Lily Allen: a short way to the top

You don't have to go far to bump into a superstar this summer, writes Iain Shedden

THE Australian summer of rock starts here, or rather at Sydney's Domain, today.

Homebake Festival, the annual parade of the best in local rock and pop talent, is the opening salvo of what is already a crammed music calendar during the next three months or so, with big-name acts from here and overseas being added almost daily to the roster.

The strong Aussie dollar and a general surge in demand for live music means there is a wealth of acts to choose from during the holiday period.

This year's Homebake is a reflection of what a great year it has been for local music. Headlined by Powderfinger, whose new album Golden Rule went straight to No 1 last month, the bill reads like a who's who of indie and mainstream artists who have raised their profile this year. Chief among them is Sydney's Sarah Blasko, whose As Day Follows Night was rightly acclaimed by critics as one of the albums of the year. Other potential highlights include guitar pop trio Philadelphia Grand Jury, veteran pop craftsman Tim Finn and up-and-comer the Middle East.

Parked almost at the end of the summer season is the most anticipated rock tour for years, the homecoming of our most successful and enduring rock 'n' roll export, AC/DC. Not even the band could have predicted that more than six million fans would buy tickets for its Australian tour, which begins at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium.

A walking advertisement for "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", Acca Dacca will be playing material from its award-winning album Black Ice as well as many of the classics from its 35-year career. Those who err towards the heavy rock medium are well served in February, with the Soundwave travelling festival hosting many big names past and present. Beginning in Brisbane on February 20, Soundwave has American giant Jane's Addiction, which had to pull out of its Australian tour earlier this year due to illness, alongside Faith No More, Alexisonfire and Anvil, the 1970s US band whose career was revived by a documentary about it two years ago.

Australia has embraced the festival culture in recent years to such an extent that every weekend between now and Easter there will be one happening somewhere in the country. That's too many to list here, but it's worth mentioning some of those that, like Soundwave, make their way across the country or at least lob in more than one location.

The biggest of these, of course, is the Big Day Out. Now in its 18th year, the BDO has become an Australian rock fixture and pulls almost 300,000 punters to its six shows. Leading the line-up in January is English trio Muse, with able international support from the likes of Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal and Groove Armada. Powderfinger and Eskimo Joe head the local contingent, with Grinspoon, the Temper Trap and Lisa Mitchell adding depth and diversity. It begins in Auckland on January 15 with the first Australian show at Queensland's Gold Coast on January 17.

Also touring Australia, from January 29 in Brisbane, is the Laneway Festival, which has a slightly more indie flavour to it, with pop-rock veterans Echo and the Bunnymen and bright new pop duo Florence and the Machine joined by American songwriter's songwriter Daniel Johnston, making his first visit to Australia.

Blasko is on that bill as well and she doesn't appear to have left much time to go to the beach this summer since she has also put her name down for this year's Sydney Festival, which begins its musical campaign with another American debut performance, this time by soul-gospel legend Al Green, on January 9. Blasko's involvement is as part of the Rogue's Gallery project, bringing together an exotic assortment of performers to sing sea shanties on the forecourt of Sydney Opera House for three nights from January 19. The show is the concept of renowned American producer Hal Willner, who brought his Leonard Cohen tribute Came So Far for Beauty to the festival in 2005.

Willner compiled the successful double CD Rogue's Gallery, which was conceived by actor Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean. The album featured Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Sting and Bono, among others, interpreting the bawdy and the beautiful of seafaring music.

The show has received ecstatic reviews in London, Dublin and New York. Leading the Sydney cast are Marianne Faithfull, actor Tim Robbins and New York Dolls frontman David Johansen, with Blasko, Little Birdy's Katy Steele and Augie March singer Glenn Richards adding a local flavour.

Kora (west African harp) legend Toumani Diabate, revered American jazz trio Medeski, Martin and Wood, and Brooklyn's pop experimentalist outfit Grizzly Bear are just some of the names from one of Sydney Festival's most enticing musical components.

Listing the line-up for the annual Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland is akin to printing the phone book, such are the many names attached to the six-day event, which runs over New Year's from December 27. Paul Dempsey, Angie Hart, John Butler Trio and Don McGlashan are just a few of the contributors who stick out.

Also straddling the New Year's period is Falls Festival in Lorne, Victoria and Tasmania (aka Sunset Sounds in Brisbane). Among the drawcards next year are New York's Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Moby, Wolfmother and Hilltop Hoods.

Antony and the Johnsons, British Sea Power and a tribute to Nina Simone featuring Patti Austin and Diana Reeves are features of Perth International Arts Festival's music program from February 5 to March 1.

Extending into early March, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Jamaica's Skatalites and Calexico from the US are among the top attractions at the 2010 Womadelaide in the beautiful setting of Adelaide's Botanic Park.

Of the stand-alone tours, Keith Urban is doing his biggest yet of Australia, beginning at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena next Saturday, December 12, while Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas begins his solo tour in the Hunter Valley, NSW, on February 13. George Michael returns after a 20-year break for February shows in Perth and Sydney.

Supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, featuring Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and Alain Johannes, begin their Australian debut tour in Perth on January 19.

Those of a gentler disposition may fare better with three of today's finest female jazz-pop performers. Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux and Melody Gardot start their southern sojourn in Perth on February 23.

These are just some selections from hundreds of artists who will grace Australian stages during the summer.

It's a feast of plenty.

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FIVE OF THE BEST

• Al Green: Sydney Festival and touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greats of American soul.
• AC/DC: The song remains largely the same, but what a great and durable song it is.
• Diana Krall: The Canadian singer and pianist makes the difficult sound easy and gets better with each album.
• Powderfinger: Back with a great album, the Brisbane band should maintain .ntsG.their .nteits reputation as festival favourite.ntsG.s.nte with tonight's closing slot at Homebake.
• Rogue's Gallery: The setting, on the forecourt of the Opera House, will only add to what is already a mouth-watering prospect from the likes of Marianne Faithfull and our own Sarah Blasko.