What's On This Week

The Phoenix Foundation are on a national tour. Photo / Richard Robinson

MATARIKI

Turangawaewae Marae hosts a special Matariki (Maori New Year) event with performances by Dave Dobbyn, Tama Waipara, Hollie Smith, Nesian Mystik and more this Sunday evening to raise money for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre. Plus celebrity chef Peter Gordon will put down a huge gourmet hangi.

Special Matariki Event with Dave Dobbyn, Hollie Smith, Tama Waipara, Whirimako Black, Nesian Mystik - Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia, May 10

COMEDY

The comedy festival is in full swing, and it's good to see charity benefiting from the hilarity. C4 personality and former Billy T Award winner Cori Gonzalez-Macuer leads a cast of comedians for two shows supporting the Children On The Edge charity, to help the forgotten children of Burma. The shows feature Dai Henwood, Steve Wrigley, Michele A'Court, Maeve Higgins and Jamie Bowen.

Cori & Co on the Edge - Transmission Room, Auckland, May 10

ROCK/INDIE

Collapsing Cities created quite the buzz in England last year with their catchy indie pop rock, singing about everything from relationships to call centre work. They are back and headlining an Amnesty International benefit gig tonight at Cassette Number Nine. Support comes from The Drab Doo Riffs, and the Los Hories. All proceeds, including $2 from each drink sold, go to Amnesty.

Demand Dignity Live Show - Cassette Number Nine, May 7

MUSIC/TALK

The fourth in Auckland Museum's "Late" series launches its new "Sonic Museum", with saxophonist Nathan Haines. The music follows a panel discussion, led by Finlay Macdonald. Carol Hirschfeld, music writer Nick Bollinger and artist Dean Poole will ponder the question: "Objects define a culture - a music collection or wardrobe can define an individual - but has the pursuit of objects put us at social and economic risk?"

Late 04 - Auckland Museum, May 7

ROCK/POP

Wellington favourites The Phoenix Foundation are currently in the midst of a national tour, and have just finished a sell-out South Island leg. This weekend, the band plays Auckland's Montecristo Room on Friday and Leigh on Saturday, where you can expect songs from previous albums like Pegasus and Happy Ending, and sneak previews of new work due for release this year.

Phoenix Foundation - The Montecristo Room, Auckland Central, May 8; Sawmill Cafe, Auckland North, May 9

COMEDY

If you live in Auckland's southern suburbs and are feeling a little left out of the Comedy Festival action, then Southside Comedy this Saturday night could be a laugh. The event at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre is hosted by Billy T Award winner Mike Loder and features Urzila Carlson, Jeremy Elwood, Justine Smith, Terry Williams and Rhys Mathewson.

Southside Comedy - TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre, Auckland South, May 9

COMEDY

Fans of TV show Black Books will be pleased to hear its creator and star is heading to our shores for two Comedy Festival shows this weekend. Dylan Moran first sampled live comedy at age 20 and was hooked from then on, eventually moving from the stage to television and on to film. We have him live on stage this weekend in Auckland.

Dylan Moran - Auckland Town Hall, May 8

COMEDY

Whether you've loved him as talkshow host Alan Partridge or in more recent work such as the films Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story and 24 Hour Party People, Steve Coogan's stand-up shows this week will be hard to miss for many. In early 2008, Coogan returned to stand-up after a 10-year break from the stage, and these Comedy Festival gigs are his first in New Zealand.

Steve Coogan - Civic, Auckland, May 8