Melbourne’s LOVE OF DIAGRAMS (who recently hit their ten year anniversary) will join the tour as the East Coast main support playing Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney. After three critically acclaimed albums, many years of touring the globe sharing stages with some of the worlds greatest bands, LOVE OF DIAGRAMS brings to these three shows, their trademark slice of noisy dream pop – full of energy, beautiful melodies, heavenly guitar swirl, and pop hooks.

Featuring former members of cult bands Shoplifting (Seattle/Kill Rock Stars), Bird Blobs & Sir, Melbourne’s NEW WAR have quietly amassed a loyal audience over the last few years and will no doubt impress Corner Hotel guests as they open proceedings in Melbourne.

While in Brisbane - BLANK REALM - known for their wildly intense live performances, hit the Zoo stage first up. Coming from the fertile Brisbane experimental underground, BLANK REALM have developed into a contagious pop band and one of the local scenes most popular live acts.

UNITY FLOORS fill the final spot on the tour, opening at the Manning Bar in Sydney.  With a vibe that sits somewhere between Robert Foster and Fugazi; with soaring vocals alongside guitar and drums, these two Sydney lads are without doubt ones to watch.

Full details for all shows are here.

Following his much celebrated national tour in January last year around Big Day Out, Manhattan based Andrew W.K. returns with his one-man-party band this May.

Those who witnessed Andrew in solo mode during his 2007 Australian tour, which included an unforgettable performance at Meredith Music Festival, will know that these shows are not to be missed!

After a raucous 2011 Australian tour, including a blistering set at Golden Plains, Wavves are heading back to Australia. They’ll play Groovin’ the Moo and a host of sideshows in all capital cities.

Although they’ve only been in existence since 2008, Wavves have already amassed a very respectable back catalogue in the form of three albums (Wavves, Wavvves and King of the Beach) and 2011′s critically acclaimed Life Sux EP.

Show information and ticketing details for Andrew W.K. here and for Wavves here.

The stunning video for ‘Emmylou’ was released into the world last week, and is the second single from First Aid Kit’s new album which was awarded album of the week on both Triple R and FBi radio this week. A tribute to some of the band’s favorite country musicians – Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, June Carter and Johnny Cash – the song struck a chord with Johnny’s daughter Roseanne Cash, who tweeted “I don’t usually like ‘tribute’ songs but this is beautiful. Heartening that such young girls know the stories.“

Joining EMA will be Melbourne’s Teeth & Tongue, who, with a combination of hypnotic 505 drum-machine beats and slow, bent-out-of-shape guitar lines, weave songs of heartbreak and simmering discontent. Also appearing will be Melbourne’s New War, who released their terrifying, gorgeous and transportive song, Ghostwalking, in September 2011.

With writing now underway for her fourth album (and her second under her own name as she previously released records under the ‘New Buffalo’ moniker), Sally Seltmann intends to record her new solo album in 2012. “I have been working on some new songs for my next solo album, even though I have been really busy playing shows with Seeker Lover Keeper. I love Bon Iver’s music, and can’t wait to play some of my new songs live.”

Vernon’s appreciation of Sally’s work is well documented. In 2009 he named Sally’s New Buffalo album, ‘Somewhere, anywhere.’ as the most important album to him of the last few years. Earlier in 2011 Vernon went on record for Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian Albums, saying “It became the most important album for me for two to three years. It was so complete.”

Sally Seltmann joins Bon Iver for the following dates:
Saturday 3 March – Perth International Arts Festival, Perth
Tuesday 6 March – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Thursday 8 March – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Thursday 15, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 March – The Tivoli, Brisbane

Mountain Man, the deceptively-titled all-girl trio from Vermont offer gimmick-free folk music; nary a banjo in sight, just three extraordinary voices and a sole acoustic guitar.  It’s un-ironic, un-adulterated American folk music that makes for a seriously joyous performance.  Have a look at a video of the band performing ‘Animal Tracks’ from their widely acclaimed debut Made the Harbor (Spunk).

Tickets to both shows are on sale now and more details can be found here.

“He plays everything from deep classics to modern new music trips (at PS1 this summer he dropped Reese & Santonio’s ‘The Sound’ before getting deep on DJ Rashad’s ‘It’s Not Right’) and has a deep appreciation and love for other worldly sounds all filtered thru his brain and back to his hands. He kind of makes his own music using the tools at hand, looping phrases on a CDJ, beatmatching into a vinyl record. No gimmick, just pure experimentation and forward thinking!”

DJBDG with be joined on the night by outer limit DJs Noise In My Head and Bum Creek. No pre-sales for this one so arrive early to avoid disappointment. Only $10 at the door from 9pm.

In other Penny Drop news, Real Estate has just been announced as a late addition to the Golden Plains Sixxx line up, bringing the band to Australia for the first time. The band have been touring their second album, Days, with The Times stating “Timeless is an overused word in music but these songs truly are – 4 stars”.

More details and ticket information for Golden Plains Sixxx can be found here.

Mash-up maestro Girl Talk has clocked up more than a decade of sample-obsessed production and relentless touring across five albums. Channelling the spirit of a house party, live audiences become a mass of sweaty bodies.  After playing 150 shows in one year, Girl Talk earned himself the reputation as the ultimate party starter.

“His seamlessly mixed set grabbed the entirety of popular music by the neck and shoved its tongue down its throat.” – LA Times, March 2011

“This will go down as one of the parties of the year… Girl Talk bring[s] an incredibly danceable mix of music from a wide range of eras and genres.” – Fasterlouder, January 2010

Don’t miss the Girl Talk antics. Tickets to Sydney and Melbourne shows are on sale at Noon on Monday 28 November.

Already announced for her debut Australian appearances around Laneway Festival 2012, EMA will now also perform sideshows in Melbourne and Sydney, opening for London’s Yuck.

Set to present tracks from her fearless debut album Past Life Martyred Saints, this is a chance to see first hand why her live show, with it’s raw emotion and powerful delivery, has been receiving international accolades.

Switching between four-track grunge, trashy dance beats and damaged girl-group ballads, EMA sounds like all the car radio hits of the past fifty years absorbed and sweated out through pores of distortion and feedback.

Don’t miss her intimate performances in early February as she appears with Yuck in Melbourne on Friday 3 February and in Sydney on Thursday 9 February.