KEY POINTS:
Our guide to what's happening around town this weekend (and next week):
ROCK
It's a rather large night for fans of Kiwi rock music tonight. Here's a rough plan of attack. Check out lovable rogues Deja Voodoo with the Have at AUT's Vesbar from 8.30pm. From
there make your way up to Newton because the Tutts have come out of the studio - where they have been working on their highly anticipated debut album - to rock a show with Motocade and guests at the Kings Arms. Deja Voodoo and The Have - Friday, Vesbar; The Tutts, Motocade, Body Corporate, Fighting the Shakes - Saturday, Kings Arms, Newton
COMEDY
The Comedy Festival is in full swing and with so many events happening it's impossible to touch on them all, check comedyfestival.co.nz for the full programme. One afternoon of laughter worth drawing attention to is the Heritage Auckland Gastrocomique. You enjoy a two-course lunch, while comedians Irene Pink, Alun Cochrane and Paul Ego debate against Michele A'Court, Stephen K. Amosand Andrew McClelland. Jeremy Corbett holds it all together as MC and adjudicator. All funds raise go to the Make-A-Wish foundation.
* Heritage Auckland Gastrocomique - Saturday, 12pm-3pm, Grand Tearoom, Heritage Auckland, $75 each
ROCK/POP
In support of New Zealand Music Month the Auckland Art Gallery hosts several bands in the gallery auditorium. Two bands play every Saturday afternoon for the next four weeks, beginning with eight-piece blues funk outfit the John Goudge Band at 1pm this week, followed by Reclinerat 3pm. It's a meeting of music and art, and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Upcoming bands include False Start, Phony Bone, and Gasoline Cowboy.
* Live Music - Auckland Art Gallery, Saturday, from 1pm.
FILM
Every Sunday the Rialto in Newmarket puts the focus on Brazilian cinema, with the Auckland Film Society's Cinema Novo: Revolutionary Cinema from Brazil, at 8pm.
* Cinema Novo - Rialto, every Sunday, 8pm
DANCE/DJ
Fans of breaks or drum'n'bass should be shining up their dancing sneakers with two world-renowned DJs playing this weekend in Auckland. On Friday K Rd's Coherent hosts Klute, one of New Zealand's favourite proponents of the sound on his fifth visit from England. Expect to hear a few classics as well as tracks from his recent release, Emperor's New Clothes. Then on Saturday one of the pioneers of the Nu School Breaks sound, Rennie Pilgrem, plays in New Zealand for the first time at Asta.
* Klute - Friday, Coherent, K Rd; Rennie Pilgrem - Saturday, Asta, Victoria St
DANCE
The name of the show is almost enough to sell it. The Russian National Dance Company's Flying Tzars are currently touring the country and hit Auckland on Saturday. The ensemble has performed to over 20 million people since forming in 1958, and audiences can expect good-looking, wild-eyed men with feverish, unique and dangerous acrobatic dance routines, and beautiful females with breathtaking gowns and circus-like tricks.
* The Russian National Dance Company's Flying Tzars - ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Saturday, adult tickets from $69.90 at Ticketek
CLASSICAL
Dunedin-born baritone Jonathan Lemalu is back in New Zealand this May for a five-centre national tour. The opera singer is in hot demand, finding himself booked years in advance at several prestigious American and British Concert Halls. Joining the tour is pianist Malcolm Martineau, who Lemalu describes as "one of the premiere pianists and accompanists in the world". Your last chance to see the pair on tour is on Saturday at the Auckland Town Hall.
* Jonathan Lemalu and Malcolm Martineau - Auckland Town Hall, Saturday, 8pm, tickets from $40 at Ticketek
JAZZ
It's been a big month for jazz with Herbie Hancock recently in town and now a man who needs little introduction to jazz fans - Chick Corea. He was a big part of the jazz fusion movement in the 1970s, was in Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, and has won no less than 10 Grammy Awards for his work over the years. Interestingly Corea is also a Scientologist, with many of his songs containing references to the religion, and he even worked on music Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had written.
* Chick Corea - ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Tuesday, tickets from $89 at Ticketek
ROCK/POP
Young British singer/songwriter James Morrison performs in New Zealand next week. His hit single You Give Me Something has been very popular here, so expect plenty of fans to emerge for the gig on Tuesday at the St James. Morrison has sold over two million copies of his debut album Undiscovered, and he also pocketed a Brit Award, shunting aside iconic musicians Thom Yorke and Jarvis Cocker in the process. Not bad for a 22-year-old from Rugby, Warwickshire.
* James Morrison - St James, Tuesday, tickets from $59.50 at TicketDirect