One stage. Ten bands. Feel the noise. Rock the City!

On Friday 5th September, Nelson's youth music scene isn't just knocking on the door of the Theatre Royal—they're taking it over! For one night only, COMMOTION and Nelson City Council are handing the legendary Theatre Royal stage over to the next generation.

Rock the City is a non-competitive youth music showcase, packed with the freshest talent. Ten incredible bands will seize the spotlight, performing their original music to an enthusiastic audience.

Featuring: Shedheads, Imperfect Circles, Salisbury Road, Recovery, Triple Stuffed, Flipswitch, Lodestone, Armadillo, Zinger and Silver Lining.

This is your chance to experience the energy when raw talent meets a professional stage and connects with an audience that champions every note. The vibe is pure support and community spirit, celebrating the creative talents of our rangatahi.

Alcohol free event.
General admission (seats not allocated).
Seats removed from the flat section downstairs to make room for dancing.

Rockshop Bandquest is Aoteaora's live music event for Primary and Intermediate aged school students. In its fifteenth year, the programme annually hosts hundreds of young bands in venues throughout the country.

Presented by the Wright Family Foundation, and powered by NZ Rockshop, the programme is run by RQP Group (Rockquest Promotions) - the team behind Smokefreerockquest, Smokefree Tangata Beats, and Showquest performing arts competitions.

The kaupapa is to encourage Primary and Intermediate aged musicians onto the stage; learning through experience and developing their performance skills alongside their teamwork, communication, goal-setting and leadership skills.

General Admission seating.
Stalls (downstairs): seats will be removed in the flat section to create standing/dancing room. This means there will not be a seat for all ticket holders.
Dress Circle (upstairs): 99 seats available. Patrons who choose to sit upstairs are guaranteed a seat, but do not have access to the stalls during the show.

This show is General Admission and the seats will be removed from the flat section of the stalls (downstairs) to make room for dancing.

Join the hottest brass party of the year, an energetic, vibrant and inclusive atmosphere for everyone. Hot Potato Band’s larger-than-life brass collective is a breath of fresh air with a focus on setting the bar for interactive musical performances.

With three studio albums under their belts, they continue to explore the sonic possibilities of acoustic instrumentation. Finding home in Sydney, Australia, they have spent the past 11 years independently curating and touring shows across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East.

They have reinvented the traditional brass band as a modern day dance machine and visual spectacle to complement their strong sense of pride for their fun-loving, organic, and quirky musical nature.

NZ’s iconic electronic trio are back for one night only at the Theatre Royal!

After nearly a decade away, Ruth Carr, Ryan Beehre, and Paul Dodge return to the stage to play the tracks that took them around the globe.

We’re taking out the seats on the flat – this is a dance event. Expect energy. Expect nostalgia. Expect to move.

Minuit has a heart. And it beats loud. Real loud.

R18 supervised.
Please note, this show is General Admission and the seats will be removed from the flat section of the stalls (downstairs) to make room for dancing. 

Confirming that SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST is going ahead tonight.

The Nelson Regional Final of Smokefreerockquest, New Zealand's nationwide, live, original music, youth event, giving young musicians the opportunity to perform live in a professional setting, in venues from Northland to Southland.

Smokefreerockquest 2025, powered by Rockshop, aims to motivate young musicians to strive for success, to realise the opportunities available in music careers, and to encourage their peers to support original New Zealand Music.

Stalls (downstairs): General Admission tickets. Some seats removed to make room for dancing.
Dress Circle (upstairs): allocated seating.

Plus1 proudly presents four homecoming concerts in October for New Zealand’s international country star Tami Neilson, fresh from her US performances at the Outlaw Festival Series with Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, The Mavericks and more.

Tami Neilson brings her Neon Cowgirl tour to Auckland, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch this October.

Her huge, glorious voice and powerful live performances have won the admiration and support of some of country music's biggest names and fans worldwide. 2025 has been a landmark year for Neilson, with invitations to perform at the Outlaw festivals, Merlefest, Willie's Fourth of July Picnic, The Grand Ole Opry, and a European tour.

Neilson’s album Neon Cowgirl (out 11 July) is one of the year’s most highly anticipated releases, following the success of singles You’re Gonna Fall, and Borrow My Boots.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Tami Neilson live in New Zealand performing songs from Neon Cowgirl and across her entire career.

"Neilson is at the forefront of the women who are taking back country music." — NO DEPRESSION

Join Nelson Civic Choir and soloists for an entertaining musical romp through the fanciful "topsy-turvy" worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan in an afternoon of costumed frivolity with excerpts from The Gondoliers, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe and many more.

Presenting at the Theatre Royal Nelson for the first time in many years, members of the Nelson Civic Choir pull out all the Victorian stops. Gilbert and Sullivan created a world where each absurdity is taken to its logical conclusion: fairies rub elbows with British Lords, flirting is a capital offence, gondoliers ascend to the monarchy, and pirates emerge as noblemen who have gone astray.

Choral Comedy presents an afternoon of memorable melodies with perfectly outrageous storylines performed in a completely deadpan way.

Inspired by and featuring the music of ELVIS PRESLEY.

1955. Into a square little American town rides a handsome, guitar playin’, motorcycle ridin’ young man who changes everything and everyone in this hip-swivelling musical comedy.

All Shook Up will have you toe tapping your blue suede shoes with a script that’s packed to the seams with comic one liners and classic Elvis Rock ‘n’ Roll hits, like Jailhouse Rock, Teddy Bear, Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, It’s Now or Never, One Night With You and All Shook Up.

Nayland College’s diverse Performing Arts programme brings Dance, Drama and Music to the Theatre Royal stage in the annual showcase of exceptional performance talent. The school takes part in several annual activities including Smokefree Rockquest, The NZCF Big Sing Choral competition, the MEFA Band and Orchestra Festival (Wellington), the Vast Dance Festival and numerous other Arts activities.

This evening gives the Nayland and Nelson Communities the opportunity to support youth performance and have an enjoyable night out at this celebration of creativity, talent and hard work!

NBS Nelson City Brass brings the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall, London to the Theatre Royal Nelson in this celebration of a wide range of music culminating in one of the greatest audience participation sing-a-longs in concerts!

The 'real' Last Night of the Proms is the finale of 90 concerts held during July, August and September. The 'Last Night' is an informal, dress-up event where attendees have to have attended concerts during the regular prom season. The music is diverse, engaging and highly entertaining, and NBS Nelson Brass looks forward to welcoming you for our own Nelson Last (and only) Night of the Proms. Don't miss out.

Your ticket includes a 'goody-bag' which will help make your Proms experience more fun! These will be handed out at the concert for you to use during the concert and to take away.