Our guide of where to go, what to see and what to do this weekend.
With Oklahoma City Thunder on the verge of making the NBA Grand Finals, Steven Adams is the name on everyone's lips. Photo: AFP/Getty
NBA Conference Finals: Could Steven Adams be the next New Zealander to earn an NBA Championship ring? Adams and his Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from a Finals showdown with either LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers or the Toronto Raptors. The championship contenders will be decided over the next five days - probably sooner. Forget catching up on Game Of Thrones this weekend, this is where the action is. Check out the schedule here.
Africa Fashion Festival: Pinaman Owusu-Banahene founded this festival out of her own stylish pocket. From glasses made out of recycled wood to traditional bags crafted by local Ghanaians, the types of businesses she has hooked up with are all extremely community-minded. Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the event are being donated to a school in Accra, Ghana. Festivities start at 6.30pm, at the James Smith Building in Wellington. If that sounds like your bag, book tickets here.
Pinaman Owusu-Banahene wearing clothes created by designers who will be showcased at her upcoming Africa Fashion Festival. Photo: Supplied
French For Rabbits & Fraser Ross: Gentle vocal melodies and the strums of folky guitars are sure to carry through a clutch of South Island towns this weekend as these Home Alone label mates embark on the second leg of their autumn tour. You can see them tonight at Grainstore Gallery in Oamaru, tomorrow at Wunderbar in Lyttelton and on Saturday at East Street Cafe in Nelson.
Blind Man Death Stare: If you like your guitars crunchy, singalongs in the breakdown and choruses that end in a “wooh, oh, oh!”, then this is the Melbourne punk band (currently touring New Zealand) for you. Blind Man Death Stare play Auckland’s Kings Arms tonight, Wellington’s Newtown Bowling Club tomorrow and Short Blast To Oblivion festival in Christchurch on Saturday. Tickets available here.
Tihei Harawira: Known for his freestyle performances at the Otara Markets, where he turns whatever subject passersby give him into a rap, Harawira is finishing off the release tour for the album Tihei Life with both under-age and R18 shows at the Boileroom in Whakatane tomorrow.
For more about Tihei Harawira and his inspiring back story, check out this video from the Loading Docs project:
Tihei from Loading Docs on Vimeo.
Margins Auckland Launch Party: There’s a new local house and techno label on the rise. After hitting Wellington last weekend, the Margins crew are bringing their sounds from the electronic underground to Auckland on Saturday, taking over the Whammy Backroom 'til the early hours. The party is a celebration of the label's inaugural release MA.C001, which features the likes of k2k, Leo G Clark, DJ Kush Boogie, Fly Nights and Norma. Ticket info here.