Shapeshifting at Sacred Hill

Shapeshifter will get the crowds going in Hawkes Bay. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

In a late addition to the summer music festival lineup, Shapeshifter headline the first Sacred Hill summer festival at the Hawkes Bay winery on February 19.

The bill also includes Kora, the Black Seeds, and Ladi6 with more acts to be announced. The event at Sacred Hill's Rifleman's Vineyard, which looks out over the Tutaekuri River, will be an annual one to be curated and headlined by Shapeshifter whose frontman P Digsss was born in nearby Flaxmere.

Presales will be available from Ticketmaster from January 18 at 9am. You can sign up at sacredhillfestival.co.nz for the presale password and info. General public sales available from Ticketmaster, Music Machine (Napier) and Kingdom Music Works (Hastings) from January 20.

Meanwhile, it's free music time again. Auckland City's outdoor concert series starts this Sunday with Jazz at the Rotunda in Auckland Domain featuring drummer Frank Gibson's band.

However, the big one of the year is Summer Sounds on March 5 at Coyle Park in Pt Chev with Anika Moa, Autozamm, and Julia Deans.

On February 27 the Culture Garden at the Domain Wintergardens also returns and kicks off with eastern-influenced psychedelic band An Emerald City, followed by four more concerts in the following weeks.

Meanwhile, Jazz at the Rotunda is every Sunday until March 20 and the Tea Dance series runs at historic venues around Auckland where you can dance to everything from the cha cha to, well, any style you like. For more information and a programme of events go to musicinparks.co.nz.

-TimeOut