It seems that last week’s column about Telecom’s broadband service struck a chord around the area. It does appear that I had one thing wrong, however. If you are one of the many people in the Tauranga area who – despite being in the fifth-largest city in New Zealand and having, in Telecom, a “world-class” broadband supplier – cannot receive even the most rudimentary broadband, it seems that our spiffy new MP More...

Telecom. Everyone’s talking about Telecom, so I thought I might add to the debate. Only I’m not interested in their Richard Hammond-approved, generally under-the-weather XT Network. Enough people seem too upset with that gem of modern technology without me contributing to the chorus of criticism. No, what I want to talk about is broadband and, friends, I’m going to need your help here. Okay – so like many of you More...

I’m looking at two CDs on the table in front of me wondering if independent New Zealand music is on the way out again. Both are really good albums in their own fields; one may possibly be available from Tracs on Devonport Road. Other than that, if you want to buy them you have to email someone and arrange to have it posted out to you. The problem, of course, is that there are virtually no shops left selling CDs apart from the Warehouse More...

Hey hey, exciting things are on the horizon. Let me tell you about a couple of local events, about as different from each other as you can imagine. Richard O’Brien, international celebrity and role model for partygoers everywhere, is in town and – for the first time – performing a solo show while he’s here. It should be a treat. He’s doing it at Mills Reef on Wednesday, February 24. In case it is in any way More...

It’s deep in the heart of award season and I just made the mistake of watching the Grammies.What a load of tosh. I know it’s a few days old now so hardly worth complaining about, but if you judged the state of music by these awards then things would appear to be going downhill fast. The plane has crashed into the mountainside. Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga – gimme a break. I did notice a few bright spots on an otherwise More...

No.1 The Strand will be rockin’ hard tonight as Rock House Party brings their high energy show to the former bond store. Led by the energetic Graham Clark of Brilleaux, RHP features that excellent guitar-about-town man Mike Kirk, with Tim Julian on keyboards and the powerhouse Brilleaux rhythm section of Brian Franks on bass and Ian Gilpin on drums. Blues Animals' Chris Smart. You can catch Rock House Party from 7.30pm for as little as a $5 cover charge. No. 1 takes a change of More...

This is a big weekend musically, with the Stars Under the Stars shows at Mills Reef and the Marchwood Blues Picnic, but save a little energy for Waitangi day, when a truly international concert is happening. Last week I wrote about Brilleaux, Tauranga’s premier rhythm ‘n blues band. They have just released their new album, Decade, as fine a collection of tough modern R&B as New Zealand has seen this current millennium. Now, More...

Latin American influenced rock and gypsy influenced jazz are the musical treats on offer at No.1 The Strand this week. On Thursday night La Wahira, the Tauranga based rock band that features musicians from Argentine, Uruguay, England and New Zealand, takes centre stage. Led by guitarist and vocalist Santiago Rebagliati, La Wahira plays original rock music of the sort one associates with bands like Pink Floyd, but with Latin percussion and some flamenco style guitar. La Wahira brings a twin More...

Rhythm and blues exponents Brilleaux have already had a busy year – they’ve spent a week at the Nelson Jazz & Blues Festival and played Tauranga’s Blues Brews & BBQs. Now they have a new album out, Decade, both celebrating the band’s first 10 years and in breaking new ground. This is their fifth album in that time and is very much a culmination of the hard work and musical evolution that has taken place since More...

Aaron Bloomfield, the singer at No.1 The Strand this Thursday evening is a busy guy. Quite apart from a full schedule of gigs throughout the summer, Aaron spent the winter entertaining guests on the cruise ship MV Orion and is booked for more cruises this year. He is a regular entertainer at the Tauranga Business Awards and he sang at the Kate Sylvester fashion event in November 2009 to launch the new Peugeot 4007 SUV. Aaron Bloomfield is the entertainer at No.1 on Thursday night. For those More...