Let’s start in un-bypassed and unlikely-to-ever-be-bypassed Katikati. People must be getting sick of this. Katikati is a beautiful town. Some... Read More

Meet the new year – same as the old year? ...And here we are on the other side. Welcome to 2022: brace yourself... If there’s one thing... Read More

A lot of writers are deadline junkies. Perhaps it is just the pleasure of procrastination, but it requires the impending rush of a deadline to unleash... Read More

New albums are piling up thick and fast, so I better start sharing them with y’all. And here’s a thought: if you’re a Spotify listener... Read More

I’ve spent the week in the company of The Beatles; it has been most enjoyable. I’ve been wading through Mr Jackson’s epic look at... Read More

Another day, another level change, another cancellation. Don’t you just love 2021? I must confess that, like pretty much everyone else, I didn’t... Read More

There is a special music night at Jack Dusty’s next weekend - a belated tribute to one of the city’s best guitar players. Mike Everard,... Read More

I get increasingly sick of today’s “influencers” - mostly fly-by-night narcissists angling for sponsorship and self-promotion.     But... Read More

Are we still between gigs? Yeah, pretty much, so we'll go elsewhere this week. Sure, there is stuff happening. Jack Dusty’s, the Barrel Room... Read More

Two important things are happening this weekend: a farewell and a welcome. The hello is for local musician Brendan McCarthy’s debut album, which... Read More

Musicians around the country have been feeling a bit like James Bond and, like the dapper Englishman, are slowly emerging from hibernation. But often... Read More

I like long, unusual words in songs; there are only so many times you can rhyme “love” and “above”. I was reminded of this yesterday... Read More

Today's paper arrives on the first day of October; three quarters of the year has passed. It always seems at around this point that the year has... Read More

And here we are again; it’s musical Groundhog Day. We’re in on-again/off-again territory and I can’t help thinking the single most... Read More

Once again I write this while much of the city and the Bay remains silent, devoid of live music. It’s been harder this time. The Delta variant... Read More