Let's just say there is no love lost at all between former Battles singer, guitarist and on-stage crazy man Tyondai Braxton and his old band mates.

The dismal holiday weather hasn't been kind to some businesses - but others can't stop smiling. Michael Dickison reports on the winners and losers of our damp start to summer

Photos from Rhythm and Vines 2011, an annual three-day music festival held at Waiohika Estate Vineyard in Gisborne.

For a week every year, the picturesque alpine village of Mayrhofen hosts the biggest, loudest snow festival in Europe.

Scott Kara's week of films, music, television and festivals.

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.

An intimate, relaxed affair set in the atmospheric surroundings of the Unesco World Heritage-listed Galle Fort.

Auckland could well do with more food-and-wine festivals, urges Don Kavanagh.

Rounding out the announcements for next year's Splore festival is the addition of powerful Texan neo-soul diva Erykah Badu.

So what the hell am I supposed to do now? This might sound sad, but the end of the Rugby World Cup has left a gaping void in my life.

Some of New Zealand's finest cuisine will be showcased in the biggest food and wine festival of the year.

A third veteran act has been added to the double-header of Dragon and Hello Sailor at the Powerstation on November 4.

Keeping their fingers crossed for resource consent (c'mon Super City Council), the organisers of the annual Auckland Anniversary Day St Jerome's Laneway Festival have announced the details for next year's shindig on Monday January 30.

The party long billed as the world's only dry Oktoberfest is finally going wet.

A new local music festival might be going head-to-head with the Big Day Out but it has a very different target market.

Picturesque Maribor is Slovenia's second largest city, and sits at the heart of a centuries-old wine region.

In summer, Japan drops its reserve to party, finds Rob McFarland.

Josie McNaught gives a local's guide to Venice, where New Zealand art is on display at the world’s greatest exhibition.

New Zealand feature film The Orator (O Le Tulafale) has been selected to premiere in competition in the Orizzonti (New Horizons) section of the 68th Venice International Film Festival.