Weekly Round Up: Friday 1st May

Wow, it's May Day already!! How time flies...  The final week of April brought with it quite a mixed bag of tour announcements. Legendary Australian musician Mick Harvey is heading over with his band The Intoxicated Men for four dates at the end of the month. Also jumping the ditch is electronic duo Hermitude for two shows in July with Young Tapz. Beat architect TOKiMONSTA is making her way over from Los Angeles for two performances in July. Instrumental post-rock group This Will Destroy You from Texas is teaming up with likeminded Australian musicians sleepmakeswaves for two double-header gigs in June. Also in June, NYC rapper RA The Rugged Man will be tearing things up in Auckland and Wellington. And in terms of homegrown talent, Cairo Knife Fight announced a three-date tour this month to support the release of new album The Colossus. Antagonist A.D. also have a new album coming out that will be marked with three shows on home turf. And PHF announced a string of shows to celebrate the recent release of Grind State.

Things were a bit quieter on the release front. We were pleased to hear a couple of new tracks from Marylanders Future Islands from a new 7-inch, however there is apparently an album not too far away. Gothic songstress Chelsea Wolfe, who is based in sunny California, shared dark new single 'Iron Moon' from her upcoming fourth album Abyss that is due out early August via Sargeant House. Also from The Golden State, noise-rock foursome Health unveiled a video for 'New Coke', the first taste from their forthcoming album Death Magic. Closer to home, retail-core group Markdown let loose a brand new 7-inch packed with delicious artwork, punchy tracks and bearing the title Boneman. And Wellington synth duo Gamer put out four-track EP Old Money, which is available on the unusual format of Minidisc.

This week's Caught Live is Florence And The Machine performing a hair-raising version of 'What Kind Of Man' on Jools Holland, all while Welch is sporting a broken foot acquired at Coachella...

WEEKEND GIG PICKS:

Friday

Auckland: Silicon - Neck Of The Woods
Auckland: AAAP Benefit Show with Vietnam War and More - Whammy
Wellington: Suffocation and Decapitated - Bodega
Wellington: Slughugger, Fantails, Awkward Death and More - Valhalla
Christchurch: Princess Chelsea Album Release Tour - Darkroom
Dunedin: Hannah In The Wars Album Release Tour - Taste Merchants

Saturday

Auckland: PHF with Roidz and Cheats - Absolutely Trashed
Auckland: Heavy with Randa and Badcrop - Ellen Melville Hall
Wellington: Princess Chelsea Album Release Tour - Moon
Wellington: Emergence Presents Keepsakes - Valhalla
Christchurch: Ulterior Motive - Dux Live
Dunedin: Yumi Zouma and Doprah - Chicks Hotel

NEW TRACKS: