It’s no secret that Queenstown is a party destination – especially over summer.

The bars are pumping, downtown is buzzing with people enjoying the restaurants and shops, and sun-lovers soak up the rays by Lake Wakatipu.

And for the music lover, there are some great concerts and gigs lined up over the next few months.

Throughout January, as part of the annual Summerdaze Festival, there are regular local musicians belting out the tunes at the Village Green for everyone to enjoy for free.

Sit down on the grass by the creek right in the heart of Queenstown and listen to performances by local bands, singers and choirs at the popular Entertainment on the Green gigs. Lunchtime performances run from 12-1.30pm every Tuesday and Thursday during January and evening gigs are from 6-8pm every Friday in January.

Down on Steamer Wharf in central Queenstown, popular bars Pub on Wharf and Ivy and Lola’s are holding Sunday Summer Sessions with live music every Sunday throughout January.

Then, in February, rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd come to the resort to play at the Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert. The Sweet Home Alabama singers are joined by Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and English art rock group 10cc. Organised by Greenstone Entertainment, the concert is an annual one and attracts big-name musicians each year. It’s held at Gibbston Valley Winery on February 15 and tickets are $99 plus booking fee. Kids under 14 years old go free.

Gibbston also plays host to the Classic Hits Winery Tour on February 21. Now in its eighth year, the concert takes big name Kiwi artists on tour to perform at vineyards around New Zealand. Headlining the 2014 tour are Kiwi music legends The Exponents, joined by pop star Stan Walker and Breaks Co-Op. The Queenstown gig will be held at Waitiri Creek. Tickets are $65-$75 plus booking fee.

The music continues in Queenstown after summer has ended, with the Queenstown Blues and Roots Festival on April 26, 2014. With huge international names like Elvis Costello, the Doobie Brothers, plus Kiwi acts Fly My Pretties and The Black Seeds, this inaugural concert is set to be a standout on the nation’s music calendar. It’s held at the Queenstown Events Centre and tickets are on sale already, ranging from $99 to $250 for a VIP package.

If you’re travelling to Queenstown with friends or family for music events over summer, Staysouth.com has the best self-contained apartments to make your stay a comfortable one. We have a range of spacious, well-appointed, luxury apartments that can cater for groups of all sizes. If you want to be close to town to have easy access to the laid-back live music gigs and transport to head out to the bigger events, we’ve got some great options. We’ve also got fantastic apartments situated closest to the Queenstown Event