Ah, January, what a cruel mistress it will be. Our already shrivelled hopes for the odd early night during summer have been dealt another blow, with the announcement of All Tomorrow’s Parties sideshows. Curator Nick Cave has cast the net wide for the festival’s Australian debut, and a selection of his finest bookings are set to play intimate venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

A trailblazer in free jazz and blues, James – œBlood’ Ulmer is well deserving of his own shows. He’ll perform in solo mode at Sydney’s The Basement and The Gershwin Room in Melbourne. At the other end of the spectrum, electronic noisemakers Fuck Buttons will team up with shoegaze three-piece Dead Meadows and Japan’s Afrirampo in all three states. There are also small-scale headline shows from The Swans frontman-turned solo performer Michael Gira and the mighty Harmonia; formed by original members of Kraftwerk and Cluster.

All Tomorrow’s Parties sideshows go on sale Friday 5 December.

James – œBlood’ Ulmer
Thursday 8 January – Melbourne, The Gershwin Room (at The Espy)
Tuesday 13 – Sydney, The Basement

Michael Gira
Monday 12 January – Melbourne, The Toff In Town
Wed 14 – Brisbane, Visy Theatre
Thursday 15 – Sydney, The Basement

Harmonia
Monday 12 January – Melbourne, East Brunswick Club
Tuesday 13 – Brisbane, Powerhouse Visy Theatre
Friday 16 – Sydney, The Basement

Fuck Buttons, Dead Meadows, Afrirampo
Wednesday 14 January – Melbourne, Corner Hotel
Thursday 15 – Sydney, Oxford Arts Factory
Friday 16 – Brisbane, Powerhouse Theatre