Spare Room Be our guest…

By Kirk MacGibbon

OK, so this could be interesting. For the first time since, perhaps, Muldoon, we could be witnessing the early stages of the emergence of a finance minister with the essential combination of political nous, financial smarts (not an oxymoron) and rampant self-belief…

In 1984 it was the starving people of famine-ridden Ethiopia who needed Bob Geldof’s help; now it’s the world’s financial community needing our help.

The Datsuns, playing Shadows Bar, University of Auckland, next Thursday

This week… Che Fu is in Whangarei tonight, Collapsing Cities and the Naked and Famous play the Kings Arms, The Bats are touring their new album, plus there are gigs by the Mountain Goats, Luger Boa, The Bronx, Holy Fuck… and Billy Joel takes on all comers at the Vector Arena… Click through for listings…

Today’s Choice Links: Conchords lip-synch competition; Facelifts for the dead; Misfired text; Garth George reaps what he sows; The Avenging Unicorn playset; A guide to becoming “lovelier after 40″; How condoms are made…

Today’s Choice Links: Oh, oh, oh a new Hotel for the “openminded”; Tricia Walsh’s music vid; Strange Credit Crunch angles; Wheel of Failure; Teaser for new season of Flight of the Conchords; A brilliant French animation about joining the army…