On the last night of the Chinese New Year celebrations on Sunday February 24 Auckland hosts a gathering of Kiwi-Asian performing artists.

Funky Oriental Beats is a diverse collection of musicians, performance poets, rap artists and spoken word artists. These culture-shapers promise to cross artistic and cultural boundaries to give the audience a night to remember.

Organisers Renee Liang and David Tsai say "it's time to hear the Kiwi-Asian voice". On the last night of the Chinese New Year celebrations on Sunday February 24 Auckland hosts a gathering of Kiwi-Asian performing artists.

Funky Oriental Beats is a diverse collection of musicians, performance poets, rap artists and spoken word artists. These culture-shapers promise to cross artistic and cultural boundaries to give the audience a night to remember.

Organisers Renee Liang and David Tsai say "it's time to hear the Kiwi-Asian voice".Liang and Tsai are local performance artists who have noticed a recent surge of interest in the "Asian voice" - in all facets of arts, culture and design.

"And we believe a unique Kiwi-Asian culture is emerging," says Liang, "made up of all these different people, who whether born in NZ or newly arrived, have great stories to tell." Liang and Tsai say that for the first time, a core group of Kiwi-Asian artists are able to tell these stories.

"There's a critical mass of us now," says Tsai. "And we really want to be heard."

And not just by fellow Asians. Liang and Tsai are both used to mainstream Kiwi audiences - Liang as a performance poet and Tsai as a bilingual rapper who raps in both English and Mandarin.

They speak of bringing together people from all cultural backgrounds to swap experiences and ideas and promise that the artists in FOB (yes, the name is tongue-in-cheek) will inspire by the strength of their performances as well as the audacity of their material.

Headlining the show is visiting Def Jam poet Ishle Yi Park, who has been wowing audiences from Cuba to Auckland with her generous performances of poetry and music. She is supported by local artists Lynette Leong, Ed Mecija, Jamie Banks, Renee Liang and David Tsai, as well as indie rock band Infinite Flying Kick and Japanese VJ Tetsu. DJ Doraemon will be guesting.

What: Funky Asian Beats (FOB):
Spoken word, performance poetry and music by established and emerging Kiwi Asian artists. A multilingual celebration of our identity and culture. Music and verse that will surprise, challenge and inspire, whoever you are.
When:Sunday 24th Feb, 8pm, doors open 7.30 pm, start time 8 pm
Where: Whammy Bar, Basement Level 179 K' Rd, Auckland
Cost: $5 at door

International guest Ishle Yi Park (Korea/USA)

Dubbed the "Queen of Queens", the former poet laureate of New York has blazed a trail of performance poetry and song from Cuba to New Zealand. The New York Times has said she has "the face of an angel and the soul of a rock star". First coming to NZ in 2005 with Def Poetry Jam, she fell in love with the place and even lived in Auckland for a while. Her first book, The Temperature of This Water, has won multiple awards in the USA. Ishle's CD,Work is Love, includes tracks with Korean traditional drums, Spanish guitar, beatboxing, and music produced by Japan's critically acclaimed DJ Honda.

Jamie Banks (NZ/China/Philippines/Spain)

Born in New Plymouth, this self-confessed Banana is also the author of pop psyche books, 'Whatever You Do, Don't Smile' and 'Navigating Love'. He's recently been converted to the art of poetry slamming.

Lynette Leong (Malaysia/HK/NZ)

Lynette Leong was born in Auckland. Her poetry and prose explore ideas about memory, culture and home. She has previously appeared in Blackmail Press and Spectrum 1: An Anthology of Short Stories by New Graduate Writers.

Renee Liang (NZ/HK)

Poet, paediatrician and playwright, Renee has been gaining a reputation for insightful, lyrical writing that challenges the way we see ourselves and others. Her work has been performed at Te Papa and the Aotea Centre, shown on TV, and written all along Queen Street and Ponsonby Rd.

Ed Mecija(Philippines/USA)

Rap and spoken word artist, Ed Mecija, hails from Los Angeles, California. A Filipino-American born and raised in LA and Orange County, he has performed at Green and Da Poetry Lounge. His self-titled EP was released in 2006, receiving airplay worldwide. Ed is currently adjusting to life as an Aucklander.

David Tsai A.K.A DVRDCT (Taiwan/NZ)

Rapping in both English and Mandarin, DVRDCT is a lyrical phenomenon. His bilingual lyrics connect across cultures and deliver a new style of hip hop.

Band - Infinite Flying Kick (HK/Taiwan)

From the early beginnings of jam sessions as friends, through to the recent hell-raising antics on their latest tour of the North Island, the five members of Infinite Flying Kick have been making their own brand of angular, spiritual rock for two years. Each member of the band brings something a little different to the concoction, resulting in a highly original, compelling and refreshing sound, showcased on the band's debut E.P "Checkmate", released November 2006.

Background visuals by VJ Tetsu (Japan)

While working as a graphic designer, Tetsu began working as a VJ using video performance at live gigs. He has collaborated with famous musicians and video artists in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan. Tetsu performs a real-time video mix, improvising to music across many genres. He migrated to Auckland, New Zealand in 2003, and is active in outdoor raves, VJing at private functions and the underground party scene.

Soundscape - DJ Doraemon (Korea).