Biennial music and art festival Splore has made its second line-up announcement for the three-day event to be held in February 2014 and has certainly lived up to its reputation.
The festival, which takes place at the stunning, beachside Tapapakanga Regional Park from February 14 to 16, is well-loved for its emphasis on elaborate stage settings, flamboyant performances, diverse food, and family-friendly atmosphere, and looks set to surprise Kiwi ears once again with an eclectic musical line-up, including colourful British phenomenon, Ebony Bones.
Like Grace Jones crossed with Tina Turner, Karen O and MIA, the outlandish dynamo has made a name for herself supporting Cee-Lo Green, working with artists such as Amadou and Mariam, and Yoko Ono and having singles featured in a number of European ads.
She has just released her second album, Behold A Pale Horse, recorded in India.
Also announced is British soul favourite Alice Russell, who will be showcasing tracks from her latest album To Dust, Brighton electronic breakbeat DJ and producer Adam Freeland and jungle pioneers The Ragga Twins.
The Living Lounge is always a key part of the Splore experience too, and they've announced several local acts to perform in the sumptuous tent, including Auckland band Drab Doo Riffs, poet Sam Hunt and original theatre company Binge Culture.
Other acts in the line-up include Blak Twang, The Funk Hunters, Shortee Blitz, Brockaflowersaurus, Weird Together, Scratch 22, NiKo ne Zna, and Latinaotearoa.
Check out some of the bands performing at next year's Splore Festival
There will be a final announcement in October. See splore.net for more details and tickets.
Dobbyn joins Sailor
Dave Dobbyn will join Hello Sailor for their Gluepot Reunion shows at the Powerstation in November.
Harry Lyon, the band's founder, says along with Dobbyn, his son Johnny and the late Dave McArtney's Sydney-based nephew Tim, he will play guitar and sing with the band to help fill the gap left by McArtney, who died in April.
"We are still coming to terms with the loss of Dave but are rapt to have DD and the boys on board. We know he would want us to carry on and would love these guys being our guests."
The November 1 show, the follow-up to last year's first Gluepot Reunion shows, will feature Hello Sailor, the "classic" line-up of The Exponents (Jordan Luck, Brian Jones, David Gent, Michael "Harry" Harallambi and Bryan Bell), and the Gluepot Super Group, made up of vocalists such as Hammond Gamble, Rick Bryant, Truda Chadwick and Sandy Mill alongside a top-notch band.
Barry Jenkin (aka Doctor Rock) will MC the evening.
Also on their way to New Zealand
American soul troubadour and singer-songwriter Cody ChestnuTT brings his blend of R'n'B and soul to New Zealand, at Wellington's Bodega on October 21 and the Tuning Fork at Vector Arena on October 22 with guest Tyra Hammond.
Melvins: US sludge doom metal experimentalists led by guitarist Buzz Osborne (aka King Buzzo) and drummer Dale Crover (who was one of Nirvana's first drummers), return to New Zealand to play the Powerstation on December 4.
Hard and heavy New Yorkers Helmet also return to play Bodega on December 20 and Auckland's Galatos on December 21.
And Toronto power trio METZ, who name-check everyone from the Pixies and Jesus Lizard to Shellac and Public Image Ltd, play Bodega, December 12, and Kings Arms, December 13.
