Chatterbox: Some hot US acts heading this way

Two of California's favourite live bands, Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger are coming to the Transmission Room, Auckland on September 28.

The two have a lot in common. Reel Big Fish have been together for 14 years, released five albums, and toured extensively. Post-punks Goldfinger have been together 11 years, released five albums and toured extensively.

Both are veterans of the Warped tour, during which they cemented their reputations for wild live shows - Goldfinger have even been known to set themselves on fire.

Both are members of the SoCal punk scene around Long Beach, California, and have been friends for a long time; members of the RBF horn section have contributed to Goldfinger tracks over the years.

Local punk band Kitsch play support.

Also resurfacing - this one after years in the musical wilderness - are the 90's biggest R&B band, Boyz II Men. Three of the four original members - Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris - have reunited for a new covers album, Throwback, and will perform at the North Shore Events Centre on September 16 and the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington on September 17.

In 1991, Boyz II Men revitalised Motown Records with the release of their debut, CooleyHighHarmony, which soon became the label's best-selling act, and reigned on the charts in the early 90s with No 1 singles End Of The Road, I'll Make Love To Yo, On Bended Knee and the longest-standing No 1 single in billboard history, One Sweet Day, featuring Mariah Carey.

Also on their way are the Mountain Goats, aka singer-songwriter John Darnielle, to promote his new album The Sunset Tree. New Zealand film-maker Campbell Walker was so taken with Darnielle's poetic indie rock that he incorporated the songs into his film Little Bits of Light, which screened at the International Film Festival. And critics are heralding Darnielle's raw and emotional songwriting.

The Mountain Goats play Wellington's Bar Bodega on September 8 and Shadows at Auckland University on September 9.

Local drum'n'bass lads Shapeshifter will soon make their last New Zealand tour for a year before recording their next album and touring in Europe.

See them at Subculture, Queenstown on September 7 and 8, Ministry, Christchurch, September 9 and 10, Stampede, Papakura, September 15, Studio, Auckland, September 16, Stage, Wellington September 17 and 18.

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Musical awards technical finalists named

The first of the New Zealand Music Award finalists have been announced, starting with the technical awards for best album cover, engineer, and producer.

The winners will be announced on September 2 during a presentation at the Hilton Hotel in Auckland. The finalists for the main awards will also be announced that day.

The main ceremony will be held on October 5.

TECHNICAL AWARDS FINALISTS:

Best album cover:

Andy Morton and Andrew B. White - Break It To Pieces, Tha Feelstyle
Chris Brunskill - Slow Burning, Katchafire
Tana Mitchell - Continental Drift, Audiosauce

Best engineer:

Nick Abbott & Luke Tomes - Pipeline Under the Ocean, Pluto
Doug Jane - Into The West, Yulia
Angus McNaughton - Southern Lights, SJD

Best producer:

Angus McNaughton and Sean Donnelly - Southern Lights, SJD
Lee Prebble - Pegasus, The Phoenix Foundation
Nick Abbott/LukeTomes/Pluto - Pipeline Under The Ocean, Pluto

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Jools drops in for six weeks

Music channel C4 have secured long-running live British music show Later ... with Jools Holland.

The BBC show hosted by the piano-playing former member of Squeeze features a wide range of acts who play live in the studio.

It first screened in Britain in 1992 and more than 500 of the world's best bands and artists have performed. The six-week series on C4, which starts on September 13 at 9.30pm, includes performances and interviews with Alicia Keys, Basement Jaxx, Snow Patrol, The Beta Band, PJ Harvey, Ash, The Killers, and Jet, among others.

The first episode features Norah Jones who first appeared on the show in 2002 to debut songs from her first album and now returns, eight Grammys and 18 million album sales later.