Pavement, widely renowned as one of the most popular and influential indie-rock bands of the nineties, will be returning to Australia as part of their 2010 world tour. The original band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West will play at select cities around Australia and at Golden Plains music festival in Victoria.

Brooklyn, New York darlings Dirty Projectors are perhaps the only band in the world that could attract the praise of everyone from Bjork to The Roots to David Byrne while winning the hearts of music critics the world over. It’s on this wave of praise that Dirty Projectors head to Australia for their inaugural tour in March 2010.

The New Yorker magazine has proclaimed Mountain Goats main man, John Darnielle, “America’s best non-hip-hop lyricist”, whilst Rolling Stone declared him “one of the best songwriters of the ‘00s”. High praise indeed, but also unquestionably deserved praise.

Canadian twins Tegan and Sara return to Australia in May for a national tour, following the release of their new album ‘Sainthood’ (Warner) last year. ‘Sainthood’ was lavished with acclaim from fans and critics a-like, the first single ‘Hell’ gathering radio spins from alternate and commercial radio around the country.

In one of the most exciting collaborations to grace the stage in years, Canadian turntable masters Kid Koala and Dynomite D team up with former Wolfmother crew Chris Ross and Myles Heskett to create a psych/heavy-rock-drenched project The Slew.