Western Springs Stadium is a pivotal point of Auckland's history. Before Vector arena was built,…read morebasically all the big concerts New Zealand had were held at Western Springs. I still remember being about 10 years old and sitting on my back deck in Mt Eden listening to Robbie Williams belt his latest tunes. While it's a bit depressing to think about Robbie now, this was one of the huge bonuses about concerts being held at Springs - all the locals could hear the music for free! Though now most of the big acts go straight to Vector arena, every now and again some still play in the amazingly huge outdoor stadium at Western Springs. In 2011 I was lucky enough to attend the Foo Fighters concert at Western Springs, and it was PHENOMENAL. The sound was amazing, and despite being way up the back of the stadium, you still felt you were part of the action and could see everything. It was my first outdoor concert and so far it's my favourite concert yet - and it's down to, in large part, the stadium itself. If you ever get the chance to go to a concert at Springs, make it a priority and get your ass there - you won't regret it. Tip: Western Springs Stadium is also a Speedway so if you're in to car racing, this is the place for you.

I have been coming here since 1986 and have always been impressed with this natural venue. And…read morerecently they have upgraded the seating along the back and have done a wonderful job. Great venue!

Vector Arena is a fabulous central location to come watch the newest shows, concerts and events to…read morehit 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…read morevery 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.

The lights are blinding! Literally they are pointed right at you on both sides of the field I don't…read moreknow how anybody can stand sitting there for long. The lights need to be up higher and come down so that they aren't in your eyes. Nice food service options.

It's not bad. It would be nice if each area that served food had some sort of symbol that showed…read morewhat kind of food they served. They don't have workers checking tickets at each section. So there were a whole lot of people just walking down and sitting in the lower seats they didn't pay for. That got a little annoying. Otherwise, the venue is fine.

I have been to Trust Stadium a couple of times to watch the LG Mystics play their home netball…read moregames. Located out in west Auckland, there are also other events held here. The venue can also be hired out for trade shows and expos, concerts and other sporting events. If you're after a location to host an event go on to the Trust Stadium website and they have a link that takes you through the process of applying. Here they have plenty of onsite parking (2000 plus car parks) and already established kiosks to buy food and snack before the event or at intermission. To see what events are up and coming at Trust Stadium, hop on to their website and check it out. Tickets can be purchased online via their website.

Oh god where to begin. I don't doubt this place is great for netball but it SUCKS badly as a music…read morevenue. I've had to come here twice; the first time was the all round disappointment that was The Cult but that was only a taster of how shit things could really get. The Cult had general admission standing room and allocated seating up the sides. Except when you got there it was actually a free for all so you got whatever seat you could find. Then most recently I saw Blondie here who blew my mind and restored my faith that you can indeed be painfully achingly cool even 35 years on from your heydey. And for the haters who didn't enjoy it; heard of irony? For this gig the whole thing was seated and what this meant was cheap plastic chairs with numbers sellotaped on them (I kid you not) lined up in "rows" that people just moved out of the way. There was standing in the aisles, even some obnoxious child smoking and barely any security to speak of. Even without the smoking it would have been a fire hazard. OSH anyone? The queue for the bar was ridiculous and the whole set-up was a frickin debacle that should never be repeated. It gets better. I received an email from Trusts Stadium the following week requesting feedback that included a shitload of questions on everything from the food to the toilets. I attacked it with fervent vigour, happy that I would get to tell them everything they were doing wrong. Ten minutes later I clicked on Submit..... and nothing. I don't know if it timed out, I don't know if it went through and I've heard nothing from them since. Please please please music promoters stop using this place for concerts!

Came here for the Chinese New Year event. The parking here is terrible, we had such a hard time…read morefinding a parking spot. So be warned when coming here for a very big event come early to get a spot! There was so many delicious foods and drinks around the venue. However no food or drink was allowed inside the arena. This was very disappointing. Otherwise enjoyed the event but parking was a hassle.

The Trusts Stadium is a great place to go to as there is always so much going on there. Netball…read moregames, business dinners, a cafe that sells freshly made sandwiches and of course the gym. The Trusts Stadium is perfect as it has a track great for those training for marathons or just out to run for some general fitness. I love walking to the trusts just to see what's going on especially the run and walk series, great fun for the family. After a run just head in through gate B to the cafe for some goodies, I mean after a run one can eat hot chips without feeling too guilty. After all you need some food after exercise, right!

North Harbour Stadium Oval played host to the Tuborg Sounds On this past weekend, and I had the…read morebest NZ music outdoor concert in a long time. Situated at North Harbour Stadium, in the oval next door is where one would usually watch a game of cricket, on this weekend night, a transformation took place as crowds filled in to watch top NZ musical stars perform for 11 hours. I loved the designated area that was assigned for the food vendors, the section for the thrill rides, and that the masses of people attending the festival could be assured not a long wait as the stadium bathrooms catered well for the crowd. The kitchen/bar area was again easy to access, as it is also used for the same reason when the cricket is on show too. I think the oval at North Shore Stadium is just a really well planned and accessible venue. I hope to return for another event one day soon.

Commonly derided as a white elephant, North Harbour Stadium is one of those things that seemed like…read morea good idea back in the 90s when they were building it before they realised there probably weren't enough events to justify a 25,000-seat stadium this side of the bridge. Because of this, the stadium often sits unused looking a little bit unloved, and the local Harbour rugby team struggle to pull crowds given their inability to win a game. In spite of all this, I maintain Harbour is the best rugby stadium in the city simply because it is rectangular unlike Eden Park which is kind of square in an attempt to fit a cricket oval in. Because of this there aint a bad view in the house, and you're nice and close to the action. Good atmosphere when full - the Samoa vs South Africa World Cup game I attended here attested to that - what a memory! A decent open air concert venue too - saw The Who here in 2009 and that's quite a story. Managed to get into the VIP area for free with a mate by simply helping a roadie carry some security fencing into the stadium - pretty sweet night!

This is a great little venue. I attended a P.O.D/ Rapture Ruckus affair here, and it was perfect…read morefor either moshing or sitting punters. The gallery is far above everyone, so you can see the stage without fighting the crowds of circle pit ravers. Or, if you are a circle pit raver, you have plenty of room to swing around in! It's dark and mystical in there, like you've found yourself a little cave filled with screaming, singing people. Great for any rock concerts, or a very small scale version of Phantom of the Opera. (you wouldn't want to try and fit the Andrew Lloyd Webber band in here!) My downside was what a rip off the parking was. Logan Campbell is located at the ASB Showgrounds, and they charge $8 (cash - no hopers for eftpos) for the evening with no security promises. I'd expect that from the city, but for Greenlane, it's super steep.

My number one band at the moment is the American trio Fun, a quirky group, led by the enigmatic…read moreNate Ruess. Their songs speak to me, and I love the motivational factor in the lyrics, it is a good mix between the emotional and inspirational. So I was a bit surprised that they chose the Logan Campbell Centre as the venue for their first visit to New Zealand; I've only ever attended for trade shows, so I didn't expect much from the LCC. Now I'm the biggest fan of this small venue, it is perfect for any band that is not loud. How I would have loved to see Mumford and Sons here instead of Vector. Was that a waste? What I liked about the venue was that no matter where you were standing or sitting, you were in front of the stage, and close to the action. Parking was ample and little or no queues. Instead of going for the big bucks, more bands should play venues like this. It brings the music back to the fans.

This is a racetrack for horses (which I often see regularly used in the early mornings from the…read moreAvondale train station viewpoint), it is a very big track, and a very dry one at the moment with the summer we have just had. It can also be used to walk your dog/s, note the above - DO NOT WALK YOUR DOG IN THE EARLY MORNINGS, COULD BE A DISASTER;) I (insert sigh) don't have a dog, but I would walk one here like so many other people do that I pass when out walking with my husband after work sometimes. Occasionally you might also walk pass a drunk guy hanging out here, but he seems friendly enough, he might even offer you a drink. This is a nice easy place for a stroll, run or cut through to get to the markets on a Sunday if you know the back streets well enough. If you do get lost, most of the streets all lead out to a main road anyway.

I remember coming here a couple times as a kid with my parents, and I never really got the whole…read morehorse racing thing. I just wanted to see the dog races, but I never saw any of those. I remember coming here and getting heaps of food and soft drinks, and watching my parents go crazy over the races. I've never come as an adult, but I know people who have and they always seem to have had a good time. It's a really large race track, and if you come here on Sunday's for the markets the whole place will be extremely busy. Sometimes kids come here to race their cars, so be wary of that. Probably be a sweet place to go for a run on the weekends or after work, but I probably wouldn't walk here alone at night.