Vector Arena

Great venue. I came here for the first time to see Walking with Dinosaurs (I don’t get out much apparently). Awesome event and easy to get to by foot or by public transport. Great seating and venue layout. Would totally recommend to anyone!

Vector is the premier destination for events in Auckland. I’ve been here for basketball games, concerts and even black tie dinners. It’s one of those multipurpose venues that does a great job of catering to all situations. I’m not sure on exact numbers are but for a sports game I think capacity is around 8000 and a sit down dinner closer to 1500.
Also, it’s useful to note that they also have a smaller music venue called The Tuning Fork. Here they host less mainstream concerts feat. up and coming artists. Acoustically, it’s a great space and well worth checking out if the opportunity arises!

Pretty good venue. I have seen some great acts there now, it’s just lacks personality.

Having attended several events at Vector, I have to say it is almost up there as a world-​class venue.
The only drawback has to be some sound difficulties experienced in one of the shows, namely the Red Hot Chili Peppers, where it seemed a bit echoey. However Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers and Justin Timberlake were all spectacular.
The venue is well-​designed, handling the usually full capacity crowds that are drawn. It is awesome being right in town to head to a bar afterwards (if only there was a waterfront stadium). There is always great ease in entry and exit from the venue.
The service for food and drinks is usually fairly swift and it is great the venue is located near a large amount of public transport facilities.

Vector Arena is a fabulous central location to come watch the newest shows, concerts and events to hit Auckland city. Fun for the entire family you can be sure that something will be viewing to satisfy everyone’s taste.
Parking in the area does become tricky when there is a big event on, however it is closely positioned to Birtomart, making training in or busing in very convenient.
They also have kiosks selling merchandise, food, drinks (both alcoholic and non-​alcoholic) and ATM machines available to get cash out.
To see what shows are next performing at Vector, hop onto their website and check out the upcoming events. There will certainly be something to tickle everyone’s fancy.

I think Vector Arena is great, and it is the large venue that Auckland has desperately needed for a very long time. I have been to a couple of rock gigs here (Stone Temple Pilots, Roger Waters) and I must say that these were some of the best concerts I’ve been to. For STP we were standing, and for Roger Waters we were seated right at the back in the nosebleed seats, but it didn’t matter at all; the sound was amazing and we could see the whole show well. I don’t know what the acoustics are like in some of the other seats around the stadium, but perhaps the sound and visual experience depends more on the act that you are seeing and if they can deliver a great show.
Vector is not only for concerts either; the arena hosts a whole range of different shows and sporting events. I saw the crusty demons here a few years back and that was very entertaining.

When Vector was built, it was a good way to attract many international bands to New Zealand, as there was no other stadium in Auckland big enough, that wasn’t outdoors anyway. That being said, I’ve gone to many a gig at what I call «shitty Vector». The sound is shit, the location is a pain in the ass, and it looks bloody ugly. I went to Bob Dylan when he came a few backs, and, sad to say, I still haven’t seen Bob Dylan in concert. There were no screens up, so it was impossible to see a thing unless you had excellent seats that would have cost a fortune. It was BOB DYLAN — it wasn’t exactly stage show of the year. He sat on a chair and played his guitar and his harmonica — and I didn’t get to see a thing. So, if you are going to a show at Vector, either get GA or shell out and get some good seats, so at least you’ll get a good view. They’ll still sound shit, mind you.

I like Vector as it attracts the big international acts which may snub New Zealand if there was not a venue of this size. So far I have seen Carole King/​James Taylor, Simply Red, and last night I caught the Stone Roses. They may not have been what you call intimate but all were memorable and were worth the money. The sound there is very good but at The Stone Roses the seat I was sitting on was very uncomfortable after a while. A beer there cost $ 9 which was pricey and it came in a plastic cup — I got an email later saying that this was at the request of the band and was nothing to do with the venue. Overall, I have very much enjoyed the Vector experience and will continue going to gigs here.

Absolutely void of any character or personality, Vector Arena’s entertainment value rests entirely on the acts which perform there. I have seen some great acts perform there — Massive Attack, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, just to name a few. I am not an expert of sound quality, but I have friends who are, and they have very few kind words to say about the acoustics of Vector Arena. Yes it does significantly depend on the guys who set up the stage and mix the sound, but according to my friends, the design of the arena itself does not lend itself to a balanced acoustic experience. Would far rather they had never built the damn thing, so bands would still book some of Auckland’s truly great venues like Town Hall or Power Station.

Vector is the big central city venue that every city needs to attract big acts. While I count myself among those that still enjoy a nice intimate gig somewhere a bit more boutique, the fact is that you want to catch a big name, you need a 12,000 seat arena to attract them and accommodate their stage. In that respect, Vector fits the bill nicely — without it, Auckland just wouldn’t attract the big shows like Lady Gaga, Roger Waters, Chillis etc. It may have all the soul and ambience of a hospital, but it’s brought in plenty of crowd pleasers for the masses and for that Auckland should be thankful.
As an aside, it’s also lately proven to be a perfect second home for my beloved NZ Breakers — there’s nothing quite like watching playoff basketball full of screaming fans in a big arena like this!