Unlock the doors and pull the curtains wide – it’s Southbound season again. Western Australia’s very own Music, Camping and Arts Festival returns (insert bombastic trumpets here) in the second weekend of January 2010 with the penultimate rollcall of rockin’ lasses, lads, louts and larrikins in what will prove an historic weekend for Southbound.

May we introduce the graduating class for 2010: let’s start with our most outstanding pupils of rock, Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And over in the lab, that’s our electronic wunderkind Moby. He’s probably doing some experiment on Hilltop Hoods.

Meet Grizzly Bear – don’t be fooled by the name; they won’t bite. See, they are sharing notes with Xavier Rudd. You may have noticed our Mexican friends Rodrigo Y Gabriella – they are very popular amongst the other students. Editors on the other hand are a little more moody – but clearly one of the brightest of the bunch.

There’s our little clan of Aussie genius – Temper Trap, Sarah Blasko, Midnight Juggernauts and Little Birdy. Don’t they make you proud? And over there, glued to the comic books, that’s Major Lazer (Sound System). Seasick Steve is one of the oldest boys in the class, but he’s just a big kid really. And Emiliana Torrini – well, she’s just adorable.

Here are two of our visiting American rock scholars, White Rabbits and Chairlift. They are rather talented folk. As is Art vs Science – top of the French class in fact. That’s drama favourite Yves Klein Blue playing glam-rock dress ups. And there’s the captain of the debating team, Urthboy, getting all-philosophical with Liam Finn.

Now, in the 2010 class photograph from left to right we have: Andrew Bird, Lisa Mitchell, Lyrics Born, The View, Future Of The Left, Kaki King, Patrick Watson, King Khan & The Shrines, DJ Yoda and Philadelphia Grand Jury. Handsome bunch aren’t they?

So there you go – you’ve met the graduating Southbound class of 2010. Well…half of it anyway. There are still plenty more outstanding pupils we’ll be introducing you to in the weeks ahead. School’s out!