Tag Archives: bluesfest

Bluesfest 2011 – Day Five, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, BB & the Blues Shacks, and the Old Spice Boys. – Live Review

by: Pepa Wolfe
Monday was another delightful mix of new discoveries and big names, with a good dose of puppetry and performance art thrown in.

The day saw the some rocking blues with plenty of keys down at the Crossroads tent as German outfit BB & the Blues Shacks charmed the crowd. Physically dynamic and looking sharp, BB and his boys really ramped up the audience participation. It was an onstage/offstage love-in, complete with dancing girls on stilts.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day Five, Featuring: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, BB & the Blues Shacks, and the Old Spice Boys. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day Four, Featuring: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples & Her Band, and The Snowdroppers. – Live Review

It was Easter Sunday, the sun was shining over Bluesfest and the Crossroads tent was gearing up to celebrate with a solid block of gospel, soul and blues, kicked off by the enigmatic, effervescent powerhouse Mavis Staples and Her Band.

This year’s festival boasted an array of music a legends, not least of which was the incomparable Staples, who either solo or together with The Staple Singers has been >performing for over 60 years. Returning to Bluesfest with material from her Grammy Award winning CD You Are Not Alone, Staples is loads of fun. She’s got the moves, she’s got the attitude and that voice – a rich, raw, rip your guts out and make you happy sound that only improves with age.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day Four, Featuring: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Irma Thomas, Mavis Staples & Her Band, and The Snowdroppers. – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – George Clinton & Parliament, Elvis Costello, Grace Jones, Captain Matchbox Woopie Band – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: George Clinton & Parliament, Elvis Costello, Grace Jones, Captain Matchbox Woopie Band
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
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Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Jethro Tull, Leon Russell, Old Spice Boys, Rockwiz, Secret Sisters, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band, Michelle Shocked – Photo Gallery

Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

Review By: Pepa Wolfe
Photos by: Silvana Macarone
Early birds and trivia buffs rocked up to the Jambalaya Tent on Friday to test their skill and perhaps earn a place on the panel of RocKwiz Live. Cracking the proverbial whip and vetting the various hopefuls was producer and co-host of the SBS series Brian Nankervis who after seven years with the show has it down to a fine art. Appearing across four days of the festival, Friday’s first taste had host and improv queen Julia Zemiro in top form, and featured musical guests Tim Rodgers (You Am I), Marcia Hines and Glenn Richards (Augie March), as well as a couple of impressive punters whose extensive music trivia knowledge was bested only by their brazen karaoke efforts, one contestant whipping out a harmonica and riffing with the impeccable RocKwiz Orkestra. A highly entertaining start to the afternoon, Richards, Hines and Rogers blasting Kiss’ I Wanna Rock and Roll All Nite, the icing on the cake.
Continue reading Live Review | Bluesfest 2011 – Day Two, Featuring: Rodrigo y Gabriela, B.B. King, Fistful of Mercy, Jack Thompson & the Original Sinners and RocKwiz Live

Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands.

Despite dismal forecasts, the weather held out for music lovers as they descended onto the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm in Byron Bay, the new site for Australia’s premiere Blues and Roots Music Festival. Now extended to cover six days, campers and eager punters slowly edged their way into the grounds, with staff and volunteers doing their best to ensure that parking, setup and entry was relatively painless. The wet grounds were eclipsed by the buzz of excitement, a busy energy punctuating the usually laidback Byron feel.

Day one really hit its stride with festival favourite Xavier Rudd playing the main stage, the sounds of Let Me Be floating over the fence to greet those still passing through ticketing and security check points; a generous taste of what awaited them inside.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 – Day One, Featuring: ZZ Top, Los Lobos, Funky Meters, CW Stoneking and The Hands. – Live Review

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Photographer: Silvana Macarone

Artists: ZZ Top, Jack Thompson & The Original Sinners, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Fistful Of Mercy, Funky Meters, Grace Jones, The Hands
Event: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011
Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Photo Gallery by Silvana Macarone

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 4 – Photo Gallery

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 4
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Photos from Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3
Artists: Irma Thomas, Washington, The Snowdroppers, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jackson Firebird, Gurrumul,

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Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Photos from Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3
Artists: Mavis Staples, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Imogen Heap, Tim Robbins, Wolfmother, Kasey Chambers, Leah Flanagan, Indigo Girls, The Blackwater Fever
Continue reading Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 3

Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 1

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 1
Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Artists: ZZ Top, Ben Harper, Xavier Rudd
Continue reading Photo Gallery : Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day 1

Transvaal Diamond Syndicate – Devil on My Shoulder [Single and Tour News]

  Brisbane blues-rock/foot-stomp band Transvaal Diamond Syndicate have a Devil on their shoulder. That whisper in their ear that guides their musical career, telling them to work harder, play harder and show the world what they have. It’s come up aces for the fiery, foot-stompin’ crew, scoring two shows at Byron Bay Bluesfest (Thursday and Friday – April 21/22), alongside national and international acts, such as Xavier Rudd, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Bob Dylan and ZZ Top.

They have listened to that little devil and he has told them to put out their new single, “Devil on My Shoulder” – it’s all about those dirty little secrets, those things that you can’t speak about in “polite” company. It’s out April 1 on iTunes and they are playing gigs in Queensland and New South Wales all through April to celebrate.
Devil On My Shoulder by Transvaal Diamond Syndicate
Continue reading Transvaal Diamond Syndicate – Devil on My Shoulder [Single and Tour News]

FINAL artist announcement for Bluesfest 2011’s outstanding lineup of star performers!

March 16th 2011 – Here it is folks, the final artist announcement for Bluesfest 2011. As you can see, we’ve definitely saved some of the best till last with these stellar talented musicians, so if you weren’t excited before, you will be now! Tickets for Thursday 21 and Tuesday 26 April are still available – don’t miss out, the clock is ticking and it’s only a bit over a month until Bluesfest finally kicks off!

The whole lineup has become picture perfectly clear with the official downloadable Bluesfest Playing Schedule now online at www.bluesfest.com.au .

That means you can now make all those big decisions and plan your complete Bluesfest itinerary. Check it out for all artist times and stages – download it, print it out, circle your options – whatever you need to do to make sure your Bluesfest 2011 experience is all set to go in glorious fashion!

Please note that on Tuesday April 26 Bluesfest will open its doors at 11am, music starts at 2pm and finishes at 10pm, allowing everyone to get home in plenty of time for work the next day.
Continue reading FINAL artist announcement for Bluesfest 2011’s outstanding lineup of star performers!

BOB DYLAN touring Australia in April 2011! [Tour News]

Recent acclaim for Bob Dylan:
“A performance filled with gusto, never afraid of restructuring the classics, Dylan succeeded in delivering another stellar live show in his ‘Never Ending Tour’.” – Hot Press live review July 2010

“Dylan’s voice is actually the star.” – New Musical Express (NME)

“The album’s a gas, a riot, a hoot.” (LP Together Through Life) – Uncut Magazine
“His third straight masterwork.” (LP Modern Times) – Rolling Stone – ☆☆☆☆, and ranked #1 album of 2006

Mr Bob Dylan – celebrated poet, artist, singer, writer, actor and radio announcer – will send legions of fans back once more to all those wonderful songs and albums, as he returns after close to four years for a tour taking in Australian capital cities and festival appearances in Byron Bay for Bluesfest and Fremantle for West Coast Blues & Roots.
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Bluesfest Sideshows – Mavis Staples [Tour News]

  VH1 named her as one of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll, and Rolling Stone listed her as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of all time. MAVIS STAPLES is a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, and a National Heritage Fellowship Award recipient. In her 60 year career – from her ground breaking family band – THE STAPLES SINGERS – through her solo career – it is now that her star is shining brightest. With her new album, ‘You Are Not Alone’, this legendary vocalist adds a remarkable new chapter to her historic career, delivering wall-to-wall joy and mixing traditional gospel numbers with two new songs, penned by producer Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame, and including

Continue reading Bluesfest Sideshows – Mavis Staples [Tour News]