Okkervil River and Austra Announce Perth Festival Sideshows

Beach days and good weather aren't the only thing summer brings. With the return of music festival season, we're getting wind of Australian tour dates from heaps of cool bands. The latest news is from Okkervil River and Austra, who will be appearing at this year's Perth Festival and other sideshows around the country.

Okkervil River

Get ready, folk-rock fans, for a little something to spice up your musical repertoire from Okkervil River. The Texan-indie rockers have released their seventh full-length studio album, and you could hear it live this summer when they make their sixth tour of Australia.

A nostalgic ode to the days of his New Hampshire-spent youth, The Silver Gymnasium is the autobiographical creation of frontman Will Sheff. Since the band members grew up in the 1980s, it's only fitting that the album stays true to the times with lots of pop influences. You probably wouldn't think of '80s pop and southwestern folk rock as a match, but Okkervil River makes it seem completely natural.

Tracks like 'Stay Young' and 'Deep Down the Deep River' could be soundtrack-worthy of cult classics like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles with their catchy tunes and reflective lyrics. You'll find yourself humming along, fondly (or not so) reminded of the glory days of your high school years.

Sydney: 21 February, Oxford Art Factor

Melbourne: 22 February, Corner Hotel

Perth Festival

Tickets available from Handsome Tours.

Austra

The Canadian electro-pop group Austra caused a sensation at the 2012 Laneway Festival, with their exhilarating fusion of riveting vocals and electronic synth. That performance was just from their debut album, and since then they've added two new members and dropped a fantastic follow-up album. 2013's Olympia is the perfect combination of indie rock and new wave.

Katie Stelmanis, the main songwriter, rings a bell of Florence Welch and London Grammar's Hannah Reid with her operatic voice. Her songwriting talents have shone as well in this second album, which is a beautiful collection of lyrically personal tracks. But perhaps its been her ability to expand the band's range of sounds — which encompasses many dimensions of trance, electro and pop — yet stay true to feeling of their first album that have made Austra so successful.

They've recently had a crazy touring schedule, sharing the stage with big-timers such as The xx, Grimes and The Gossip. This summer, Austra will be returning to the country for Perth Festival, and making appearances at sideshows in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Adelaide: 13 Feb, Uni Bar

Sydney: 14 Feb, The Standard

Melbourne: 15 Feb, Corner Hotel

Perth Festival

Tickets available from Handsome Tours