Pyrotechnics scrapped from Olivia Dean concert beside Auckland Zoo

Pyrotechnics planned for this weekend’s Olivia Dean concert beside Auckland Zoo have been cancelled.

The British singer-songwriter is returning to New Zealand for Saturday’s sold-out show at Western Springs Bowl/Te Wai Ōrea stadium.

This week, a letter from Auckland Stadiums appeared in nearby residents’ letterboxes, warning of heightened noise and planned pyrotechnics at the end of the concert.

“Please expect heightened noise levels during the event period. We are working with our partners at Auckland Zoo to minimise disturbance for animals.

“The noise levels of this concert will be monitored to ensure that they are within appropriate limits,” the notice read.

Auckland Zoo and Auckland Stadiums, which manages Western Springs Bowl, are part of the council-controlled organisation Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean is set to perform at Western Springs Bowl on Saturday. Photo / Carson Bluck

But the Herald has since learned the pyrotechnics will not go ahead.

“Since distributing this letter, the production has decided not to proceed with pyrotechnics,” an Auckland Stadiums spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not say why the production had made that decision or whether animal-welfare considerations were a factor.

“Auckland Stadiums has long-standing protocols around the use of pyrotechnics at Western Springs that we have developed in partnership with Auckland Zoo, with a focus on animal welfare.”

A meerkat in its enclosure at Auckland Zoo. Auckland Stadiums says protocols around the use of pyrotechnics at Western Springs focus on animal welfare. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Discussions with the production team were still underway when the residents’ notice was distributed, the spokesperson said.

“We took a conservative approach and chose to include reference to pyrotechnics in the neighbour advice to ensure that neighbours were aware of what to expect at the concert.”

Auckland Stadiums said it had received no feedback from concerned neighbours about the pyrotechnics and would send updated advice once the concert’s traffic management and production plans were confirmed.

An Auckland Zoo spokesperson told the Herald it worked closely with Auckland Stadiums and the wider Auckland Council group.

“This includes agreed constraints around noise levels and use of pyrotechnics in the area surrounding the zoo to ensure there is minimal impact from events at Western Springs Bowl on the animals in our care.”

It would have been the first time pyrotechnics had been used at Western Springs since Post Malone’s concert in 2023.

Dean’s performance was moved from Spark Arena to Western Springs after high demand for tickets. It will be the first concert since the venue’s $15 million refurbishment.

Tickets have sold out, according to the Auckland Live website.

Renders of the new bowl structure before the revamp of Western Springs. Photo / Auckland Stadium

The stadium, now developed into a bowl-style venue, can accommodate tens of thousands of people for major shows.

The event organisers, Handsome Tours and Laneway Presents, have been approached for comment.