NEIL FINN will be headlining a special open-air family concert in support of refugee resettlement in New Zealand in the New Year. From 5pm to 8pm on Saturday, January 23, Finn will be joined by an array of local musicians including the Topp Twins, Hopetoun Brown, ThomasOliver and the Jubilation Choir, plus more artists, yet to be announced.
The "Kiwis On Board" concert will be in aid of the 600 Syrian refugees due to arrive in New Zealand next month, and is hoped to make them feel welcome. Although it is a free event, a $20 koha will be requested and all proceeds will go to NZ Red Cross.
There were announcements made earlier this week, sure to whet the appetite of anyone who loves intimate, heartfelt songs and some stunning acoustic guitar work.
NASHVILLE SONGWRITER Gillian Welch and her musical partner Dave Rawlings are returning to New Zealand for the first time since November 2004, undoubtedly set to tingle the spines of all who see them perform once more, with their gorgeous harmonies and exceptional guitar artistry.
Welch has since been nominated for a Grammy for her 2011 album The Harrow and the Harvest, and received a Lifetime Songwriting Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association, so you can expect an exceptional evening when they play at the Civic Theatre in Auckland on January 28.
Secondly, Swedish star Jose Gonzalez has announced he will return to perform at the St James Theatre 10 years after his first visit in 2006. The gentle songsmith became an international star with the release of Heartbeats, but this time around he'll be celebrating the release of his first solo album in seven years Vestiges and Claws, a collection which expands on the minimalist style of his previous two records, with more guitars, more percussion, and more backing vocals.
He'll be performing at the St James on Wednesday February 3, and tickets will be on sale from today.
Gillian Welch. Photo / Supplied
Guilty presence
WITH SHOWS by Pusha T, Kate Tempest and A$AP Rocky confirmed for early 2016, New Zealand hip-hop fans already have plenty of reasons to wave their hands in the air like they just don't care.
Now, there's another reason for them to put their hands up: Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson will also pay us a visit.
Simpson will perform at Auckland's Whammy Bar on January 28, and Wellington's Bodega on January 29.
Having worked with the late legendary producer J. Dilla, Simpson is known for his 2010 Madlib-produced album, OJ Simpson.
He's expected to deliver a sequel to that album early next year. Tickets for the shows go on sale from today through Under the Radar.
Guilty Simpson. Photo / Supplied
Wrapped up to rock
ARE YOU ready to rock like a Mummy? If so, you're in luck. garage rock act The Mummies, a band known for creating quite a racket while dressed in bandages - just as their name suggests - are coming to town.
The Californian four-piece, known more for their budgetary restraints than any rockstar shenanigans, will perform at Auckland's Whammy Bar on March 12, and Wellington's Bodega on March 13.
Having formed in 1988, they still play with department store instruments and amplifiers from the early 60s, record on out-dated, damaged equipment, and travel in a customised Pontiac ambulance from the same era.
Their music is released only on vinyl, but search for them on Google and you'll struggle to find much of a presence.
Tickets for the shows are available through Under the Radar. You can buy your own bandages at a local chemist.
