We continue the occasional series wherein Winston expounds on things that currently make him happy. This week it's gigs, gigs, gigs. That's three gigs in all, and a couple of extras, just because. Country gigs and blues gigs – blow the cobwebs off that ole Stetson and saddle up…

129) Are you ready for the country? It seems fitting to have a country gig at the Te Puna Memorial Hall. Te Puna's still kinda a country place. And the hall – soon to be 'relocated” – is kinda a country hall, just like the old days.
Into the East play at Tauranga Art Gallery this month.

And it's a busy wee hall; there seem to be more than a few shows coming up there over summer.

The first one, and it should be good, in next Wednesday, January 21, and features a duo I enjoyed immensely last time I heard them. They are Legal Tender, who are Ian Campbell and Moira Howard from down Wellington way. I caught them when they came to town as part of the ‘Tales of Tennessee' show with Hamilton County Bluegrass Band fiddler Colleen Trenwith and Hot Club Sandwicher Andrew London. It was a lively night.

They play a mix of alternative country/folk covers and their own songs and have toured all over. The covers are from people such as Guy Clark, Hank Williams, Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss –which is certainly OK with me – and they're bringing a couple of extra Kapiti Coast musicians with them, Carylann Martin on accordion and keyboard, and Ross McDermott on lap steel, banjo and guitar.

The Hall is on the crossroads in Te Puna, next to the garage. The show is at 7pm. You can contact organiser Rosie on redruth@vodafone.co.nz to book a specific seat or you can just rock up and pay at the door. It's $20 either way.

130) How blue can you get? Internationally renowned Papamoa bluesman Mike Garner and Wellington harmonica maestro Neil Billington played a series of dates in Tokyo last year and are heading over to Japan again in June for a five-city tour.

In the meantime they're rehearsing and playing a couple of shows in Tauranga. First up, they've been added to the bill at the Papamoa Summertime Blues Festival next weekend on Saturday, January 24.

This looks like a whole bunch of fun! Taking place at the newly revitalised Papamoa Tavern, things kick off at 3pm with B-Side Band, followed by Kokomo and then the mighty Brilleaux, also preparing for an overseas tour in June, taking their brand of maximum rhythm & blues to the UK for a second time. Mike and Neil will play in the middle somewhere.

Things will go on till about 10pm, a veritable feast of bluesy summer music. Tickets are $25, available via Eventfinder or from the Papamoa Tavern, and you can find more details at Taurangamusic.com.

Mike and Neil are actually playing a full band show on the Friday, but it's over in Hamilton at the Nivara Lounge. But, closer to home, on the Sunday, January 25, they're doing the Sonny and Brownie thing as a duo at Brew Bar on the Strand from 4pm till 7pm. Free entry.

As a blues fan I can't recommend them more highly. Mike is a terrific singer, guitarist and songwriter and Neil is a simply extraordinary harmonica player, as good as anyone I've heard in New Zealand and, unusually, equally adept on chromatic harp as blues harp. Check them out.

131) Going back to the country... The Art Gallery has a couple of award-winners on the way. Into the East arrive on Thursday, January 29. The duo, Liv McBride and Graeme Woller, were crowned 2014 National Country Music Duo of the Year and nominated for the 2014 Taite Music Prize as well as 2014 Best NZ Folk Album. I haven't heard them live, but you don't get that level of kudos by accident!

Coming all the way from Invercargill, one review described them as 'Fairport Convention taking Neil Young's music apart and building something new with the bones of Sheryl Crow”. That certainly sounds interesting to me. They kick off at 7.30pm and cost $25. Tickets from the gallery.

They kick off at 7.30pm and cost $25. Tickets from the Gallery.