Taranaki Daily News, by FELICITY ROSS, 12-21-09
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-dail...taking-the-air
New Plymouth Buzzes with Concert-Goers Taking the Air
The energy and excitement in the air at the weekend was so thick you could almost taste it.
Fleetwood Mac's two New Plymouth concerts spun the city into a fever with 25,000 out of town fans hitting the streets to shop, eat and see the sights.
On Saturday the rain held off for most of the day as the sidewalks of the CBD remained five people deep and left every cafe and bar without an empty seat.
It was middle-aged mania with married duos taking over the streets complete with matching outfits to keep the elements away.
On both Saturday and Sunday the Bach on Breakwater Wine Bar had people queuing half an hour before they opened.
"I told my staff to sit down and have breakfast because they wouldn't get another shot at it," owner Barbara Olsen-Henderson said.
"We had queues out the door all day both days but everyone was really good and patient and it has been a wonderful weekend."
Local art gallery and gift shop Verge was packed with people all weekend.
A spokesperson for the shop said it had been full to the brim all weekend with visitors to Taranaki buying for Christmas and personal treats.
Crowded House Bar and Cafe co-owner Doc van Praagh said his inner-city eatery had been packed almost all weekend.
"We just got slammed from 8am each morning," Mr van Praagh explained.
"It was full before and after the concert, there is no rest for the wicked."
There was only one hitch, a phase on Devon St East blew and knocked out half of Crowded House's power from 8pm on Saturday night until yesterday morning.
"It was a pain but it didn't stop everybody from having a good time," said Mr van Praagh, who also co-owns Stumble Inn in Merrilands and Butlers Reef in Oakura.
Although run off his feet, he did get to the concert himself on Saturday night. "It was awesome, well worth the ticket and the Bowl just looked great. Lindsey Buckingham on the guitar was just a machine. It was just an awesome weekend." He said both the Stumble Inn and Butlers Reef were packed full of people all weekend.
Several other bars and pubs took advantage of the big visitor numbers by taking out special liquor licences for last night.
And after the shows concert-goers filled the CBD but despite the influx police said people were pretty well behaved.