drop, The Naked and Famous and Broods, as well as renowned artists Kendrick Lamar, Action Bronson, Cold War Kids, Girl Talk and Modest Mouse among the international talent on show.

Leave your selfie sticks, drones and cigarettes at home for this one, grab a squad or your best bud and check below our guide to Auckland City Limits Festival for 2016.

Getting there

The team at Auckland City Limits have made it as simple as possible to ensure you get to the gig in a timely fashion minus the hassle of stress. Private driver service Uber has teamed up with ACL to give $20 off your first ride. If you are yet to join the ranks of Uber users this is the ideal time to create an account. By downloading the app on your phone and creating an account you can enter the promo code "AKLCITYCLIMITS16". With no parking on site, festival organisers urge all attendees to take advantage of the free special event buses. The buses will leave from Quay Street in the city and there will be free train travel available on the city rail network, as long as you have your event ticket.

Kinetic

If you were planning on making the most out of your day, doing so would have to include getting along to the V Energy stage by 1:15pm to catch the newly formed Kinetic. A musical collaboration doomed only for success sees musical geniuses Laughton Kora, Shelton Woolright and Paul Matthews unite in the name of creating down right decent tunes for music lovers across the world. The trio come together in an epic alliance as they continue to showcase their individual ongoing commitment to the New Zealand music scene while harmoniously working together toward a new authentic sound. The performance is sure to get you moving through an invigorating deliverance of brilliantly produced tunes and if you are yet to hear anything from the boys new venture, treat yourself to the 3 minutes and 39 seconds of sensational listening that is 'Living the Illusion'. 

Festival Artworks 2016

More than just music, this festival will host a variety of work from a selection of contemporary artists which will be spread throughout the venue on the day of the festival. Festival artists to be featured include Angus Muir and Alexandra Heaney who are known for original and beautiful installations, as well as Jeff Thomson and Margaret Lewis. A collaborative group LGOP - 'Looks Good on Paper Collective' will be showcasing Zietsetz, a set of structures hoping to promote an interaction with art throughout the day. Auckland City Limits Art Curator Amanda Wright says, "We want the works to create links between all the various zones of ACL in a playful, practical adventure."

Broods 

It's no secret that Broods are insanely talented. The brother-sister duo come together time and time again to form a correlation between catchy synthesized beats and melodic ballads, while of course adding in their own distinct electronica flare. Caleb and Georgia Nott have consistently conquered producing tracks of a remarkably high standard which has seen them gain international recognition, deservedly. Their debut album Evergreen produced by music wizard Joel Little entered the local charts at #1, #5 on the Australian charts and within the top 50 in the US. After taking home Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2014 NZ Music Awards, last year they went on to take out four awards, including the highly respected Album of the Year. Undoubtedly the pair will put on a show not be missed, with Georgia's strong vocals making every performance powerful and unique.

Auckland Eats  

If continuous dancing tends to encourage hunger, don't worry the team at ACL are one step ahead. Food courts will be located throughout the festival but also in addition to this, Auckland Eats will be in the Auckland City Limits Festival village and will host home to a varying range of delicious food, drinks and bites on the day. Thanks to the divine brilliance of chef Che Barrington of Blue Breeze Inn and Woodpecker Hill, a more than tasty lineup of Auckland's best will appear on site. Our favourites from Woodpecker Hill will be available as well as other delectable delights from Beirut, Federal Delicatessen, Cazador, Orphan's Kitchen and Mexico.

Cold War Kids 

Five studio albums deep, it was always going to be an efficacious career path for the talented musicians of Cold War Kids. After starting out in a tiny garage with a big sound, thanks to determination and ear for richness the members continue to today create music from the soul with an importance and resonating reliability with charismatic undertones. Their sound will be a perfect addition to any pre-Kendrick build up. Known best for their grungy indie-rock with subtle blues undertones, the band who originated in California and with hits like 2007's 'Hang Me Up To Dry' to 'First', released just last year, the band have continued to stay relevant and appealing to fans over their ten year journey. Speaking candidly about where they are now Nathan Willett from the band says, "We've existed 10 years and five records, we're still making art that is very vulnerable and singular but we are ambitious and honest with ourselves, knowing that we want success and to reach people and have them understand our art."

Auckland Kiddie Limits

If this festival sounds like the ideal day out with the hubby but the babysitter options are lacking, alas, never fear, Auckland Kiddie Limits is the adorably-titled solution. Auckland Kiddie Limits will run concurrently alongside ACL with its own stage hosting family friendly performances just for the little ones. The festival welcomes free entry for children under ten and as kids are permitted access across the site parents can start with 'Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes' at 12.30pm and make it across in time to hear Kinetic slay the V Energy stage at 1.15pm. The area will also host interactive activities such as a temporary tattoo stall and karaoke.

Girl Talk

With somewhat of an esteemed knack for mashups, for former engineer Gregg Michael Gillis, better known as Girl Talk, it's all about the calculated flow. The disc jockey recently released a collaborative EP with fellow artist Freeway titled Broken Ankles; his first offering since Night Ripper in 2006 and taking a break from touring in 2013. At the same time he took on a different approach outside of his normal mainstream work. He says, "It was liberating and exciting working on a different style of material. I couldn't stop. A bunch of the ideas were things I've been wanting to do for years." You can expect a mix of both his older work and predictably a variation of the latest works in teaming with Freeway.

Kendrick Lamar 

You are reading correctly. From 9:30pm until 11pm Kendrick is scheduled to perform and to speak colloquially it is going to be lit. As if this man needs any introduction, the hit maker is synonymous for his fresh sound with innovative hip hop tracks, most recently incorporating hits of funk and jazz into his masterful latest album. Rolling Stone recently hailed the seven-time Grammy winner as "arguably the most talented rapper of his generation" and after a spine tingling performance at the recent 2016 Grammys he's unstoppable on his quest for respect and to be heard by the masses. Dubbed by Dr. Dre and Snoop in 2011 as "The New King of the West Coast" we can expect to see Kendrick perform his most accomplished music from albums Section.80, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and 2015's To Pimp a Butterfly that held smashes like 'King Kunta' and 'Alright'.

Artist Schedule and Map

While walking into a music festival with no overall plan can be fun and spontaneous, it can also turn into a nightmare if you misjudge your favourite artist's playing time or can't figure out where on earth to track down a steaming pottle of sustenance. Those who take advantage of ACL's artist schedule and site map, shan't have either of those problems.

See the full timetable and site map below.