Joe Cocker to play five Kiwi gigs

For all those under 45, Joe Cocker is the guy who looked like he was constipated at Woodstock in 1969 - contorting and straining doing his version of the Beatles' With A Little Help From My Friends.

But Cocker has always been known for his emotional - or should that be spastic? - stage performances, so we're in for a treat in November when he returns to New Zealand for five shows.

Since the former apprentice gasfitter first sang professionally in Sheffield, more than 30 years ago, his voice has become renowned for its guttural grit and sweet soul. 

This time he will treat New Zealand audiences to his renditions of songs as diverse as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, Aretha Franklin's Chain of Fools, REM's Everybody Hurts, Screaming Jay Hawkins' I Put A Spell On You, as well as those songs that made him famous like, You Can Leave Your Hat On, from that dirty little movie, 9 1/2 Weeks.

He plays the Dunedin Town Hall on November 3; Queenstown Events Centre November 5; Christchurch Town Hall November 6; Wellington Events Centre November 9; Civic Theatre, Auckland November 11.

One bloke we haven't heard from in a while is the original bad boy of drum'n'bass, Goldie. So have your dentist gold-cap your teeth, and head on down to Studio on September 2 to see the first superstar of drum'n'bass perform with MC LowQui.

Goldie formed the Metalheadz label in the early 90s and in 1995 he released Timeless, not only a classic of the drum'n'bass genre, but an all-round classic album.

As well as producing and DJing, he's become an in-demand actor appearing in the movie Snatch and TV show Eastenders. His new album, The One Tempus, is due for release later this year.

And in Black Eyed Peas news, it seems the band want to thank us for being the first country in the world where they ever went platinum. The hip-pop funksters have announced a third concert to their New Zealand tour in October, adding the Windy City to the line-up. See them at the Wellington Events Centre on Wednesday October 5, the Westpac Centre, Christchurch on October 6 and Mt Smart Supertop on October 8.

Also, and you've been warned early, the Foo Fighters' Auckland gig is also close to selling out so don't muck around. The Wellington show sold out in a day.

Meanwhile, American-born music producer, and now New Zealand convert, Recloose, has got a band together to perform on September 9 at the Rising Sun on K Rd, and September 10 at the Leigh Sawmill Cafe. 

And finally, ferocious Aussie folk punk rockers the Go Set play three dates in September to celebrate the release of their new album, Sing A Song Of Revolution.

The Go Set play September 15, Valve, Wellington; September 16, Guv'nors Tavern Palmerston North; and September 17, Kings Arms, Auckland.