New Zealand might be missing out on next year's Big Day Out, but organisers have cherry-picked five shows from the massive line-up to keep Kiwi fans happy.

Crystal Castles, Band of Horses, Alabama Shakes, Animal Collective and Pretty Lights all join the Red Hot Chili Peppers in confirming they will be including a New Zealand stopover on their BDO trip down under in January.

And just like the Big Day Out, there will be some tough decisions to make, as some of the acts will be playing on the same nights, but in different venues.

Crystal Castles were a stand-out when they last played here at the 2011 BDO. Singer Alice Glass was on crutches with a broken foot, but that didn't stop a ferocious live show that is set to be repeated at Auckland's Studio on January 15.

Meanwhile, down the road at the Powerstation, Alabama Shakes will play on the same night. The Athens Alabama quartet have been tipped as the "next big thing", with 22-year-old Brittany Howard at the microphone delivering a throaty blues howl that has been described as the middle road between Janis Joplin and Jack White.

Folk-country favourites Band of Horses are no strangers to New Zealand - their previous Auckland shows have sold out within minutes and are the stuff of legend.

On the back of the release of their forth album, Mirage Rock, the band will play two New Zealand shows including their first ever visit to Wellington on January 15, plus an Auckland show the night after.

Direct from the BDO Boiler Room, Pretty Lights will the dub step-electro-beats party in Wellington and Auckland a couple of weeks later on January 31 and February 1.  

The Colorado-based producer, Derek Vincent Smith, has given away more than 2.6 million albums for free download to date.

And as already announced, indie darlings Animal Collective will play one show at Auckland's Powerstation on January 14.

In a twist, every ticket bought in the pre-sale period between September 14 - 20, will go into the draw to win tickets to all the other shows, plus flights and tickets to the Sydney Big Day Out.

New Zealand Big Day Out sideshows:

Animal Collective
January 14 - The Powerstation, Auckland             
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Crystal Castles
January 15 - The Studio, Auckland
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz and www.nztix.co.nz

Band of Horses
January 15 - Town Hall, Wellington
Tickets from www.ticketek.co.nz

January 16 - Town Hall, Auckland
Tickets from www.buytickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Alabama Shakes
January 15 - Powerstation, Auckland                     
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Pretty Lights
January 31 - San Francisco Bathhouse, Wellington
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz and www.nztix.co.nz

February 1- The Studio, Auckland                            
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.co.nz  and www.nztix.co.nz

Pre-sale tickets from September 14 - 20.

- © Fairfax NZ News