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.

In other tour news white boy soul man Mayer Hawthorne and his band The County return to New Zealand for shows in February.

The controversial rap crew kicked off the Big Day Out bill because of their homophobic and misogynistic lyrics will perform a show in Auckland the night before the one-day festival.

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.

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.

William Bensussen AKA The Gaslamp Killer doesn't even need to think about his answer when I ask him about his preferred rhythm structure.

New dad Sir Elton John is being bombarded with Kiwi offers to babysit during his one-off gig in New Zealand.

Scott Kara's week of movies, music and TV.

The mega-selling Irishman with the golden voice and occasional quavering lilt is heading to New Zealand this summer.

Renowned British producer, mixologist and solo artist in his own right, Adrian Sherwood is something of a dub guru.

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