Category Archives: Bluesfest

Live Review : Bluesfest 2019 – Day 1

By Wanda Hill

Bluesfest Day 1 – 18 April 2019
www.bluesfest.com.au

If you are wondering why people keep coming back to Bluesfest year after year for 30 years, it’s because there is always new and exciting music to discover here. Whether it be seeing an artist for the first time that you have never heard of that has actually been around for decades and is really famous somewhere else, or having the opportunity to see recently emerged artists from right here on your doorstep. Day 1 brought the Bluesfest crowd a taste of what is hot in Australia right now with Dallas Woods, Baker Boy and Ocean Alley all on the menu.
Continue reading Live Review : Bluesfest 2019 – Day 1 →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Review, Wanda Hill

Bluesfest 2019 – 2nd Artist Announcement – 19 Artists Added!

19 Artists Added for Bluesfest’s 30th Anniversary Celebration

With 189 days to go until we swing open the gates to the beautiful Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm just outside Byron Bay, we have our second artist announcement for our 30th Anniversary Celebration, taking place over the Easter long weekend (Thursday 18th April to Monday 22nd April 2019). Bluesfest has captured the hearts of music lovers at home and abroad and we can as always, expect some of the best musical acts in the world to touch down on Australian soil for what will definitely be, one to remember!

Continue reading Bluesfest 2019 – 2nd Artist Announcement – 19 Artists Added! →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, news, tour

Gomez – Australian headline shows announced for 2018 (Bluesfest Touring)


Bluesfest Touring welcomes Gomez back to Australia for their first tour in 6 years and the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album ‘Bring It On’ that featured the hits “78 Stone Wobble” and “Get Myself Arrested”. With so much to celebrate their Perth, Sydney and Melbourne sideshows are not to be missed. The group stood apart from other bands in the Brit-Pop era in their attitude and sound. Typical of this was the comment from the panel of judges for the Mercury Music Prize who described the album as “an intriguing blend of swamp blues, bar-room rock and eerie power.”
Continue reading Gomez – Australian headline shows announced for 2018 (Bluesfest Touring) →

Bluesfest, news, Perth, Sydney, tour

Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 (Wrap up – Part 1)

All photos (except Patti Smith) – Photo credit : Ant Ritz
Patti Smith – Photo credit : Nathan David Kelly

Beth Hart at Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 Photographer: Ant Ritz
Beth Hart at Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017
Photographer: Ant Ritz

Continue reading Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 (Wrap up – Part 1) →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Photos

Photo Gallery : The Record Company + Little Georgia at Northcote Social Club, Melbourne – 20 April 2017

Photographer: Peter Coates
The Record Company at Northcote Social Club, Melbourne - 20 Apri
Continue reading Photo Gallery : The Record Company + Little Georgia at Northcote Social Club, Melbourne – 20 April 2017 →

Bluesfest, Melbourne, Peter Coates, Photos

Photo Gallery : St. Paul and The Broken Bones at 170 Russell, Melbourne – 20 April 2017

Photographer: Peter Coates
St. Paul and The Broken Bones at 170 Russell, Melbourne - 20 April 2017 Photographer: Peter Coates

Continue reading Photo Gallery : St. Paul and The Broken Bones at 170 Russell, Melbourne – 20 April 2017 →

Bluesfest, Melbourne, Peter Coates, Photos

Photo Gallery : Zac Brown Band + Pierce Brothers at Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne – 19 April 2017

Photographer: Peter Coates
Zac Brown Band at Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne - 19 April 2017 Photographer: Peter Coates
Continue reading Photo Gallery : Zac Brown Band + Pierce Brothers at Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne – 19 April 2017 →

Bluesfest, Melbourne, Peter Coates, Photos

Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Five

Review by Wanda Hill
Photos by Stuart Blythe
Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 - Day Five Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Five consecutive days in the sunshine was a rare treat for Bluesfest regulars who have endured years of mud to listen to the incredible artists invited to perform at this world class festival. Day five felt very relaxed as the big crowds had thinned and lining up for a bite to eat or something to drink seemed almost instant in comparison to previous days. Weary stall holders still served customers with smiles and delicious concoctions but understandably they were looking forward to the event drawing to a close.
Continue reading Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Five →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Photos, Review, Stuart Blythe, Wanda Hill

Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Four

Review by Wanda Hill
Photos by Stuart Blythe + Ant Ritz
Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 - Day Four Photographer: Stuart Blythe
Everybody loves Santana. I hope the other bands with a 7.30pm time slot had an audience because it felt like the entire festival population was trying to get as close as possible to Carlos Santana and the incredible line up of singers and musicians on tour with him at the moment. It is amazing what we can put up with if the music is sooo brilliant that being pushed, crushed and having a variety of drinks spilled on you is all taken with good nature and shared understanding of I just need to be as close as possible to this magnificence.
Continue reading Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Four →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Photos, Review, Stuart Blythe, Tony Mouritz, Wanda Hill

Live Review : Santana + The Doobie Brothers at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – 13 April 2017

Review and photos by Peter Coates
Santana at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney - 13 April 2017 Photographer: Peter Coates
Santana have made it over to Australia for Bluesfest, and have arranged an arena tour around their weekend headline show at the festival – and brought The Doobie Brothers along to open the night with a generally familiar set of songs – not all of the greatest hits, but a decent selection of them.
Continue reading Live Review : Santana + The Doobie Brothers at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – 13 April 2017 →

Bluesfest, Live Review, Peter Coates, Review, Sydney

Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Three

Review by Wanda Hill
Photos by Stuart Blythe + Ant Ritz

Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 - Day Three Photographer: Stuart Blythe
One of the great things about Bluesfest is that the musicians who travel a long way from around the globe to get here have a brilliant time and enjoy the opportunity to see acts they have never seen, and to meet and collaborate with artists that inspire them. Backstage they are treated to unique Byron/Bluesfest hospitality and have a chance to learn about Australia’s Indigenous peoples through magnificent artworks placed throughout the greenroom. Being such a friendly festival it is not unusual to see guest artists out in the crowd enjoying the atmosphere.
Continue reading Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Three →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Photos, Review, Stuart Blythe, Tony Mouritz, Wendy Robinson

Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Two

Review by Wanda Hill
Photos by Stuart Blythe + Ant Ritz
Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 - Day Two Photographer: Stuart Blythe
The festival site was cranking with a huge crowd enjoying everything the festival has to offer. Moving from A to B involved weaving in and out of human traffic going in every direction and careful navigation through seas of chairs arranged to take advantage of screens outside the main tents. Colourfully adding to this complexity were a series of roving street acts including stilt walkers who amazingly manage to move forward with grace amidst the whirl of chaos beneath them.
Continue reading Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day Two →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Photos, Review, Stuart Blythe, Wanda Hill

Photo Gallery : Santana + The Doobie Brothers at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – 13 April 2017

Photographer: Peter Coates
Santana at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney - 13 April 2017 Photographer: Peter Coates
Continue reading Photo Gallery : Santana + The Doobie Brothers at Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney – 13 April 2017 →

Bluesfest, Peter Coates, Photos, Sydney

Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day One

Review by Wanda Hill
Photos by Stuart Blythe
Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 - Day One Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Recent major flooding of the Northern Rivers area is barely perceptible at the Bluesfest site, with only a small puddle here and there as a giveaway. Instead, the site is flooded with musicians from around the globe bringing the world of music and culture to our doorstep. As always the lineup is a mix of old and new talent, attracting a broad cross-section of society, of all ages, to the festival.
Continue reading Live Review + Photo Gallery : Bluesfest Byron Bay 2017 – Day One →

Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Live Review, Photos, Review, Stuart Blythe, Wanda Hill