Your summer music guide

TOURS

Who: goodshirt, Evermore

What: After a year of slow-burning success, including No 1 single Sophie, Auckland pop-rockers goodshirt headline their own summer tour supported by Evermore, the young Feilding group who created a buzz at the World Series gigs.

When: The tour has started - they're at Newton's Dog's Bollix tonight - before heading to the beaches and places further south.

Info: Goodshirt

What to heckle: "Sophie called. She says get over it."

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Who: Dave Dobbyn, Anika Moa, Lucy Lawless

What: Yes, the actor formerly known as Xena - TAFKAX? - is touring with Dobbyn and Moa.

So her being a warrior princess, and a certain old song of his, does that make this the "Royal Loyal Tour"? Lawless can sing, but the Waihi Beach Hotel on New Year's Eve isn't exactly Grease on Broadway.

When: Begins Boxing Day in Taupo with a finale at Auckland's St James on Saturday January 11.

Info: Dave Dobbyn

What to heckle: "You all look taller on the telly, ya know?"

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Who: the feelers, Opshop

What: The pop-rock trio - a quartet live - head out after a low-profile year (apart from a spot of hotel room vandalism).

When: Starts in Whangarei on Thursday and stays in the north until the New Year when the band heads to the South Island.

Info: The Feelers

What to heckle: "So it's all back to your place afterwards is it?"

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Who: Stellar, Elemeno P

What: Boh Runga switches from backing her little sis to her day job as Stellar frontwoman. Support is from Auckland punky popsters Elemeno P.

When: Starting at the Waihi Beach Hotel on Boxing Day, the tour blasts around the coastal pubs of the North Island's north.

Info: Stellar

What to heckle: "Love what you've done with your hair. Oh, and you too, Boh."

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Who: Room Fulla Blues with Midge Marsden, Bullfrog Rata and Adrian Byron Burns.

What: A triple bill of Kiwi blues Godfather Marsden, acoustic slide player Bullfrog Rata and London-based guitarist Burns.

When: Starts Friday December 27 in Nelson, Room Fulla Blues is on the road until February.

Info: Strawberry Fields, Adrian Burns

What to heckle: "Play the one about waking up this morning, and feeling bad, bad, bad."

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Who: Dead Moon

What: If this was the year garageband rock returned in the form of the Datsuns and the D4, then it's a timely return of the godparents of the movement. America's Dead Moon are fronted by fiftysomething husband and wife team Fred and Toody Cole. They have a mainline to four chord thrash and the energy levels of people half their age. Great songs, too, Dead Moon Night is trashy classic.

When: The tour kicks off January 5 in Wellington then heads rapidly north.

Info: Dead Moon

What to heckle: "That's all very well, but can you do MF from Hell?"

FESTIVALS

What: Vibes on a Summer's Day

Who: Dance acts such as Masters at Work, X-press 2, Mr Scruff, Wicked Beat Sound System, Joe 90 and others. It's been a big deal in Australia and in this, its 10th year, makes the leap across the water to the Springs, renamed "The Groove Arena" for the day.

When: Waitangi Day (February 6) at Western Springs

Info: Vibes

What to heckle: "Which one of you is Kylie?"

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What: The Big Day Out

Who: Take a deep breath: Jane's Addiction, Foo Fighters, Underworld, PJ Harvey, Queens of the Stone Age, Kraftwerk, Pacifier, the Datsuns, Wilco ... and many, many more. You'll miss as much as you'll see, get hotter than you think, and get annoyed when 13-year-olds stop on the stairs to chat on their phones. But it's all worth it.

When: Friday January 17, Ericsson Stadium. Gates open 11am, tickets on sale now.

Info: Big Day Out

What to heckle: "Which one of you is Courtney?"

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What: Parachute 03

Who: The annual outdoors Christian music festival with headliners including tobyMac - Toby McKeehan, one third of American Christian rock giants dc Talk who is out solo - and R&B act Out of Eden as well as artists from Britain, South African, Australia and locals including Wash.

When: Friday January 24 to Monday January 27, Totara Springs, Matamata.

Info: Parachute

What to heckle: "Get your loaves and fishes here. Plenty to spare".

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What: Soundsplash 2003

Who: This one-day "eco-reggae" bash features King Kapisi, Trinity Roots, Salmonella DJ Soundsystem, 12 Tribes of Israel Band, Katchafire, Zuvuya Concord Dawn, Dub Asylum, Paradigm, and many more in its line-up of reggae, dub and drum'n'bass.

When: Saturday, February 8 at Wainui Reserve, Raglan.

Info: Soundsplash

What to heckle: "Hey you fellas, play that one called ... uh, um ... too bad. Anyone else hungry?"

NEW YEAR'S EVE

What: 2003 The Party

Where: Haruru Falls, Paihia

Who: One afternoon-evening rock and pop bash featuring Che Fu and the Krates, the Feelers, tadpole, Fur Patrol, Blindspott, Rubicon, Pluto, Goldenhorse and more.

Info: All-ages show with ID required for licensed bar area. Free camping on site. Pre-sales, $35 (phone bookings 0800 2003 69), gate sales $40/50. Go to: 2003 The Party

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What: Welcome 2003

Where: St James, Auckland

Who: House, breaks and trance with Nice'n'Urlich, Roy The Roach, Rob Salmon, Rachel Auburn, Mr Bishi, Sam Hill, Sample Gee, Tim Phinn, Greg Churchill, WSNC and Page 3. Perennial Auckland favourites Nice'n'Urlich will take centre stage in the main room for the midnight hour, to be followed by British DJ Roy The Roach. Lorne St will also be closed off to provide an outdoor chill-out space.

Info: Tickets $59-plus

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What: One Way Wyndham

Where: Wyndham Bowling Club and Centro

Who: House, drum'n'bass, UK garage and hip-hop from Dick Johnson, Ian Pooley, Recloose, Greg Churchill, Phully, DJ Logikal, Nick D, Jason Howson and others. Expect either frequent German visitor Pooley or the formerly Blackpool-based Johnson, or indeed both of them, to drop their recent, famous West Coast beach-inspired collaboration, Piha at least once over the course of the night.

Info: Tickets $70. Go to: Lightspeed

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What: Velvet NYE03

Where: The Civic

Who: Deep house, funky house, jazz, soul and funk from Nicky Holloway, Austin Leeds, DJ Booth, Hardy Shrub, Soane, House of Downtown and others.

The promoters say NYE03 will be their last party under the Velvet banner but they plan to go out in style. Velvet pride themselves on their more discerning clientele, achieved through an R22 policy and a strict dress standard. So leave your glowstick at home.

Info: Tickets $85

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What: Slinky Planet

Where: Auckland Town Hall

Who: Trance, hard house and retro from Graham Gold, Airwave, Andy Day, Siren, Haze, Big Pun and others - all very glowstick-friendly.

Info: Tickets $65. Go to: One Green Apple

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What: Bang

Where: Manakau Lakeside Convention Centre

Who: House, trance and techno from LTD, Thistle, Creed, Snitch, Matt Drake and others at South Auckland's only New Year dance party which starts with a bang at 10.30pm and continues until midday the next day.

Info: Tickets $80. Go to: Bang

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What: Alpine Unity

Where: Flock Hill Station, Craigieburn Valley, Canterbury, December 30 to January 1

What: Drum'n'bass, dub, breaks, house and funk from Timo Maas, John B, Austin Leeds, Pitch Black Concord Dawn, Shapeshifter, MC Tali, Fat Freddy's Drop, the Black Seeds and more. With the demise of The Gathering, Alpine Unity has become the South Island's premiere outdoor New Year festival.

Info: Tickets $125-$155. Go to: Alpine Unity

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Name: New Years Resolution 2003

Where: Whitianga, Coromandel Peninsula

Who: Trance, reggae and house from Arron Fevah, Dave Skwish, Steve Norrie, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Manuel Bundy, 48 Sonic, and more. It's being held at a mystery location outside Whitianga.

Info: Tickets, $60-80. Go to: New Years Resolution 2003