Satirist and former Mozart fellow at the University of Otago Robbie Ellis is up first.
This time last year, Ellis was becoming a minor New Zealand YouTube celebrity for his comical mash-up of Lorde's lyrics to Royals over the music for Dave Dobbyn's classic piece of national treasure Loyal, and then swiftly doing the inverse.
Expect a similar wit and willingness to challenge and parody local personalities when Ellis performs next Wednesday at 1pm.
Auckland songwriter Anthonie Tonnon, an artist for whom the 2000s were a particularly formative time, will perform on Thursday.
Tackling modernity from his 20-nothing vantage point, Toonon is either crafting dry, insightful tales of his experience moonlighting with New Zealand's middle class and Ponsonby drug dealers, or crooning about failed relationships, Government loans, and dumpster diving in his part-Morrissey, part-Jarvis Cocker awkwardness.
A poignant and intelligent performer, Tonnon might just be the voice of a generation who are too narcissistic to even notice they had one.
LUCKLESS AND ROOTLESS
Melodic and neurotic indie rock band Luckless perform tonight at Taste Merchants.
Leaving behind her hometown of Auckland in 2012, songwriter Ivy Rossiter spent most of the following year travelling and playing music.
The dislocation and alienation of being rootless played into the group's strong new album, Vindication Blues, out now on Touch Piece Records.
Luckless will be joined by the Violet-Ohs, as they ready themselves for their first show outside Dunedin, at Christchurch's darkroom (again with Luckless) in a week's time.
GERM OF AN IDEA
To celebrate the release of their debut studio album, Auckland foursome Ha the Unclear (formerly Brown) are heading out on a New Zealand tour, stopping in their former hometown of Dunedin next week.
Called Bacterium, Look at Your Motor Go, the album collects some favourites from the group's old moniker, alongside some new cleverly mundane and disarming tales from songwriter Michael Cathro.
Recorded by Oil Wilson (The Chills) and Mike Holland, it's a notable shift in production for the band, taking them from unvarnished bedroom pop to lush '60s-infatuated backing vocals and alt-pop crispness.
In support are Invercargill shoeblazers' Shunkan and local songwriting prodigy Kane Strang performing with a full band for only the second time.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Having spent the last year on the United States' West Coast, alt-blues and folk artist Julian Temple and his band are back together to raise funds for a new album and extensive New Zealand summer touring schedule.
The band's last album, Upsidedownbackwards, reached No 7 on the New Zealand charts and in January the Kiwi band played 27 shows across California to promote it.
Be there
• As part of Arts Festival Dunedin St Paul's at One: Robbie Ellis plays on Wednesday, October 15, and Anthonie Tonnon, on Thursday, October 16.
• The Violet-Ohs & Luckless (Auckland), tonight at Taste Merchants, Lower Stuart St, 8pm.
• Ha the Unclear Bacterium, Look at Your Motor Go album release tour with Kane Strang and Shunkan (Invercargill), Friday, October 17, at the Robbie Burns Pub. Doors at 8.30. Presale tickets available from undertheradar.co.nz.
• Julian Temple Band returns with Tiny Pieces of Eight, Friday, October 17, at Plato Cafe, Dunedin (2 Birch St), 9pm start.
