Australia is better known for its share of pouched marsupials and koalas than its supply of blues musicians. Until now. The musician that will put Australia on the music map is none other than Dave Hole.

Hole has been playing for the better part of 20 years, and it wasn’t until 1993 that America got to hear this Australian slide guitarist. And now Iowa gets to experience his unique slide style at Connie’s Lounge in Des Moines Sunday, July 23. The bluesman is touring to support his third album on Alligator records, Working Overtime.

Hole has been playing slide guitar for eight years and has gained quite a following for that style.

“I enjoy playing both ways,” Hole said, referring to both his slide and regular playing methods. “It became one of those monsters that took over.”

Most slide players have one style. They play “under the neck” or normal, with a slide on their pinky finger. Hole puts a twist on that style.

“I play from over the top of the neck. I put the slide on my index finger,” Hole said. “I’m kind of playing an upside-down style.”

Let’s paint a clearer picture: “The reason I play that way is because I broke my pinky playing Aussie Rules Football [rugby to Americans] coincidentally as I was learning to play the slide,” Hole said. “I put the slide on my index finger, and it got so comfortable it stuck. It’s one of those little accidents that happen that dictates style,” Hole said.

It’s safe to say Hole has given up sports for awhile. “I’m not that great of a sportsman; that’s probably why it happened,” Hole said.

Now that Hole has recently embarked on a United States tour, he’s looking forward to sharing his talents with the masses. “We were here about 18 months ago for nine weeks; this time we’re here for eight weeks,” Hole said. “We had a ball; I loved it. It was a lot of fun.”

Before exporting his product to America, Hole was quite familiar with touring in Australia, or at least the Perth area. “I didn’t tour much outside of Perth,” Hole said. “Ninety-five percent was done around there; the other five percent done still mainly in western Australia.”

Playing blues for an Australian crowd is different than playing for an American one, Hole said. “Australia’s a little more rock-oriented,” Hole said. “My biggest difference that I see [in the States] is that audiences have knowledge of where [blues] came from.

“The Aussies get into it and have a good time, but perhaps they don’t know why,” Hole added with a laugh.

This isn’t the first time Hole has set foot in Iowa. “We had a great time [in 1993],” Hole said. “I’m looking forward to going back.”

Hole and company will be looking for an exciting crowd when they hit Connie’s Lounge this Sunday. Tickets are $5. For more information, call 270-0412.