KEY POINTS:
ROCK
American alternative rockers The Breeders have been around since the early 1990s and are still going strong, with a new album and a world tour on the go. The band lead by Kim Deal (The Pixies) and her twin sister Kelley are in no hurry, having
released just four albums in the last 16 years. Ardent Breeders' lovers will be hoping for a flashback to their critically acclaimed debut album Pod when the band play in Takapuna tomorrow.
The Breeders - Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Aug 8
DANCE/DJ
Every New Year's Eve a few thousand drum and bass, breaks and hip-hop lovers descend on Inangahua, near Nelson, for the Phat party. Phat 09 promises to be large, with some of the biggest names in the aforementioned genres heading into the bush to get loose. Every year Phat taster parties take place around the country, and this Saturday sees breaks superstars the Stanton Warriors joined by our own international DnB achievers The Upbeats for the Auckland taster.
Phat Taster - Fu and Zen, Albert St, Auckland, Aug 9
CLASSICAL
The latest from the Auckland Philharmonia sees them take on 19th-century Austrian composer Gustav Mahler's 5th Symphony. Mahler once claimed that "a symphony should create a world", so expect an epic and moving journey. Listen especially for the adagietto which he is said to have written as a tribute to his wife. This performance is conducted by Kirill Karabits and is preceded by a piano concerto by Susanna Stefani-Caetani.
Mahler 5 - Auckland Town Hall, Aug 7, 8pm
OPERA
The busiest man in New Zealand performing arts, Michael Hurst, takes his latest project on the road around the North Island this week. He directs the NBR Opera's take on Hansel and Gretel. Two rising operatic stars, soprano Ana James and mezzo-soprano Anna Pierard, play Gretel and Hansel respectively, and the witch is played by mezzo-soprano Helen Medlyn.
Hansel and Gretel - TSB Showplace, New Plymouth, Aug 8; Civic Theatre, Rotorua, Aug 11; Baycourt Centre, Tauranga, Aug 13
HIP HOP
A unique event a whole year in the making occurs this Friday at K Rd's Rising Sun nightclub. Solid Territory is billed as "a conscious indigenous collaboration between Aboriginal and Maori hip-hop artists". New Zealand hip-hop originators such as Dam Native and Upper Hutt Posse are joined by some of the best aboriginal talent from Australia including Dizzy D, Astronomical, and Mau Power. Look out for the album, Solid Territory, out now.
Solid Territory - Rising Sun, K Rd, Aug 8
SPORT/MUSIC
Richie McCaw and Dan Carter will be in good form at a gala dinner in Auckland tonight, no doubt buoyed by that emphatic result at Eden Park on the weekend. The pair will speak about their careers, their ups and downs, the future, and whatever else takes their fancy. Also featuring music by the Peter Urlich band, the comedic antics of Pulp Sport's Bill and Ben, and guest speeches by Grant Fox, A. J. Whetton, Robin Brooke and more.
An evening with Richie McCaw and Dan Carter - SkyCity Convention Centre, Aug 7, 6-11pm
POETRY
When you think of the spoken word, it's hard to avoid the image of a dreadlocked beatnik, but a central Auckland collective is flipping the script on that stereotype with their night My Mother Says I'm Talented. Performances by MCs Tourettes, Shane Hollands, Courtney Meredith and the South Auckland Poetry Collective with hip-hop beats from DJs Scratch 22 and D Form.
My Mother Says I'm Talented - The Basement, Lower Grey's Ave, Aug 9, 9pm
JAZZ/BLUES
Every year the mid-North comes alive with the sounds of smooth jazz and sultry blues, as musicians descend from around New Zealand and further afield for the annual Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival. Venues in Paihia, Russell and Haruru Falls will host more than 150 hours of music for the three day event. Billed as special guest stars among the 35-plus acts in this year's line is hot young Perth blues guitarist James Southwell and his band.
BOI Jazz & Blues Festival, August 8-10. Info: www.jazz-blues.co.nz