A new week, new gigs and a new shade of brown for what we once used to call the lawn here at The Watusi Country Club.

These days it's more a swathe of dusty dirt populated only by the intermittent yellow of dandelion flowers, which are obviously the plant equivalent of cockroaches. If there was an unexpected apocalypse I can only assume the resultant world would be populated solely by indestructible cockroaches and dandelions.

It's been a busy week and I realise with vague shame that things are piling up in the ‘must do' column of the whiteboard.

There's the new CD from EmRiver that I mentioned last week, as well as the latest offering from the finest band to emerge from America's Southern States since Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Drive-by Truckers; and then there's jazz.

I've been resoundingly remiss regarding Easter's Jazz Festival. I will spend quite a lot of time on it in the next couple of months but, meanwhile, let me suggest that you browse through the programme on the: www.jazz.org.nz website. The line-up this year contains a plethora of exceedingly worthwhile concerts, a fine balance between populist enjoyment and special interest treats.

But, once again this week I'd like to point you towards some upcoming gigs, looking ahead to next weekend and, specifically, the collision of music occurring next Friday.

OK. Friday, March 6. There are three rock gigs of various heaviness. I'll start on the Tauranga side of the bridge where an Aussie outfit are fetching up at The Jam Factory. They are the Blue Child Collective.

From OZ

These guys are very impressive, and very busy. A grooving five-piece based in Margaret River they blend modern funk with intricate finger-style rhythms and great harmonies, a few horns and thoughtful lyrics, all to great effect.

The band is fronted by Dan White, a multi-instrumentalist and director of The West Australian Guitar Festival.

He has assembled quite a crew. They were nominated for West Australian Music's Best Regional Act 2018 and released their fourth record, Wake Up To The Sound, in November. It's on-line and definitely worth checking out.

They have a documentary – their third and also called The Art Of Sound – out later this year and are working on their fifth album. I love their sound: it should be a great night! (Doors 6.30pm; tickets $20 from Events Pronto.)

Over at the Mount, a band of ex-Mount Maunganui high-fliers return to the Mount Social Club. This is one of a series of free shows leading into the World Surf League Challenger Series this March. And the band are The Leers, who decamped to Auckland a few years back in search of fame and fortune.

The four-piece have recently charted with their latest single Far Away (and very good it is too – again, check on-line) sort of indie rock with vague psychedelic leanings, and spent December recording new songs in Los Angeles. Also performing will be Auckland's Groove Lagoon, new to me but self-described as ‘space funk rock'.

They promise to dive into ‘a sonic swamp of expressive guitar pyrotechnics, pulsing bass and soulful singing'. Why not? Things start at 8pm.

Three locals

And just round the corner, three local bands have managed to secure a slot at Totara Street.

Duo Tryptofunk feature bass player Kingsley Smith and rapper/poet Dhaivat Mehta. They play a sort of funk/rock/rap blend and have released a bucketload of music on-line.

At the opposite extreme numbers-wise Electric Universe have eight members, the latest being Nigel Masters (Boatshed Studio) on Hammond organ.

They also include ‘Mutt' Furness and Baz Mantis on guitars, and Black Rose veterans Jeff Nilson (drums) and Pat Hawkins (bass). Shane Davis (Soundtree Studio) provides the vocals. They play all-original music in a mainstream rock vein.

And third up is Thunderchild, whom I've never heard live but play heavy-riffing hard rock. They are Luke McHardy (vocals/guitar), Lachlan Smith (guitar), Scott Callaghan (drums) and Batz Kell (bass), who are getting a bit of a local following with their energetic live shows.

Doors open 7.30pm; tickets are $15 on Eventfinda or $20 on the door.