Perhaps my memory's waning, but I can't remember the start of a year with more events happening in the Bay.

Every weekend from New Year onwards has been crammed with concerts, festivals, markets, competitions – pretty much anything you can think of – and it doesn't show any sign of letting up.

It might be just a quirk of dates. We only get to have two long weekends at the beginning of the year occasionally, and since Waitangi Day is helpfully falling on a Friday next week this is one of those years.

Last weekend, of course, we got Monday off to celebrate Australia Day.

Australia Day? Well you wouldn't have really noticed. I watched the TV news last Monday and they neglected to actually mention it.

In a kerfuffle

Then we heard about it when Tony Abbott got in a kerfuffle and accidentally gave Prince Phillip a knighthood. Why the Prince would want to go all the way to Australia to get a knighthood is anybody's guess. Surely he could just pick one up at home? But, largely, Australia Day passed without a single acknowledgement here. It baffles me. New Zealand and Australia are both stuck down in the South Pacific, yet we barely recognise the other's existence.

We listen to virtually no Australian music; they listen to none of ours. We don't show Australian films in our cinemas; they don't show ours (‘Hobbits' excluded).
It's cultural madness that greatly disadvantages New Zealand but no one seems to notice.

Flags on the bridge

On Australia Day the flags on Auckland Harbour Bridge flew at half mast to mark the death of the King of Saudi Arabia, the head of an autocratic, misogynistic brutally repressive regime. Perhaps an Australian flag as a sign of neighbourly respect might have been better?

And, similarly, next weekend our own national celebration will be completely ignored by our closest neighbours.

But, on the bright side, there's a lot happening here – though most of it is because it's a long weekend rather than being specifically Waitangi Day-oriented.

That's aside from He Iwi Kotahim Waitangi Day Whanau Festival 2015, which happens all day on Waitangi Day at Blake Park at the Mount and promises market stalls, food trucks, bouncy castles, face painting, live bands and musicians, and entertainment for the whole family. Details on Eventfinder.

But let's back up. There are interesting small things happening, as well as one Really Big Thing…Let's start on Thursday.

There's a really rather wonderful folk duo coming to the Historic Village on February 5, courtesy of the Tauranga Acoustic Music Club. They are Scottish star Emily Smith and Kiwi multi-instrumentalist Jamie McClennan. I haven't heard them live, though they sound stunning on YouTube, but they do come with so much kudos from the UK that I imagine they are fantastic.

Pile of awards

Singer Emily has won a pile of awards since being named BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician of the Year back in 2002, including Scots Singer of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards, and also plays accordion and piano. Long-time musical partner Jamie accompanies on guitar, fiddle and backing vocals.

Scottish star Emily Smith is in town on February 5, performing at the Historic Village with Kiwi Jamie McClennan.

Things kick off at 7.30pm, entry is $20 (or $15 for club members).

Also starting on Thursday at The Lazy Tramper on Old Kaimai Rd, in case you have no plans for the weekend, is a five-day Tantric Orgasm and Body de-Armouring retreat.

I don't know if it involves music, but anything that helps with that ole body de-armouring (not to mention the tantric orgasms), deserves a mention.
Moving right along...

Drum clinic

On Waitangi Day world-renowned jazz drummer, Les DeMerle (whose CV includes Manhattan Transfer, Harry James and Frank Sinatra), returns to perform a drum clinic at Mauao Performing Arts Centre. Also taking part with Les will be his All Star Jazz Quartet featuring vocalist Bonnie Eisele.

This is a rare opportunity to hear and learn from one of the greats and should inspire every level of musician.

Seriously, he's that good! There's a meet and greet from 1.30pm, the clinic and show are 2pm till 4pm. It costs $15. And, of course, Friday and Saturday is the amazing One Love Festival.

Two days of reggae on the Domain, the biggest concert ever staged there. Tickets $100. If you're going – have fun! If you're not going – remember, there will be congestion.