Hot tip: Arj Barker

American stand-up comedian Arj Barker appears in Queenstown on September 10, as part of his new regional tour of New Zealand. Photo supplied

Known to millions as Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement's laid-back American pal Dave in the hit HBO series Flight of the Conchords, comedian and actor Arj Barker continues to break out on his own with his first regional tour of New Zealand, which takes in Queenstown on September 10.

Fresh from hosting the New Zealand International Comedy Gala, Barker has appeared on Letterman and Conan O'Brien's chat shows in the United States, as well as starring in his own half-hour Comedy Central special. He featured in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Montreal's Just For Laughs Festival, Amsterdam's English Speaking Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

• Barker embarks on a 13-date national tour, with the final date in the Queenstown Memorial Hall. Tickets are on sale now, through Ticketek, and range between $34.90 and $39.90

TODAY
7pm: Vocalist Vanessa Kelly, with keyboard player Les Richardson, play live for the Friday Jazz Club in Les Alpes. Free.
9pm: Queenstown rock bands Eddie Leaderhead, Mince on Toast and the Fletchaz bring the noise to Revolver. Free.
10pm: Dunedin dub metal roots drum 'n' bass trip-hop band Left or Right play live in Subculture, with support from Tsubliminal. Door sales $10.
10pm: Down and dirty blues outfit the Julian Temple Band rock Dux de Lux. Free.

TOMORROW
10pm: Goddess, an all-female DJ line-up, deliver drum 'n' bass, dubstep, glitch and electro in Subculture. Free entry before midnight.
10pm: The Skitzofrantics play live in Dux de Lux. Free.

SUNDAY
6pm: Covers duo Calico serenades Dux de Lux. Free.

TUESDAY
8.30pm: A newspaper editor (Cary Grant) will do anything to keep his ace reporter ex-wife (Rosalind Russell) from remarrying in His Girl Friday (1940). Howard Hawks directs this snappy screwball comedy, which is presented to Queenstown Film Society members in Dorothy Brown's Cinema, Arrowtown.