We asked Ladi6, who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks, to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

We asked Dave Dobbyn who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

We asked Dave McArtney of Hello Sailor, who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks, to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

We asked Nick Robinson of Shapeshifter, who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks, to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

We asked Jeremy of Midnight Youth, who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks, to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

We asked Toby Laing of Fat Freddys Drop, who is one of the many local music stars hitting the beach pub circuit in the coming weeks, to discuss the joys of touring and what it's like to have a job keeping the holidaying hordes entertained.

Here is TimeOut's annual pick of the 10 big gigs for New Year's Eve.

North American post-rockers Explosions in the Sky take time out from doing the laundry to return to New Zealand for two shows this month.

Founding Foo Fighter Nate Mendel talks to Scott Kara.

Dave Grohl, talks to Tom Lamont about how's he's survived and thrived as both rock god and cool dad...

Two guys who started out performing TV sketches, and then set out to become the greatest rock band in the world, will be here to support the Foo Fighters next week.

F***** Up's singer Damian Abraham is not quite the punk expected, writes Scott Kara.

Florence and the Machine's debut album, Lungs, made an international star of the Brit goth pop glamour queen. Now she's released a follow-up and announced concert dates in Auckland in the New Year. She talks to Tom Lamont.

Prog-rockers Yes - perhaps best known for the song Owner of a Lonely Heart - play in New Zealand for the first time in their 40-year career with a show at Vector Arena on April 1.

Hours before Black Sabbath played their first New Zealand show, young Kiwi promoter Barry Coburn was summoned to a makeshift dressing room where Ozzy Osbourne said, "When we come on, we want a burning cross - make it happen".

"Pretty bad-ass". In the short time speaking to Austin, Texas-based Black Joe Lewis, he uses the term several times to describe his horn section in his band, The Honeybears, their live show and his influences.

Disturbing the comfortable and comforting the disturbed, London label/collective On-U Sound has been dishing out the dubwise damage for three decades, with Adrian Sherwood always at its core.

He's a man of few words, but on the eve of his first visit to New Zealand, rock 'n' roll blues artist Black Joe Lewis shares some of them with Scott Kara.

Lydia Jenkin's week of movies, TV and music.

A quick word with Ronan Keating, smooth solo crooner with an Irish lilt, and previous leader of Boyzone.

The summer tour dates just keep on coming, and local lads The Datsuns are getting on board with a trip round the country, starting at the Waihi Beach Hotel on January 18.

The distinctive Senegalese voice of Baaba Maal has been added to the line up for Womad in March.

International hip-hop and R&B stars Game and Lloyd are set to play select New Zealand shows early next year.