Entertainment picks: Havoc rocks on down for a KISS

TV

I used to love the Push Push song Trippin' in the early 90s. If you played it now I'd probably still know the words. But back then it was just a fun and epic song sung by a local lad. I'm sure that when Mikey Havoc hit those high notes it was the first time, apart from Dame Kiri at Charles and Diana's wedding, that I had heard a New Zealander sing in such a high voice.

So it will be interesting to hear Mikey - the "Loud One" - sing and perform in TV2's new celebrity talent show So You Wanna be a Popstar? (Wednesday, 7.30pm). He suits his guise of Gene Simmons from KISS, and if anyone knows their KISS, then it's the old Havo'. Other stars include TV builder Cocksy (presumably as Eminem), actor David Wikaira-Paul (as Usher, maybe) and Miss Popularity Jesse Gurunathan (as Beyonce, definitely).

The first of the new series of Intrepid Journeys (TV One, tonight, 8.35pm) sees musician Dave Dobbyn head into the Sahara Desert, and hang out in Morocco. Other journeys coming up include Kim Hill in Cuba, actor Rawiri Paratene in Nicaragua, playwright Roger Hall in Uganda (scary), Marcus Lush on the Trans Siberian railway (Why does he get all the good jobs?).

In a first for the long-running Survivor series, the castaways on Survivor: Palau (TV3, Tuesday, 8.30pm) face a challenge where the loser is banished to an island by themselves. Let's hope it's annoying New York firefighter Tom. But it probably won't be him because he is a stubborn mule who is even happier now that bitchy Coby has been voted off.

Did I mention Coby was gay? Yes, kinda says something about Tom who, to be fair, is probably the favourite to win.

Also, just a brief mention of Expose: Prostitutes - After the Act (TV One, Thursday, 8.30pm), which looks like an interesting local documentary about the working environment of sex workers two years after their profession was legalised.

And good on TV3 for bringing back Basil Brush, which starts today at 2.30pm. Boom boom.

Music

Every now and then you get a musical week in Auckland when it's just like living in London. One night you could be off to a jumped-up punk gig, next you're larging it with the progressive house crew, and then you're hangin' with the cool kids in underground.

So, first up this week south California punk bands Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger play a double bill on Wednesday at the Transmission Room on Mayoral Drive.

Then something special starts on Thursday. Wellington collective Fly My Pretties are recording and filming three concerts over three consecutive nights at the beautiful Hopetoun Alpha venue. Concerts have already been held in Wellington and the live recordings will be compiled to make up the second FMP album. Look out for it in early November.

Also on Thursday, the accordion, glockenspiel, harmonica and drone box playing band The Spoils, from Melbourne, play the Odeon Lounge on Mt Eden Rd, with locals Boxcar Guitars.

Then it all starts going totally off the hook bro'. The second Axis club night - a mix of everything from MIA and Madlib, to jazz legend John Coltrane, to the latest "grime" releases from Britain - takes place at the Grand Circle (which is part of the St James complex) on Friday. Get into it because if you're up for some new sounds, some disturbing noise, or simply some classic tracks, then Axis is the place for you.

Progressive house DJ Nick Warren plays Coast Bar on Friday and on Saturday you can really get your rah rahs out at Godskitchen at the Manukau Events Centre.

Also, starting on Friday night, is the three-day AK Underground Fest 05 at the Kings Arms, with bands including Malevolence and Hung Jury. On Saturday the entertainment starts at 1.30pm with the Managers and the Offbeats, and at night, Kitsch, Missing Teeth and We Dunno go hard. There is also a daytime concert on Sunday starting at 1.30pm featuring the Twitch, Deadbeats, and others.

Lastly, on Saturday night, Montreal pop punk band Simple Plan play the St James in Auckland (note the change of venue).

School Holidays

Music, birds, animals, bugs, and the theatre - what better combination of things to keep the kids occupied these school holidays? And you can get all that in this year's PhilharMania! concerts, with the Auckland Philharmonia.

This year's programme starts with Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals, a kind of musical zoo in which the instruments make the sounds of the birds and animals. Also being performed is Roimata, a new work by the Philharmonia's composer-in-residence, Ross Harris, which is the story of a girl who uses the world of fantasy, and her love of the night, to cope with the real world.

PhilharMania! is on at the Auckland Town Hall, today 11.30am, and TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau, Tuesday 11.30am.

Theatre

If you like your golf, your music, and your theatre, then check out Golf the Musical. Starring Mark Hadlow, Ray Woolf, Lisa Lorrell, and TV3 weather guy Russell Dixon, it features 18 songs and comic skits about, well, golf.

The show includes everything from a trawl through the history of golf, a gospel revival song about Tiger Woods and an audience putting competition in which you can win a set of golf clubs. Pass me the putter.