A puppet show inspired by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ Murder Ballads is just one of the 100 or so shows you can expect to see at next year’s Sydney Festival.

Directed by Scott Wright and performed by visual theatre group Erth, Murder is described as a “world of love, lust and death”. It’ll be making its world premiere at The Reginald Theatre in Chippendale on January 5, before winding up on January 19.

Other music-related highlights of this year’s Sydney Festival program include the previously announced David Byrne and St Vincent shows at The State Theatre; Dirty Projectors at The Concert Hall; Rokia Traoré performing three different shows, each celebrating a separate element of Malian music; Californian cabaret punks Hunx and His Punx; Sharon Van Etten; and Spanish surf legends Los Coronas.

Iconic songwriter Archie Roach will present a “gospel-infused experience” at a one-off State Theatre show on January 25. Dubbed Into The Bloodstream, the performance will feature a 10-piece ensemble and a 10-voice gospel choir.

Sydney Festival Day One will also host the Daptone Super Soul Revue at a free opening night in The Domain on January 5 between 8-11pm, with a lineup boasting Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band, Budos Band and Sugarman 3, with Binky Griptite of The Dap-Kings hosting as MC.

There will also be performances from Nicolas Jaar, Richard Hawley and Dappled Cities. While the “Nuggets” evening at Paradiso – marking the 40th anniversary of Lenny Kaye’s seminal garage rock anthology – with a yet-to-be-confirmed lineup is shaping up to be on the festival’s most exciting events.

Sydney Festival will run from January 5-27, taking place across 30 venues including the Opera House, Seymour Centre, Sydney Theatre and two late night “party hubs” – The Festival Garden in Hyde Park and Paradiso at Town Hall.

Sydney Festival Parramatta also returns in 2013 with a huge program of arts and music, including a free opening night party on January 19. More details here.

Sydney Festival Music Program highlights

Navicula at Manning Bar – January 10
Die Roten Punkte at Carriageworks – January 11-12
David Byrne and St Vincent at State Theatre – January 17-18
Rokia Traoré at City Recital Hall Angel Place – January 20
Dirty Projectors at Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House – January 21
Archie Roach at The State Theatre – January 25

Paradiso at Town Hall

Rokia Traoré – January 18
Picnic Night: Darshan Jesrani and Daniel Wang – January 19
Kashmere Stage Band – January 20
So Frenchy So Chic: Melanie Pain – January 21
Dappled Cities – January 22
Nicolas Jaar – January 23
Osaka Monaurail – January 24
Nuggets: Antipodean Interpolations – January 25
Future Classic Night: Lindstrøm – January 26
Richard Hawley – January 27

Festival Garden

Sharon Van Etten – January 6, 8, 9
Los Coronas – January 11-12
Lianne La Havas – January 18-19
Norman Blake & Joe Pernice – January 20-25
yMusic – January 22-23
Perfume Genius – January 26-27

Late In The Garden

Hot Dub Time Machine – January 12, 19, 26
Hunx and His Punx – January 17
Darkside – January 24
Kraftwerk’s Computer World, performed by Nite Jewel & Peanut Butter Wolf – January 27

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