Pitchfork

Attention, wealthy thrill seekers, Northern Hemisphere collegiate types with an extra long winter break, and, heck, Australians: make your way to Sydney in January. Once there, you'll be treated to summer weather and three weeks of the Sydney Festival, which sports a lineup that'll make standing in line to get your passport photo taken well worth your while.

Where to begin with this thing? How about: Brian Wilson doing both Pet Sounds and his new "Lucky Old Sun" thing in their entireties. Sufjan will be there, as will Björk. Joanna Newsom's playing with the Sydney Symphony, Battles and Andy Weatherall are paying respects to Warp Records, De La Soul's doing a show with People Under the Stairs, and the National, Bonde do Role, Low, Andrew Bird, Spank Rock, My Brightest Diamond, Busdriver, Tunng, Clogs, Mice Parade, and Chromeo will make the trek, too.

There's a mess of other stuff going on around the music as well-- films, family fare, and the like-- but with a lineup like that, who's gonna have the time? The festival takes place at various Sydney venues January 5-26.