PUBLIC ENEMY PREPARES TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR FIRST IN WORLD'S MOST EASTERLY CITY.

Rappers PUBLIC ENEMY, rockers FRANZ FERDINAND and THE KOOKS, and DJ CARL COX will help residents of the world's most easterly city welcome 2009 before anyone else on Earth. Gisborne, New Zealand sits right on the international dateline and is the first city to welcome the sun each day. And it will be the first place to celebrate the New Year - a full 13 hours before London, 18 hours before New York and 21 before Los Angeles.

The city is the site of the Rhythm & Vines festival which starts on 29 December (08), running through to 1 January (09). The two British bands kick off the event on Monday (29Dec08) with performances, before Public Enemy takes the stage on 30 December (08). But Brit DJ Cox will have the honour of performing the first gig anywhere in the world in 2009 - by taking to the turntables 15 minutes after midnight on 1 January (09).

We're hoping Flava Flav has set his clock right. That is 18 hours ahead of Toronto.