Once in a Lifetime was more than a concert, it was Christchurch’s rebirth party

Sunday, 17 May 2026

If someone had told me in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquakes that it would take more than 15 years for Christchurch to feel like a fully alive city again, I probably would have left.

For years, living here often felt like existing inside a construction site and a grief cycle at the same time. Empty lots. Road cones. Delays. Endless debates about stadiums, anchor projects and whether the city would ever properly come back.

But this year, something has shifted.

Maybe it’s because the major anchor projects are finally complete. Maybe it’s because One New Zealand Stadium is now open and glowing in the middle of the city skyline. Or maybe it’s because, for the first time in a long time, Christchurch genuinely feels exciting again.

Whatever it is, people can feel it. You hear it in conversations at cafes, bars and workplaces across the city and the country. There’s an energy here now that hasn’t existed for a very long time.

And the sold-out Once in a Lifetime concert felt like the party celebrating that rebirth.

The first concert ever held at One New Zealand Stadium brought more than 37,000 people into the new roofed venue, transforming it from a 25,000-seat sports arena into Christchurch’s largest concert venue. But this was never just about music. It felt symbolic. A city that has spent more than a decade rebuilding itself finally had somewhere big enough to celebrate in.

When promoters announced the first show would feature an all-Kiwi line-up, I’ll admit I was sceptical. Part of me wanted some giant international superstar to christen the venue and announce Christchurch’s return to the world.

But after being there on Saturday night, it’s hard to imagine a better choice.

The local line-up gave the night heart.

There was something deeply fitting about New Zealand artists opening this stadium for a city that has spent years rebuilding itself. And the performers clearly understood the significance of the moment too.

The night was full of surprises, giant production moments and the kind of euphoric crowd energy that only comes when people know they’re part of something historic.

Six60 performing Catching Feelings with Shaan Singh from Drax Project.

Savage appearing alongside Synthony.

A saxophonist flying suspended from the stadium roof.

Synthony transformed the stadium into a giant dance floor, filling the roofed arena with orchestral electronic anthems that felt both euphoric and deeply nostalgic. The act completely captivated the crowd and, for many, stole the show with a huge cinematic sound that reverberated through every corner of the venue. It was the kind of performance that reminded you live music can still feel genuinely transporting.

And Six60 doing what Six60 does best — bringing people together with songs almost every New Zealander somehow knows word for word.

The production itself was enormous. Giant screens stretched across the stadium. Lights pulsed through the roofed arena. The acoustics, which many had wondered about ahead of the concert, largely held up remarkably well considering this was effectively the venue’s first major sound check.

The only real sour note of the night was the experience for general admission patrons trying to access drinks and toilets. Queues stretched endlessly for much of the evening, while large sections of food and beverage vendors on the stadium concourse remained inaccessible to GA ticket holders and noticeably underused. It felt like a clear logistical misstep and one the stadium operators are likely to receive significant feedback about.

The scale of it all would have been hard to comprehend even five years ago.

The concert stretched more than five hours, with five acts taking the stage. Newsroom duties meant I missed the opening performances and arrived as Six60 began. But even walking toward the stadium, you could feel the mood. Streams of people in sequins, puffer jackets and mini skirts moving through the city with genuine excitement.

Just like the super rugby weekend, Central Christchurch felt busy in the best possible way.

Six60’s charismatic front man Matiu Walters repeatedly spoke between songs about Christchurch getting back on its feet. In another setting it might have sounded rehearsed or overly sentimental. But inside that stadium, surrounded by thousands of people who have lived through the city’s hardest years, it felt completely genuine.

Everywhere I looked there were smiling faces. Groups hugging. Parents dancing with teenagers. Middle-aged couples belting out lyrics. Young people filming every second on their phones.

And as the crowd slowly poured out into the Christchurch night afterwards, there was a feeling that everyone knew they’d just experienced something important.

I asked several people leaving the venue what they thought of the night.

“Amazing,” one woman said immediately.

“Worth the wait,” said another.

“Far exceeded my expectations said a woman in her 60s.

My friend Jo said to me “before the earthquakes it was why Cantabrians were always called one-eyed, they were so proud of their place because it was epic. It’s back now and even better than before.”

That seemed to capture it perfectly.

Because in many ways, this concert wasn’t just the opening of a stadium.

It felt like Christchurch finally celebrating itself again.