Chatterbox: Yeah, a stroke of good luck

Two of New York's best bands are coming our way. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs play the St James in Auckland on July 12 and the Strokes play the same venue on August 1.

The YYYs, fronted by the gorgeously odd Karen O, play a brand of sometimes berserk yet always melodic rock'n'roll.

Their first album, 2003's Fever To Tell, was a fiery burst of energy that injected American music with a badly needed shot of vigour. Their latest album, Show Your Bones, released in March,is a more even mix of beautiful pop and passionate punk which makes it more accessible.

The YYYs will be a show not to miss. That also goes for the Strokes. Although their latest album, First Impressions of Earth, has not received great reviews, we think the first six songs are some of the best frontman Julian Casablancas has written. So there.

Anyway, they'll be playing tracks from their second album, Room On Fire, and the stunning 2001 debut Is This It, so you'd be mad not to go.

Let's hope drummer, Fab "all the girls love him" Moretti, brings his girl Drew Barrymore.


Urban warfare

Kiwi actor Karl Urban is about to light up the big screen again, this time playing the lead role in the epic Viking movie, Pathfinder.

Based on the 1987 Norwegian film Veiviseren and directed by Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), it's due for release in the US in September.

Urban plays Ghost, a Viking boy raised by American Indians who avenges his family's murder and saves a village from a group of barbaric warriors. Ghost is torn between his heritage and the family who raised him. So we might see his soft side when he's not wielding an axe.


Especially for punks

The pop punk kids and EMO music fans will be leaping higher than they have before with news of the Taste Of Chaos tour.

Six of the world's top bands from those two music genres let loose across two stages at the St James and Regent Theatres on October 7. The lineup includes Taking Back Sunday, Under Oath, Saysin, Thursday, Antiflag and Senses Fail. There will be local acts announced at a later date.

Tickets go on sale June 30 from Ticket Direct and Real Groovy.

Meanwhile, California's premier skate punk band, Pennywise, are heading to New Zealand for two shows in July.

They play an all-ages show at the Powerstation on Mt Eden Rd on July 19, and the night before they're at Indigo in Wellington.

If you've ever felt like getting up close and personal with Aaron Lewis from Staind, then head along to the Powerstation on July 14. The frontman will be joined by the band's guitarist Mike Mushok for a special acoustic performance.

Finally, South African gospel group Ladysmith Black Mambazo play the Auckland Town Hall on August 9. They have been spreading their message for more than 30 years now, but when the group lent Paul Simon a hand on the song Homeless, from Graceland in 1986, the whole world sat up and listened.


Op-ortunity knocks

Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison didn't make it on to Rockstar but he was the first New Zealander to be considered seriously for the show.

Kerrison reached the preliminary rounds but failed to reach the top 12 finalists. The first series was a ratings success and revived the careers of Aussie rockers INXS, with new lead singer JD Fortune. This year the winner will join a new group called Supernova with former Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, former Metallica bass player Jason Newsted and onetime Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke. Despite Kerrison's talent on and off stage (he was a radio host on Kiwi FM), mild-mannered persona and lack of tattoos might have gone against him.

The first episode screens on TV3 on July 6 but for now Kerrison can't talk because of a strict contract. Rockstar, hosted by Dave Navarro and Brooke Burke, will air a day after its US screenings.


Moonstruck

Those crazy classical cats at the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra are taking a trip to the dark side of the moon.

In July they will join Australian 10-piece band the Pink Floyd Project to perform the music of the British super group.

Expect to hear a whole range of Floyd tracks from albums such as 1967's The Piper At The Gates of Dawn, through to early 70s works The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, and on to The Wall and A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

The concert is at 8pm on July 22 at the Aotea Centre. Book at Ticketek.