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There's a lot of exciting music to enjoy in 2010, particularly over the summer period. Here are the five shows I'm most looking forward to:

1. Connan Mockasin and An Emerald City, Te Awanga Community Hall, Hawke's Bay, December 29

Connan Mockasin's debut album is forthcoming and the Hawke's Bay- born psychedelic pop-rocker celebrates with a hometown show. Joining Connan is An Emerald City, an Auckland band who moved to Berlin midway through this year. I don't believe it's churlish to say this will be the last great show of 2009.

2. Neko Case, San Francisco Bath House, Wellington, January 20, 21

Last year's visit by Canadian alt- country/power-pop combo The New Pornographers was bittersweet; the band sounded amazing but their regular collaborator, Neko Case, was unable to attend. She was working on a new solo album. Case's country croon has been subverted to suit the indie crowd and with a sold-out Wellington show she has added a second night. Do head along. It will be fabulous.

3. AC/DC, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, January 28 and 30

Also selling out a Wellington show and adding a second date are Australian rock gods AC/DC. It's been well over 15 years since the band's last visit and with a three-chord, four-on-the-floor set of stomping rock classics, this will be one of the best shows of 2010. Easily. Last year's Black Ice was a strong reminder of what AC/DC is all about and the band will be steamrolling through its awesome back-catalogue as well as cherry-picking from the new album.

4. Yo La Tengo, San Francisco Bath House, Wellington, February 9

Formed in 1984, Yo La Tengo is a revered alternative pop act, shifting effortlessly from screeching walls of guitar noise to lullaby-like gentle pop. Inspired in part by some of the sounds that rolled out of Dunedin in the 1980s and 90s, it is a treat to have the American band who have more than a dozen albums to draw from back on our shores. No two live shows from this trio are the same - but it's guaranteed to be electric.

5. The Cribbs, Bodega, Wellington, February 26

Originally a trio of Brit brothers, The Cribbs play tight indie pop with a touch of the retro-rock flavour that keeps the kids interested. Joining the Jarman family is one Johnny Marr. You may remember him from a little indie band known as The Smiths. Reason enough to head along and see the melodies wind around each other and tumble from the stage.

- © Fairfax NZ News