KEY POINTS:
ROCK
One of our most internationally acclaimed New Zealand musicians returns home for some local shows this week. Liam Finn has supported the release of his album I'll Be Lightening with many overseas gigs, most notably TV appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman in the United States and Later with Jools Holland in the UK. Check out Youtube to watch Finn in action or see him live this Saturday at Auckland's Powerstation.
Liam Finn - Powerstation, Mt Eden Rd, Auckland, June 14
BODY ART
When you were a kid you could have only dreamed of an awards ceremony honouring getting paint all over yourself. Well, it's here in the form of the New Zealand Body Art Awards at the North Shore Events Centre this Saturday. The traditional catwalk show has been shelved in favour of a theatrical experience featuring dancers, neon poi exhibitions, body builders and plenty of people covered in paint.
NZ Body Art Awards - North Shore Events Centre, Glenfield, June 14, see nzbodyartawards.co.nz
DANCE MUSIC
It's time to take your medicine and get down to a dDub gig. The band's second album Medicine Man, which spent three weeks in the top 40 last month, has been out a little while now but the six piece have been busy touring the South Island. However, this weekend they make their way back home to Auckland for a gig at Galatos with Luke Thompson.
dDub - Medicine Man album release party, Galatos, Saturday June 14, 9.30pm. Tickets $20 from Real Groovy or on the door
THEATRE
Playwright Stanley Makuwe knew it was time to leave his native country of Zimbabwe when one of his plays was banned by the government. Makuwe has written several plays and one of them, His Excellency Is In Love, is being performed this Saturday at TAPAC, Western Springs. The staging of this play is hoped to be the first step in establishing an African theatre group here, and the play features actors from Rwanda, Burundi and New Zealand.
His Excellency Is In Love - TAPAC, Western Springs, June 14
ROCK
Dance you can rock to and rock you can dance to sums up what to expect from The Bravery this Friday at the King's Arms. The New York band plays here in support of their album The Sun and The Moon. The band rose to fame in 2004 after sellout gigs at the trendy Arlenes Grocery on New York's Lower East Side. Since then they have released two albums, had Top 10 hits in Britain and played at many big festivals, including Glastonbury.
The Bravery - King's Arms, Newton, June 13
ROCK
The frenetic and energetic punk and rock of west Auckland band the Bleeders explodes inside the intimate Thirsty Dog pub on K Rd this Saturday. This will a be a mad gig, as the band are on a three-month break from playing live, and break the rules for this one-off show at a venue that fits in only 200. Prepare for this to be packed to the brim, but a whole lot of fun. In support are fellow raucous rockers Los Muertos and Trauma Hound.
The Bleeders - Thirsty Dog, K Rd, tickets from Real Groovy
SALE
Living-room walls looking a little bare? Office space a little too minimalist? The annual Original Art Sale could be a saviour for your interior aesthetics. Held annually at the TelstraClear Pacific Stadium in Manukau, the sale aims to make original art an affordable possibility. The several thousand pieces of art range in price from $100 to $5000. It's for three days, giving you plenty of time.
The Original Art Sale - TelstraClear Stadium, Manukau, June 13, 14 and 15, from 10am
EXHIBITION
It's not every Friday night that two shipping containers are stacked up for the purposes of art. At Princes Wharf, Storybox sees the containers used as the canvas for a video and audio installation which explores the emotions of migration. This Friday, the opening performance includes live acoustic soundscapes from Rhian Sheehan and Hummel with visuals by Robert Appierdo delving into the maritime history of downtown Auckland.
Storybox - Princes Wharf, Downtown Auckland, to June 23, free
