An offbeat Brit

Jarvis Cocker heads to New Zealand in December for two gigs. Photo / Supplied

No one mixes wit, wisdom and wacky dance moves quite like Britpop hero Jarvis Cocker.

The former frontman of Pulp who, along with Blur and Oasis, led the Britpop movement in the 90s, will make his first visit to New Zealand since his old band toured here in 1999.

He plays Wellington Town Hall on December 3, and Auckland's Powerstation on December 4 with Phoenix Foundation in support. Tickets go on sale September 1.

Cocker, who once invaded the stage at the Brit Awards in protest over Michael Jackson's peformance at the show, released his second solo album, Further Complications, this year which included such lyrical gems as "I met her in the museum of paleontology. And I make no bones about it" from the song Leftovers.

TimeOut said of the album: "Cocker hasn't lost his love of the absurd, slipping in sharp one-liners and dreadful puns on the clanging, noise-heavy record."

And apparently his dance moves - a mix of flamboyant camp and wild pogoing - are better than ever and it's something the man himself describes as "a complicated boogie".

Meanwhile, the first Auckland show by Cliff Richard and the Shadows in February has sold out, so a second one has been added on February 24 at Vector Arena. Tickets go on sale September 10 at Ticketmaster and it takes the total number of New Zealand shows to five.

As announced last week in TimeOut, Fleetwood Mac will return to New Zealand for the first time in 30 years and have confirmed a one-off show at New Plymouth's Bowl of Brooklands on December 19.

And lastly, Los Angeles metal behemoths Isis return to New Zealand for two shows next year including Auckland's Transmission Room on February 16; and barbed-wire rockers Crocodiles from San Diego play Wellington and Christchurch in December before stopping in Auckland for shows at Cassette No. 9 on December 4 an all-ages show at Bacco Room at 4pm on December 5 and then R18 at 9pm.