December is rapidly running out of weeks and I’m running out of columns.

Two more in fact, then we pull the shutters at The Weekend Sun until January 9 and retire to sip daiquiris by a convenient pool.

Next week I’ll look at highlights from this rough and tumble year. This week let’s check out January. There’s a lot on and – who knows, maybe concert tickets will make a good Christmas present?

Fits the groove

First, since I’ve been looking at new releases, here’s one more. Let me preface this by saying I have no knowledge of the Punjabi music scene, but a new hip-hop song, ‘All Eyes Down’ by Tauranga’s Dharampreet Sharma, under the musical name SP P4NDIT, is getting a lot of attention on YouTube and Indian radio.

The video is pretty slick stuff, as SP, looking cool and natty, saunters around flash parts of Auckland’s CBD and a couple of beaches. It’s well put together, smoothly edited, and fits the groove.

As to the song, my Punjabi is non-existent but a helpful and generally reliable friend tells me it’s a “bragging” rap, emphasising SP P4NDIT’s status, swagger, fearlessness, and more: a personal story mixed with bravado, hints of struggle, and rising from tough circumstances. Hip-hop has repeatedly been there before, but perhaps not in Punjabi – this could be something big.

Gigs 

Okay. Gigs. All the news recently has been of cancelled festivals. The dollar being worth less than belly-fluff may be great for farmers but it makes overseas musical acts unaffordable. Nonetheless, there’s still much to enjoy.

The biggest show is at the Wharepai Domain, December 27. L.A.B., Stan Walker, Aaradhna, Corrella, Te Wehi, and a day of soulful reggae-tinged sunshine. Fun fact: Corrella was formed in 2017 by members of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Two – Ngawaiwera and Pipiwharauroa Campbell  – are siblings raised in Tauranga;  and Stan Walker,their cousin, lived next door growing up.

At Totara Street January highlights include Summer Thieves partying it up on January 3 with support from Mirage, and the return of hi-energy Aussie blues-rockers 19-Twenty on Janaury 18.

Meanwhile, on January 10 at the Jam Factory it’s Summertime Blues 2 as NZ’s most successful ex-pat blues guitarist Paul Garner returns home for Christmas. London-based Garner plays festivals across Britain and Europe, and is currently a European guitarist for Mud Morganfield, son of Muddy Waters. Yes, the Muddy Waters.

Paul Garner. Photo / Supplied

Garner is joined by Tim Julian, piano, Jeff Baker, drums, Grant Willis, bass, Robbie Lavën, sax, and Joanne Melbourne, vocals. And of course his dad, bluesman Mike Garner. Last year this sold out straight away.

Two more 

Two more at the Jam Factory: Sam Bartells, who veers between alt-country and hard rock, is doing a duo gig on January 17. And the night before, January 16, there’s contemporary Nordic roots music, brought to life through violin, saxophones, flutes and bass clarinet by Mia Marine, Jonas Simonson and Hanna Wiskari. It’ll certainly be a learning experience for me. I know less about Nordic roots music than Punjabi rap.

Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: