G-TARanaki features a celebration of all things guitar with guitarists and bands from a range of genres including Rock, Funk, Classical, Jazz, Blues and Metal.
Special midnight sessions included performances from Vernon Reid, from Living Colour, and Gilby Clarke, from Guns N' Roses, who were also joined by major artists on the bill such as Alex Skolnick (Testament / Alex Skolnick Trio) and Uli Jon Roth (Ex-Scorpions).
Sky Academy, the music school founded by Uli Jon Roth, offered tuition classes at three Taranaki towns, Waitara, Inglewood and Ōpunake and included guests Vernon Reid and Gilby Clarke.
Local vocalist Aidan Morrell also joined them for Living Colour hit 'Middle Man' Paul Martin, DJ for New Zealand's longest standing Metal radio show 'The Axe Attack' performed with his band World War Four and was also MC for much of the G-TARanaki event.
New Zealand artists performing included False Start, Kara Gordon, Swap Gomez, Jamie Anderson, Frank John, Burt Ropiha, Bryce Wastney, Ross Townsend, Stephanie Piqette, Karl Austin, Nathan Annand, Brandon Reihana of Blindspott, Ross Halliday, Diarmuid Cahill, Adrian Whelan, New Plymouth Ukulele Orchestra, The Smiles, Dave Ritchie Smith, Craig Radford, Joel Haines, Matt Herrett and Ash & Aidan.