Winston Watusi Music Plus

December eh? December has arrived and with it, the countdown to Christmas.

It goes like that. October, November – nothing happening, Christmas is months away. December – Christmas is NOW, time to panic and count the days.

But let us remain calm and carry on since the river of live shows I mentioned last week is about to burst its banks and become a raging torrent. To illustrate this, here's the flood of gigs about to occur in a single weekend...

I think we might start at the Jam Factory again, if only because the three shows there offer a perfect example of exactly how varied the music in that lovely little venue is.

I occasionally run into people who've never been to the Jam Factory. If that's you, you're missing out. Have a peek at pictures of the venue and imagine seeing a performer in a space so cool and intimate, and with great acoustics to boot. We're lucky to have it.

Let's begin on Friday, December 9, with the most obscure show. Billed as 'Grains & Oddish Summer Sprouts” I had a hard time finding out much about these bands, who are indeed called Oddish and Grains, both from Wellington. After some dedicated investigative journalism I was able to confirm their self-descriptions as actually pretty accurate. They're also pretty fun.

'Oddish intend to provide an evening of mystical melodies and endearing rhythms. Drawing from their love of psychedelic rock, ambient electronica, classical minimalism, the instrumental three-piece transfix their audience, pulling them along wordless tales of whimsy.”

They have two instrumental EPs online, mostly guitar-led and mid-tempo and as enjoyable as that blurb suggests. Warning: don't look for them on YouTube or you will be confronted by hundreds of results for a Pokemon of the same name...

Grains

Grains is also a largely instrumental band though a little more dance-floor oriented, as you'd expect from their genesis as an ambient-synth-dance duo. They are now five and also have very enjoyable EPs on Bandcamp.

They say: 'Technicolour spaces of synth-pad sequences (Peregrin Hyde), dreamy guitar licks (Jed Prickett) and ethereal throat singing (Fredd Marshall) give way to rising cosmic crescendos driven by punchy sub-bass (Calum Turner) and ecstatic, rising rhythms (Jared Reynolds).” And, again, that's not inaccurate. The gig starts 7pm, and costs $15.

The following nights locals take the stage. Saturday, December 10, it's singer/songwriter Jahvis Stantiall, who describes himself on Bandcamp as a 'Bedroom artist” (I assume he's referring to his music-making there). He has a poppy EP online called ‘Jahvis' Bedroom Beats' (again, probably a musical reference...). Gig starts 7pm, cost: $10.

Sunday afternoon brings the debut live show from John Michaelz and The Black Brothers Band. The four-piece reggae outfit has been releasing EPs all year and is promising a night of old-school reggae. You can find their grooves on the usual online platforms. Starts 3pm, cost: $20.

Totara St

Over at Totara Street, Friday, December 9, brings a feast of funky beats. Electro Funk is a mash up of funk house, minimum deep techno and homegrown funk-infused beats, and the night features Laughton Kora (the L in L.A.B.), Issac Tucker, now in the UK as part of supergroup Spektrum, and a warm-up from house duo Jimmi Fresh & KAURI. Get your dancing shoes on! Starts 8pm, for $38.50.

The following night, December 10, Totara Street has one of the several Eagles tribute shows currently crossing the country. This one's a Kiwi one. Time 8pm, for 25.

Also that night, for free, Mike Garner and Robbie Laven play old-style blues at The Barrel Room from 7pm. And space for one more: One Sunday, December 11, it's the Entertainers Club's final bash for the year, a party with The Tim Armstrong Band at the Tauranga Citz Club.

Tim is about the hardest-working musician in New Zealand I reckon, still playing hundreds of times a year. He knows 1000 songs and has played with pretty much everybody since his days with top Hamilton band The Politicians in the eighties. His band also features Nigel Sanderson and Don McClumpha. And, with Tim currently providing keyboards for funk pioneers Collision, he has invited Collision's sax maestro Hirra Morgan to guest for the night. Starts 5pm, for $20.