BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Beck's Festival Bar is back in 2008 with one of the biggest and best line-ups in its history. For 15 nights, Hyde Park Barracks will be pulsating with the sounds of electro, breaks, house, reggae, dancehall indie, hip-hop, soul and Baile funk from leading-edge local acts and international artists.
SAMSUNG MOBILE FESTIVAL GARDEN Free children's performances in the morning, early evening concerts, the sensational La Clique and late night extravaganzas - it's all happening at the Samsung Mobile Festival Garden.
THE DOMAIN SERIES The Domain Series has become synonymous with Sydney in full summer festival mode. This year, Sydney Festival brings you two huge outdoor musical celebrations that will get your toes tapping.
THE FESTIVAL IN PARRAMATTA Jazz from Finland, salsa beats from New York and a huge installation in Prince Alfred Park - just some of the sights and sounds to look out for in Parramatta in this year's Festival.
A SECRET IN THE SHAPE OF A SONG For the first time in Australia, the five remaining members of The Triffids and a select group of friends will celebrate the music and memory of David McComb.
AMP FIDDLER AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Get your groove on for keyboardist, singer, songwriter and producer, Amp Fiddler's singular fusion of Sly Stone-style funk, discofied soul and hot-stepping 20s-era jazz.
BABYLON CIRCUS AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Babylon Circus, French blenders of ska-punk, chanson, funk, afro-beat, dancehall reggae and Eastern European folk, rouse the Bar with their multi-lingual antics and big-top energy.
BJÖRK One of music's most wildly imaginative and exuberant performers performing her highly acclaimed new show in one of the world's most beautiful concert settings.
BRIAN WILSON • LIVE IN CONCERT Brian and his incredible ten-piece band will pump out classic Beach Boys hits like Good Vibrations, God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice. Brian will also preview songs from his forthcoming album.
BRIAN WILSON • PET SOUNDS Universally hailed as one of the most important recordings of all time, Brian Wilson will perform his seminal composition Pet Sounds in its entirety, also including some of his other well-known hits.
CANNOT BUY MY SOUL • THE SONGS OF KEV CARMODY Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, Tex Perkins, Clare Bowditch and many more come together to celebrate a powerful, versatile and utterly original Australian talent.
CARIBOU AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Caribou presents a jubilant electro mix of caucophanous psychedelic pop and yearning melodies. Caribou is joined by Mountains in the Sky, Jamie Lloyd, DJs Matt Levinson, Somatik.
CHROMEO AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Montreal-based Chromeo are an electro-funk duo delivering tales of urban romance and memorable hooks with synth basslines and drum machine wizardry à la Cameo and Prince.
DE LA SOUL & PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Grammy winning hip hop masters, De La Soul show us their skilful wordplay and innovative sampling plus LA's underground hip hop heavies People Under the Stairs play their fun-loving, crowd-hyping live show.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT Festival First Night on Saturday January 5 is an opening night party to which absolutely everyone is invited. It's a mass celebration kicking off three weeks of music, dance, theatre, art and more. Festival First Night is the night to put your dancing shoes on and enjoy the best that Sydney Festival has to offer - for FREE.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • ANGEL PLACE Inspired by recent discussions about making creative use of Sydney's laneways, this Festival First Night precinct will bring the Angel Place laneways alive with cutting edge beats from Uber Lingua Sound System and finely honed visuals from around the planet.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • HYDE PARK For Festival First Night, Hyde Park will be dedicated to the 1930s, '40s and '50s, giving all of Sydney a chance to dress up and show off their dance moves to the sultry sounds of Pink Martini and more. A huge dance floor will be built around the Archibald Fountain and the Park festooned with coloured lights.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • KIDS FIRST Festival First Night commences with a range of activities for children and their families. Children are invited to participate in one of the largest origami projects ever seen in this city and make a wish for Sydney for 2008. There will also be music from Morganics, Maja Jupiter, Jade MacRae and more.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • MACQUARIE STREET During Festival First Night, the Macquarie Street stage features Spanish Harlem Orchestra, a powerhouse 13-member band directed by Oscar Hernandez plus wedding celebrations for three special Sydney couples.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • MARTIN PLACE Sydney's outdoor party specialists Fuzzy are coming to the party in a big way, having curated an unforgettable music program for Festival First Night's Martin Place stage with UK breaks duo Plump DJs, the superb Ajax, electro-funk act Chromeo and young hot-shot Ember.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • PHILLIP STREET Sydney's party specialists Fuzzy rock Festival First Night's Phillip Street stage with ferocious performances from the likes of Spank Rock, Funktrust, Lost Valentinos and Kato.
FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT • THE DOMAIN Paul Kelly, will perform some of his best-loved songs in the Domain. Then, the Festival First Night finale will be led by Brian Wilson, the main creative force behind the Beach Boys and hits including God Only Knows, Fun Fun Fun and Good Vibrations.
FOURPLAY Fourplay pluck, strum and tap their way through a mix of originals and imaginative covers in decidedly non-classical style, exploring improvisation, folktronica, post-rock, dub and drum and bass.
HOUSE OF THE HOLY AFRO An audacious fusion of the urban and traditional, of gospel and house, of slam poetry and Afro-pop into an explosive night of driving rhythms, soaring harmonies and outlandishly irreverent kitsch.
IIRO RANTALA NEW TRIO Incorporating fast, complex rhythms, startlingly original music and three distinctive musical voices, Iiro Rantala New Trio is jazz at it's exhilarating, adventurous best.
JAZZ DIVAS • VIRNA SANZONE LILY DIOR TINA HARROD Experience the electrifying soul-drenched vocals of Tina Harrod, Virna Sanzone's cool blend of bluesy standards, gospel and soul and the elegant delights of Lily Dior's smooth, nuanced jazz.
JAZZ IN THE DOMAIN • EL BARRIO Sponsored by The Daily Telegraph and GIO. The Spanish Harlem Orchestra and legendary pianist, arranger and producer Oscar Hernandez pay tribute to the original sound of New York old school salsa dura.
JOANNA NEWSOM WITH THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY Joanna Newsom performs her astonishing symphonic album Ys, weaving nuanced, gothic tales and her ethereal melodic harp over expansive orchestrations performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
KIMMO POHJONEN Experience the dynamic, sound-light installation of Pohjonen's live show, combining extreme compositions with live loops and effects and an animated stage performance with a definitely punk/sci-fi aesthetic.
KLUB KOORI AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Klub Koori, Sydney's club for the deadliest Indigenous sounds featuring LA artist Busdriver who shakes things up with his unique, alt-hip hop, jazzy free-association rap and surreal narratives.
KORA AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR New Zealand five-piece Kora dish out fresh and funky dub, rock and reggae with a distinctively Pacific flavour. They are joined by Dexter and Grrilla Step, Aloe Blacc (US), Budspells, Cookin' on 3 Burners and Dynamite Sounds.
KRAFTY KUTS AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR DJ/producer Krafty Kuts delivers serious breaks with jaw-dropping skills for a dance-floor experience of explosive breaks and body-driving anthems. Joined by Percussion Junction (live), Rephrase (live), James Taylor and Edseven.
LATE AT THE GARDEN Visit Late at the Garden and keep the Festival party going well into the night with artists including The Shuffle Club, Doch, Waiting for Guinness, Cookin' on 3 Burners, Watussi and The Crusty Suitcase Band.
MAD RACKET AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR One of electronic music's most influential Detroit house producers, Moodymann's uncompromising selections encompass house, jazz, techno, movie samples, disco and the deepest classic soul.
MARTIN CRAFT Martin Craft works a quiet magic with his softly sophisticated indie-folk. Hushed intimate vocals and velvety guitars seduce over sparkling melodies.
MICE PARADE Indie flavoured rock with warm acoustics, intricate percussion and folk and world influences. Mice Parade blend song, melody and rhythmic exploration.
MURUNDAK A historic event that celebrates music as an instrument of identity, resistance and resilience and a call to freedom, performed by The Black Arm Band.
OPERATOR PLEASE & GIRL TALK - FBI 94.5FM NIGHT AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Operator Please bring their high energy show to the Bar - think raw and dirty electro-pop and vocals mashed up with exuberant guitar licks, warm and fuzzy pop and ragingly energetic ballads. Gameboy/Gamegirl and Girl Talk also comes to the party with dirty electro and pop mash-ups.
PINK MARTINI Take an exotic musical journey with Pink Martini's lush and passionate blend of Latin, lounge, classical and jazz into an urbane, sophisticated and diverse musical travelogue.
SOUNDS FROM JAMDOWN AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR A celebration of the vibrant music culture of Jamaica from the ska of the '60s and the roots reggae of the '70s to the dancehall and dub of today. Feat. Bunny Rugs (Jamaica), Lady Saw (Jamaica), DJs Gaz Mayall (UK) and Firehouse Crew.
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA A night of infectious Latin music delivered with the irresistible energy and infectious El Barrio style of Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
SPANK ROCK - FBi 94.5FM NIGHT AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR With a ferociously fun live show honed during touring with Beck and M.I.A., Baltimore-based Spank Rock are a lewd, rude, high b.p.m. call to the dance floor.
SUFJAN STEVENS An American songwriter with a penchant for storytelling, Sufjan Stevens mixes autobiography, religious fantasy, and regional history to create folk songs of epic proportions.
SYMPHONY IN THE DOMAIN • SPELLBOUND A flowing, hypnotic odyssey sweeping from the romance of Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream to Stravinsky's wild and exotic ballet The Firebird.
THE NATIONAL AND CLOGS Dark-tinged indie rockers, The National bring the depth of composed music to the irreverence of pop while Clogs intimate and rousing musical dreamscapes are a heady mix of slow-burning rhythms and swirling, delirious melodies.
TUNNG Tunng's distinctive, electronica-infused folk sound is characterised by percussive hailstorms, mysterious vocal samples, plaintive lyrics, acoustic guitars and the occasional injection of electronica.
UBER BRAZIL AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Featuring high-octane percussion and vocals, Monobloco will have you jumping with their joyous cocktail of Carioca - Rio's native sound, samba, funk and pop.
URBAN LATINO AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR Son Veneno bring their multicultural mélange to the Bar for a night of captivating global beats. They are joined by Gonzalo Porta (Uruguay), Mystro (UK), Maya Jupiter, Carlos Velazquez, Reyes de la Onda, DJs Dwight 'Chocolate' Escobar and more.
WARP - FUTURE MUSIC AT BECK'S FESTIVAL BAR We pay homage to pioneering UK label Warp, the flagship of electronic music. To celebrate, virtuosic U.S. rockers Battles bring their ramping, bionic beats and Andy Weatherall takes the decks.
