Gavin Pike is proud to be representing Rotorua on an international stage.

The social worker and security guard will be part of a Rotorua team providing security at U2’s New Zealand concerts.

The Irish rockers will be performing two shows at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium, with the first one tonight.

Mr Pike works for a Rotorua-based company called Venue Response Limited.

“There is about 40 of us going up to Auckland to do security for the show,” he said. “It is great to help out at such a high-profile event.”

Mr Pike said it was exciting to be a part of a big international show. “As far as I am aware, I will be providing on-stage security during the concert.”

He said this role could change if needed. “I will be helping with monitoring the crowd and containing issues that may present.”

Mr Pike said he had worked at several music concerts, but U2 was definitely the biggest act.

“We worked at a show when a gangsta rapper came to Rotorua. We had to do weapon checks and the removal of gang patches,” he said.

“This show would have a completely different atmosphere and those are issues we wouldn’t expect to deal with.”

As security guards, the workers didn’t get to see the show but Mr Pike said there would still be a good atmosphere at the stadium.