Best of the weekend

Best feet forward

Black Grace and Friends is a meeting of minds between three guest choreographers and the iconic Black Grace dance company. Reviewers describe choreographer Daniel Cooper's work as "a lyrical and touching exploration ... beautifully conceived and performed," while Sean McDonald has a "gift for exploring unexpected moves: an off-angle foot, a dive to the floor." The third contributor, Louise Potiki Bryant, mixes video design, dance and installation in her work Night Blooms. It's the last chance to see the Auckland shows today and tomorrow.

Black Grace and Friends - Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall, today 2 and 7.30pm, tomorrow 2pm

Best collaboration

Opera finds its way back to its original home in Auckland, the Mercury Theatre. Auckland Opera Studio and the Auckland Chamber Orchestra combine to bring Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins to life tonight in a performance entitled Beyond The Box. Dancer Michael Parmenter makes an appearance, as do sopranos Andrea Creighton and Jennifer Aylmer. The Mercury has re-opened especially for this series of performances, which conclude tonight.

Mercury Theatre, tonight tickets from Ticketek

Best soul search

After releasing debut album Kaleidoscope a few weeks ago, Auckland soul/funk/hip hop collective the Opensouls perform tonight at Rakinos. Find out what happens when drums, turntables, a saxophone, a trumpet, a guitar, a keyboard and two talented vocalists, Bjorn Peterson and Tyra Hammond, come together. The band began with Jeremy Toy in 2001, and since then has absorbed some of New Zealand's best talent. Members of the nine-piece group have worked with Che Fu, Anika Moa, Mark De Clive-Lowe and Recloose so expect an interesting show.

Opensouls - Rakinos, High St, tonight

Best indie nights

Boston musician and lecturer Keith Fullerton Whitman, aka KFW, performs at the St James' Westend tonight as part of the weekly Indie Club gigs. Whitman is joined on the bill by guitarist/composer Dean Roberts and drummer Guy Treadgold, as well as solo "broken sound" performer Pumice. The Indie Club takes place Wednesday through Saturday, every week, at the Grand Circle, St James. The differently themed nights showcase everything from goth, to reggae, to alt country.

Indie Club with KFW - Westend, St James, tonight

Best heavy stuff

Perhaps leave Gran at home for this one. Progressive Swedish death metal five-piece Opeth rock into town tonight for one show only. The group is fresh from several sell-out Australian concerts, and is touring material from recent album, Ghost Reveries. Before you run away crying, understand that these guys aren't all doom and gloom. Opeth write lengthy songs, complete with acoustic interludes and influences as wide ranging as jazz and blues. We may not persuade Nana - but a lot of people will, no doubt, be more than convinced this evening.

Opeth - St James, Auckland, tonight