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Māori metallers, Alien Weaponry, are opening for US rock royalty, Guns N' Roses, at Eden Park on Saturday night in front of what is expected to be a massive crowd.
The te reo Māori-singing thrash metal band arrive in Tāmaki Makaurau for their last show of the year fresh from opening for the American rockers at a sold-out concert in the capital on Thursday.
The band say they are keen for crowds to sing along with them in Māori but recognise it is a tough ask in Aotearoa compared to overseas.
"I mean that happened in Spain on our most recent tour. We were playing Kai Tangata (to) 15,000, 20,000 people," bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds (Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hine) told Re: News on Friday.
"Everyone in the crowd, just 'Anei Rā', singing along", said guitarist Lewis de Jong (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Raukawa).
"Singing their absolute hearts out in Māori," Morgan-Edmonds added.
"They can hardly speak a word of English but they can sit down and learn the Māori words, pronunciation and all. It's like, why can't people in NZ do that?" said de Jong.
Alien Weaponry play before Guns N' Roses take the stage about 7pm.
A crew of 100 has spent the past five days setting up for this evening's concert.