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* Just as Friday's Big Day Out fades from our ears, there's another batch of that modern rock stuff that's just so popular with the young people arriving from abroad.
Top of the list are the American Zen rockers Live who start a three-date New Zealand visit at the North Shore Events Centre on Saturday, February 26. The 14 million album-selling band from Pennsylvania bring with them West Coast ska-poprock outfit Sugar Ray, best known for the hit single Fly from their second album, Floored. Tickets go on sale on Monday.
Among other rock visitors, all gracing the stage of Auckland's Powerstation next month, are ye olde English cosmic rockers Hawkwind (Saturday, February 5), industrial American rockers Filter (Tuesday, February 22) and Britpop wonders Supergrass (Wednesday, March 1). Tickets for all shows on sale soon.
* From the department of jazz: former Aucklander jazz drummer and composer Mike Pigneguy - whose recent career has taken him to study in Western Australia and to performances in the United States - returns with his acclaimed sextet to play concerts in Auckland tonight and on Monday.
Playing mostly original music, the Michael Pigneguy Sextet (MPS) comes bearing impressive testimonials and reviews from across Australia, including mention of support slots with the likes of the John Scofield Quintet. They also made a recent appearance at the prestigious International Association of Jazz Educators in New Orleans, performing before more than 10,000 musicians and teachers.
The forthcoming MPS CD has been produced by noted Australian saxophonist Dale Barlow and, as with previous live and radio-show albums, showcases Pigneguy's sophisticated, energetic compositions augmented by the band, which includes sax, trombone, and trumpet with the acoustic rhythm section.
MPS play Cause Celebre, 33 High St, tonight and Manifesto, 315 Queen St, on Monday.
Meanwhile, if you haven't already heard, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra will play at Auckland's Aotea Centre on Saturday, March 4, the night after they take Ellington to Wellington with an appearance at the International Festival of the Arts in the capital. Auckland tickets are $65/$75/$90.
* Ventriloquist David Strassman has already sold out his Auckland, Whangarei and Hamilton shows in early February. An extra Auckland show at the St James Theatre on Wednesday, February 16, has been put on sale.
* Crooner Tony Bennett is giving the rest of the country a swerve this time through, playing only at Christchurch's WestpacTrust Centre on Sunday, March 12. Also, for those with cabaret tastes, English singer-comedian Robbie Robson brings his act of "vocal tributes to stars of past decades" to the Founders Theatre, Hamilton, on Friday, February 18, and Tauranga's Baycourt Theatre the following night.
This Week
* A Knight with a Dame - Sir Howard Morrison, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Auckland Philharmonia, Rotorua International Stadium, Devon St, Rotorua. Gates open today, 3 pm.
* The Searchers - Municipal Theatre, Napier, Thursday; City Theatre, Friday
* Auckland Folk Festival - Kumeu Showgrounds, Friday, 28 January, to Monday, 31 January
* Daniel O' Donnell - Auckland Town Hall, Saturday, January 29
* Michael Crawford - America's Cup Village, Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30
BOOKINGS Ticketek - Auckland (09) 307 5000; Hamilton (07) 838 6600; online at www.ticketek.co.nz
Ready to rock our world
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