Kim Sinclair, the Kiwi art director of Avatar, says there is more to the flick than just digital effects.
Sinclair, who has earned an Oscar nomination for the film, said it was not easy to make the movie, as everything had to be designed afresh.
“We were building and designing everything in an entire world, every little [...]
Posts Tagged ‘NZ’
Oscar nominee Kim Sinclair says there more to Avatar than digital effects
The Dead Weather: Spring Dates
THE DEAD WEATHER ANNOUNCE SPRING U.S. TOUR DATES
The Dead Weather |
The Dead Weather has announced a 13-city Spring jaunt that includes appearances at Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Tickets are available now for subscribers to The Vault, Third Man Records’ groundbreaking online subscription service, and available to the general public starting Friday, February 5.
The dirge rock four-piece, consisting of celebrated musicians Dean Fertita (Queens of The Stone Age), “Little” Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs, The Greenhornes), Alison Mosshart (The Kills) and Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs), have traveled the world over since their debut Horehound was released in the summer of 2009 – leaving in their wake storms of fans enthralled by the bluesy rock quartet’s gritty rhythm and incessant energy.
This newest series of dates follows the band’s first-ever Australian tour.
The Dead Weather Tour Dates
03/17/10 Wed Logan Campbell Center Aukland, NZ
03/19/10 Fri The Forum Theatre Melbourne, AU
03/20/10 Sat The Forum Theatre Melbourne, AU
03/23/10 Tue Tivoli Theatre Brisbane, AU
03/26/10 Fri Enmore Theatre Sydney, AU
03/29/10 Mon Metro City Perth, AU
03/31/10 Wed Zepp Tokyo Tokyo, JP
04/15/10 Thu The Fillmore San Francisco, CA
04/17/10 Sat Coachella Music Festival (Empire Polo Grounds) Indio, CA
04/18/10 Sun Pearl Concert Theater Las Vegas, NV
04/20/10 Tue Sunshine Theater Albuquerque, NM
04/22/10 Thu Cain’s Ballroom Tulsa, OK
04/23/10 Fri Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone Bonner Springs, KS
04/24/10 Sat The Pageant St. Louis, MO
04/26/10 Mon House of Blues Orlando, FL
04/27/10 Tue WorkPlay Birmingham, AL
04/28/10 Wed Minglewood Hall Memphis, TN
04/30/10 Fri Stubb’s BBQ Austin, TX
05/01/10 Sat House of Blues Houston, TX
05/02/10 Sun New Orleans Fairgrounds New Orleans, LA
Them Crooked Vultures Rock SNL
THEM CROOKED VULTURES WILL PLAY SNL FEBRUARY 6
Them Crooked Vultures |
Them Crooked Vultures, the super group comprised of music icons Joshua Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones, are set to rock the soundstage of another iconic institution, Saturday Night Live.
The band will take the stage live in front of the raucous SNL crowd on February 6 with the show being hosted by Ashton Kutcher. Following their stint on late night television TCV will bring the rock to a handful of cities along the East Coast before heading to the California desert to play Coachella on April 16.
Them Crooked Vultures released their self-titled debut album in November 2009 to a slew of critical acclaim, and in just a few short months saw additional accolades including “Best of 2009″ lists from Spin, JamBase, MySpace and Time Out.
Them Crooked Vultures Tour Dates
01/22/10 Fri Festival Hall Melbourne, AU
01/23/10 Sat Festival Hall Melbourne, AU
01/25/10 Mon River Stage Brisbane, AU
01/26/10 Tue Hordern Pavilion Sydney, AU
01/27/10 Wed Hordern Pavilion Sydney, AU
01/29/10 Fri TSB Arena Wellington, NZ
01/30/10 Sat Vector Arena Auckland, NZ
02/06/10 Sat Austin City Limits TV Show Austin, TX
04/16/10 Fri Coachella Music Festival (Empire Polo Grounds) Indio, CA
St. Vincent Headline Tour
ST. VINCENT ADDS FEBRUARY TOUR DATES
St. Vincent |
St. Vincent (a.k.a. Annie Clark) ended a very eventful 2009 with an extensive European tour with Grizzly Bear, which immediately followed her October U.S. tour with Andrew Bird.
To kick off 2010 St.Vincent will embark on a headline tour beginning January 29, running through February and into March.
The January 29 date marks St.Vincent’s Lincoln Center debut with a headline performance at the Allen Room in New York’s Columbus Circle as part of the acclaimed American Songbook Series.
Joining St.Vincent will be Sweden’s eclectic and fascinating Wildbirds & Peacedrums.
St. Vincent Tour Dates
01/29/10 Fri The Allen Room New York, NY
02/03/10 Wed Element Victoria, BC
02/04/10 Thu Venue Vancouver, BC
02/05/10 Fri Neumos Seattle, WA
02/06/10 Sat Doug Fir Portland, OR
02/08/10 Mon Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
02/09/10 Tue El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA
02/10/10 Wed Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA
02/11/10 Thu Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
02/13/10 Sat Bluebird Theater Denver, CO
02/15/10 Mon Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
02/16/10 Tue The Blue Moose Iowa City, IA
02/17/10 Wed Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI
02/18/10 Thu Metro Chicago, IL
02/19/10 Fri The Pike Room Pontiac, MI
02/20/10 Sat Outland Columbus, OH
02/21/10 Sun Diesel Pittsburgh, PA
02/23/10 Tue Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA
02/24/10 Wed 9:30 Club Washington, DC
02/25/10 Thu First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
03/12/10 Fri YuGong YiShan Beijing, CN
03/18/10 Thu Pacific Blue Festival Club Wellington, NZ
03/28/10 Sun Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN
03/30/10 Tue The High Dive Champaign, IL
James Taylor & Carole King Tour
JAMES TAYLOR AND CAROLE KING NORTH AMERICAN TROUBADOUR REUNION DATES SET
King & Taylor byKevin Estrada |
Iconic recording artists Carole King and James Taylor unveiled North American dates for the Troubadour Reunion tour. This once-in-a-lifetime event marks a rare concert experience bringing two of the most beloved singer-songwriters on tour together – intimate and in the round – for the first time in four decades.
North American dates begin on May 7 in Portland, OR, and extend through June 19 in Boston, MA. The tour will travel to over 20 major venues and cities nationwide including Madison Square Garden in New York and a three-night stand at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Tickets for the North American leg of Troubadour Reunion go on sale January 23 (unless otherwise noted). King and Taylor will also perform together on The Today Show and The Late Show with David Letterman on January 20.
The idea for the tour was conceived after a series of six performances Taylor and King gave at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in 2007 to celebrate the famed venue’s 50th Anniversary. The shows sold out immediately and garnered rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Joining King and Taylor on tour will be their original band mates; guitarist Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar, drummer Russ Kunkel and bassist Lee Sklar, famous in their own right as The Section. Also joining The Section will be Rudy Guess, Robbie Kondor, Arnold McCuller, Kate Markowitz, and Andrea Zonn.
James Taylor and Carole King Tour Dates
01/20/10 Wed Late Show with David Letterman New York, NY
01/20/10 Wed The Today Show New York, NY
03/26/10 Fri Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, AU
03/27/10 Sat Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, AU
03/29/10 Mon Adelaide Entertainment Centre Adelaide, AU
03/31/10 Wed Brisbane Entertainment Centre Brisbane, AU
04/01/10 Thu Brisbane Entertainment Centre Brisbane, AU
04/03/10 Sat Hope Estate Winery Hunter Valley, AU
04/06/10 Tue Sydney Entertainment Centre Sydney, AU
04/10/10 Sat Vector Arena Auckland, NZ
04/14/10 Wed Budokan Hall Tokyo, JP
04/16/10 Fri Budokan Hall Tokyo, JP
05/07/10 Fri Rose Garden Arena Portland, OR
05/09/10 Sun Key Arena Seattle, WA
05/11/10 Tue HP Pavilion San Jose, CA
05/13/10 Thu Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
05/14/10 Fri Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
05/15/10 Sat Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
05/19/10 Wed Jobing.com Arena Glendale, AZ
05/21/10 Fri Sprint Center Kansas City, MO
05/22/10 Sat Sommet Center Nashville, TN
05/24/10 Mon Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL
05/25/10 Tue Xcel Energy Center Saint Paul, MN
05/27/10 Thu The Palace of Auburn Hills Auburn Hills, MI
05/28/10 Fri Air Canada Centre Toronto, ON
05/30/10 Sun Value City Arena (Schottenstein Center) Columbus, OH
06/02/10 Wed Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte, NC
06/03/10 Thu Gwinnett Civic & Cultural Center Duluth, GA
06/05/10 Sat BankAtlantic Center Sunrise, FL
06/06/10 Sun St. Pete Times Forum Tampa, FL
06/08/10 Tue Verizon Center Washington, DC
06/10/10 Thu Wachovia Center Philadelphia, PA
06/12/10 Sat Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville, CT
06/15/10 Tue Madison Square Garden New York, NY
06/19/10 Sat TD BankNorth Garden Boston, MA
07/03/10 Sat Tanglewood Lenox, MA
07/04/10 Sun Tanglewood Lenox, MA
Passion Pit: Spring Tour Dates
PASSION PIT ANNOUNCE SPRING TOUR DATES
Passion Pit |
2009 was a whirlwind year for Boston’s Passion Pit. They were nominated for an MTV VMA for their video “The Reeling”, won Best Album from Boston’s WXPN, and topped Pitchfork, Stereogum, NY Post, NPR, Paste Magazine, Boston Music Award, Popmatters and many more end of year lists in 2009.
After amazing stops at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, Monolith, Treasure Island, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Passion Pit kicks off 2010 with three of the fastest moving sold out shows at NYC’s Terminal 5 and a Spring Tour.
Passion Pit Tour Dates
01/15/10 Fri Mt. Smart Stadium Auckland, NZ
01/17/10 Sun Parklands Gold Coast, AU
01/20/10 Wed Metro Theatre Sydney, AU
01/22/10 Fri Olympic Park Showgrounds Sydney, AU
01/23/10 Sat Olympic Park Showgrounds Sydney, AU
01/25/10 Mon Corner Hotel Melbourne, AU
01/26/10 Tue Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, AU
01/29/10 Fri RA&HS Showgrounds Adelaide, AU
01/31/10 Sun Claremont Showgrounds Perth, AU
02/04/10 Thu Club Quattro Osaka, JP
02/05/10 Fri Duo Music Exchange Tokyo, JP
02/06/10 Sat Harajuku Astro Hall Tokyo, JP
03/01/10 Mon Le Botanique Brussels, BEL
03/03/10 Wed Bristol Academy Bristol, GB
03/04/10 Thu Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds, GB
03/05/10 Fri Manchester Academy Manchester, GB
03/06/10 Sat ABC Glasgow, GB
03/08/10 Mon University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich, GB
03/09/10 Tue Nottingham Rock City Nottingham, GB
03/11/10 Thu HMV Forum London, GB
03/13/10 Sat Olympia Theatre Dublin, IR
03/26/10 Fri Ultra Music Festival Miami Beach, FL
03/28/10 Sun The Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
03/29/10 Mon Pullo Center York, PA
03/30/10 Tue House Of Blues Cleveland, OH
03/31/10 Wed Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
04/02/10 Fri Congress Theater Chicago, IL
04/03/10 Sat Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI
04/04/10 Sun First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
04/05/10 Mon Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
04/07/10 Wed Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
04/08/10 Thu In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT
04/10/10 Sat McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR
04/11/10 Sun Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
04/12/10 Mon Roseland Theater Portland, OR
04/14/10 Wed Freeborn Hall Davis, CA
04/15/10 Thu The Warfield San Francisco, CA
04/24/10 Sat Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
04/30/10 Fri World’s Fair Park Knoxville, TN
05/01/10 Sat Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
Security scare clears NZ tennis venue during Israel protest
The Auckland Tennis centre was evacuated on Tuesday after a security scare over an unattended bag, although it was not linked to a protest against the presence of Israeli player Shahar Peer, police said. The central Auckland venue is hosting the WTA Tour’s Auckland Classic and a small
Tyra Banks finds Kiwi girls genuinely friendly
Former model Tyra Banks says she finds Kiwi girls genuinely friendly.
‘America’’s Next Top Model’ host, who was on a trip to Auckland for the launch of a new beauty campaign, feels New Zealand girls stand out.
“I find that the girls are so like, beyond warm and polite. I don”t know, do you guys have haters? [...]
James Taylor & Carole King Announce World Tour
CAROLE KING AND JAMES TAYLOR ANNOUNCE TROUBADOUR REUNION WORLD TOUR
Hollywood Bowl Tickets Go On Sale November 23 With N. American and European Dates To Be Announced Soon
James Taylor |
Iconic musicians Carole King and James Taylor announced today that they will embark on a Troubadour Reunion world tour. The world tour will kick off in Melbourne, Australia on March 27 and will then travel to New Zealand and Japan before coming to North America and Europe. This once-in-a-lifetime event brings together two of the most beloved singer/songwriters for a rare concert experience. The set list will include a breadth of material including songs King and Taylor performed during their 1970 debut show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, which helped propel them both to the world stage. Tickets for dates in Australia, New Zealand, and The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles go on-sale November 23. Tickets for dates in Japan go on sale December 12. Additional dates in North America and Europe will be announced soon.
The idea for the Troubadour Reunion tour came together in 2007 after Taylor and King performed at the famed Los Angeles venue for the first time since 1970 to celebrate the Troubadour’s 50th Anniversary. The shows sold out immediately and garnered rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The Los Angeles Times noted “the sense of occasion [and] weight of history in the evening” and Variety said “Taylor and King reminded us about the intensity of song, that the artistically-rich and commercially-viable are not mutually exclusive and how one tiny club continues to be a birthing room for some of this city’s most memorable music.”
Now fans outside of Los Angeles will be able to experience what was created on that magical evening in 2007. Nearly four decades after helping define the singer-songwriter movement, King and Taylor will tour together with their original band mates: guitarist Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar, drummer Russ Kunkel, and bassist Lee Sklar, famous in their own right as The Section.
“When James and I first played together in the early seventies, we connected immediately, both musically and personally, with an effortless, comfortable familiarity,” says Carole King. “After we reunited in 2007 with Danny Kortchmar, Lee Sklar, and Russ Kunkel, the original band from our early Troubadour shows, none of us wanted the fun to stop. We can’t wait to bring our Troubadour Reunion tour to Australia.”
“This tour, our Troubadour Reunion, has been waiting to happen for a long time and the years seem to have vanished, where does the time go?” asks Taylor. “When we reunited for the Troubadour’s 50th Anniversary celebration, it felt like yesterday. It was and still is all about the music and the songs that we get to perform together.”
James Taylor and Carole King Tour Dates
03/14/10 Sun Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA
03/27/10 Sat Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, AU
03/31/10 Wed Brisbane Entertainment Centre Brisbane, AU
04/03/10 Sat Hope Estate Winery Hunter Valley, AU
04/06/10 Tue Sydney Entertainment Centre Sydney, AU
04/10/10 Sat Vector Arena Auckland, NZ
04/14/10 Wed Budokan Hall Tokyo, JP
04/16/10 Fri Budokan Hall Tokyo, JP
Carole King performed with James Taylor at the Troubadour in November 1970. This historic show marked King’s debut as a solo artist after penning 22 Top 40 hits for artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to The Monkees, while Taylor was supporting his self-titled Apple Records release featuring classics such as “Carolina In My Mind” and “Something In The Way She Moves.” Both have since become multi-platinum-selling artists, Grammy winners, and members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In 1971, King gave us the landmark Tapestry. The album received a Diamond Award from the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million units in the U.S., with more than 25 million units sold worldwide. King was the first woman to win four Grammy Awards in one year (Best Album, Best Song, Best Record, and Best Vocal Performance in 1972), a feat unsurpassed for more than 25 years, and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1973. In 1987, King and Gerry Goffin were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award in 1988. Goffin and King were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and were honored by The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2004 with the Grammy Trustees’ Award. To date, more than 400 Carole King compositions have been recorded by more than 1000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles – many reaching #1. She is arguably the most successful and revered female songwriters in pop music history. Carole King has released 25 solo albums, the most recent being The Living Room Tour double-live CD on her own Rockingale Records label. The companion DVD, entitled Welcome to My Living Room, is now available.
Over the course of his career, James Taylor has sold more than 40 million albums, and won more than 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards as well as five Grammy Awards. Taylor’s first Greatest Hits album also earned him the RIAA’s elite Diamond Award. In 2000, Taylor was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences named Taylor its MUSICARES Person of the Year. Taylor’s 2007 CD/DVD One Man Band was nominated for an Emmy and his most recent album, Covers, was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2008. He most recently released Other Covers in April 2009.
Them Crooked Vultures: Stream Entire Debut Album
THEM CROOKED VULTURES FULL ALBUM STREAMING NOW ON YOUTUBE, ALBUM OUT NOVEMBER 17
Them Crooked Vultures |
In response to the leak of Them Crooked Vultures‘ self-titled, debut album, the band has made the unprecedented decision to stream the record in its entirety, beginning with first track “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I.”
Them Crooked Vultures is due out November 17 in the United States and Canada on DGC/Interscope Records and can be pre-ordered here. Its release has been preceded by first single “New Fang,” currently streaming on MySpace, and “Mind Eraser, No Chaser,” now available as a free iTunes download.
Them Crooked Vultures recently announced its first ever shows in California and the Pacific Northwest (listed below). The dates expand an itinerary that already includes a December tour of the UK and Europe, and January dates in Australia and New Zealand.
Them Crooked Vultures Tour Dates
11/17/09 Tue The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA
11/19/09 Thu Fox Theater Oakland, CA
11/21/09 Sat Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA
11/22/09 Sun Roseland Theater Portland, OR
12/06/09 Sun Zenith Munich, GER
12/07/09 Mon Columbiahalle Berlin, GER
12/08/09 Tue Palladium Cologne, GER
12/10/09 Thu Plymouth Pavilion Plymouth, GB
12/11/09 Fri Portsmouth Guildhall Portsmouth, GB
12/13/09 Sun Empress Ballroom Blackpool, GB
12/14/09 Mon Birmingham Academy Birmingham, GB
12/15/09 Tue Edinburgh Academy Edinburgh, GB
12/17/09 Thu Hammersmith Apollo London, GB
12/18/09 Fri Hammersmith Apollo London, GB
01/19/10 Tue Challenge Stadium Perth, AU
01/22/10 Fri Festival Hall Melbourne, AU
01/25/10 Mon River Stage Brisbane, AU
01/26/10 Tue Hordern Pavilion Sydney, AU
01/29/10 Fri TSB Arena Wellington, NZ
01/30/10 Sat Vector Arena Auckland, NZ
02/06/10 Sat Austin City Limits TV Show Austin, TX
Stream Them Crooked Vultures here.
Pre-order the album here.
“Mind Eraser, No Chaser” available on iTunes here.
Pakistan plans NZ series in UAE next month: report
Pearl Jam Add Dates
Ben Harper and Relentless7 to Open All Dates Except Philadelphia Shows
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Pearl Jam recently announced that they will add five additional shows to their previously announced North American tour. The band is now scheduled to perform in Vancouver, BC, Portland, OR and Salt Lake City, UT. The band will also add two additional dates to their run as the last band to perform at Philadelphia’s historic Wachovia Spectrum before it is demolished. Pearl Jam’s tour is support of their ninth studio album, Backspacer. Scheduled for release on Sunday, September 20, 2009, the album will be released in the U.S. through the retailer Target, in addition to Pearl Jam’s own Ten Club and independent retailers, as well as iTunes. Internationally, the album will be available beginning on September 21, 2009 via Universal/Island Records. The first single, “The Fixer,” was released through radio on July 20, 2009. On August 24, the track will be available as a 7-inch white vinyl at Ten Club, independent music retailers and select Target stores. “The Fixer” will also be available for purchase digitally on the same date.
Ben Harper and Relentless7 will open all dates except for the Philadelphia shows. Public tickets for Pearl Jam’s added Philadelphia Spectrum shows will go on-sale Friday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m. EST through ComcastTIX at comcasttix.com, in person at the Wachovia Complex box office and at www.livenation.com. Public tickets for the Portland and Vancouver shows will also go on-sale Friday, August 14 at 10:00 am PDT through ticketmaster.com. The remaining newly announced North American dates will go on-sale Saturday, August 15th through ticketmaster.com.
Tour Dates:
08/11/09 Tue Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, GB
08/13/09 Thu Ahoy Hall Rotterdam, NL
08/15/09 Sat Wulheide Berlin, GER
08/17/09 Mon Manchester Evening News Arena (MEN) Manchester, GB
08/18/09 Tue O2 Arena London, GB
08/21/09 Fri Molson Amphitheatre Toronto, ON
08/23/09 Sun United Center Chicago, IL
08/24/09 Mon United Center Chicago, IL
08/28/09 Fri Outside Lands Festival San Francisco, CA
09/21/09 Mon Key Arena Seattle, WA
09/22/09 Tue Key Arena Seattle, WA
09/30/09 Wed Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA
10/01/09 Thu Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA
10/04/09 Sun Zilker Park Austin, TX
10/06/09 Tue Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA
10/07/09 Wed Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City, CA
10/09/09 Fri Viejas Arena (Formerly Cox Arena) San Diego, CA
10/27/09 Tue Wachovia Spectrum Philadelphia, PA
10/28/09 Wed Wachovia Spectrum Philadelphia, PA
10/30/09 Fri Wachovia Spectrum Philadelphia, PA
10/31/09 Sat Wachovia Spectrum Philadelphia, PA
11/14/09 Sat Members Equity Stadium Perth, AU
11/17/09 Tue Adelaide Oval Adelaide, AU
11/20/09 Fri Etihad Stadium Melbourne, AU
11/22/09 Sun Sydney Football Stadium Sydney, AU
11/25/09 Wed Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre Brisbane, AU
11/27/09 Fri Mt. Smart Stadium Auckland, NZ
11/29/09 Sun AMI Stadium Christchurch, NZ
Flight of the Conchords: best songs
The second season of Bret and Jemaine’s hapless musical adventures didn’t disappoint – here are the hits we can’t stop humming
“It’s about a couple of deadbeat guys who have got nothing going on …”
Flip! Say it ain’t so! Was last night’s episode really the last-ever outing for Flight of the Conchords? If so, it bowed out on a typically understated high, with Bret and Jemaine funking out on a farm back in New Zealand, shepherds once more, after failing to make it big in Murray’s off-Broadway musical about their life. Before the second series of their lo-fi musical adventures in New York aired, there was talk of second-album syndrome having set in – apparently everything was taking longer to write because they’d used up a lifetime’s worth of material on the first. But now that it’s finished, it doesn’t seem to have really been that much of a problem. It’s been one of the proper joys of recent TV, with Murray, Mel and Dave all given more screen time (even Doug got to shine a little at the end, with his manly harp) and peppered with little details like the NZ tourist board posters in Murray’s embassy office (“It’s not boring in New Zealand”), Lucy “Xena” Lawless’s cameo, Bret’s airbrushed animal jumpers and Jemaine’s forbidden love with an Australian.
Here are five of the best songs from the season. Will you ever be able to listen to Visage again?
Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor: “You guys are dorking on my vibe!”
Sugar Lumps: “The ladies go crazy for my sugar lumps”
Dreams: “I have some cookies for you in my fanny pack!”
Stay Cool: “Bret – cool your jets!”
Fashion Is Danger: “Thatcher. Th-th-th-Thatcher. Jazzercise. Lip gloss.”
Olympic hopeful opens NZ brothel to fund 2012 bid

An Olympic hopeful from New Zealand has opened a brothel in a bid to raise cash for a tilt at taekwondo glory in 2012.
Logan Campbell, 23, competed at Beijing in 2008, but has now opened a 14-room "gentleman’s club" after becoming tired of seeking funding from his parents.
New Zealand decriminalised prostitution six years ago, and brothels are allowed to operate with few restrictions.
But NZ Olympic officials say Campbell’s business venture may count against him when choosing a team for London 2012.
"Selection takes into account not just performance but also the athlete’s ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country," Team NZ funding manager John Schofield told the country’s Sunday Star Times newspaper.
Training schedule
Logan Campbell says he began looking for alternative ways of raising Olympic funding when he realised how difficult it was proving to raise adequate cash to make support his training towards a place at the London Olympics.
"Mum was hesitant but she met the girls, a couple came over to her house and she was sweet as"
Logan Campbell
Competing in Beijing a year ago, Campbell lost to a Taiwanese fighter, Sung Yu-Chi, who eventually won a bronze medal.
Speaking to the Sunday Star Times, Campbell noted that his opponent was the equivalent of a "movie star" in his homeland.
His own costs leading up to Beijing totalled some NZ$150,000 (£58,000), much of it provided by his hard-working parents, Campbell noted.
To take the financial strain from his parents Campbell has gone into partnership with a Hugo Philiips, 20-year-old accountancy graduate, to set up what the pair insist is a "high-class" escort agency.
He hopes to take a couple of years off to work full-time on the new venture, before returning to training in 2011 with a NZ$300,000 Olympic kitty.
NZ PROSTITUTION REFORM ACT- Brothels allowed to operate
- Up to four prostitutes can set up collective as equal partners
- Advertising sale of sex legalised
- Brothels require certificate and registration by court
- Sex work subject to normal employment and health and safety standards
"When people think of a pimp they think of a guy standing around on a street corner with gold chains," he told the Sunday Star Times.
"Pimps are more tough-type guys. I’m an owner of an escort agency."
He accepts that his chosen profession carries with it a certain reputation.
"Mum was hesitant but she met the girls, a couple came over to her house and she was sweet as. She realised they were just normal people supporting their kids and stuff." </p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.




The Dead Weather
Them Crooked Vultures
St. Vincent
King & Taylor by
Passion Pit
Wilco
James Taylor