Tag Archives: Michael Franti & Spearhead

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 – Day Three, Featuring: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Indigo Girls, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band and Grace Barbe Afro Kreol – Live Review

By: Pepa Wolfe

Blues Fest 2011 – Day Three, Featuring: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Indigo Girls, Tim Robbins & The Rogues Gallery Band and Grace Barbe Afro Kreol.

On day three, the Original Sinners were once again at the Jambalaya tent, running through the same set to an equally rapt audience. The afternoon also saw Melbourne’s The Red Eyes dubbin’ it at the Juke Joint, Bluesfest veteran Jeff Lang gracing the main stage and Trombone Shorty jammin’ at the Crossroads with Gospel legend Mavis Staples.

Celebrated actor and director turned musician Tim Robbins, touring Australia on the back of his debut CD with the Rogues Gallery Band, brought a mixture of blues, country and a dash of sing-a-long to the Jambalaya tent on Saturday. Robbins, on guitar and vocals, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, rumbling through Folsom Prison Blues before festival superstar and all-round maestro Trombone Shorty joined the Rogues for “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep”. A change of tempo and “Crush On You”, inspired by the young victim of a hate crime, demonstrated a simple approach, buoyed by beautiful instrumentation, as was a gorgeous, measured cover of Tom Waits’ “All The World Is Green”. Featuring the sweet wail and wallow of a musical saw over vocal harmonies, it was easily the high point of their set.
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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
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Music Legends, Movie Stars and Generosity of Spirit – Bluesfest 2011

By: Pepa Wolfe

  A mammoth six-day festival, hosting what many consider the best line-up to date, Bluesfest 2011 had it all. From bright sunny days to the traditional rain and mud, from international legends of music like B.B. King and Bob Dylan to the local sounds of Byron Ukulele band The Blackbirds, it was a celebration of community, culture, diversity and most of all, of music.

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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!

Grace Jones – the one and only – powers into Bluesfest 2011 mega lineup!

Ladies and Gents, the one and only superstar singer Grace Jones has today been added to the enormous bill for Bluesfest 2011 taking place in Byron Bay from Thursday April 21 through to Monday April 25, 2011.

Bluesfest music lovers – be warned, Grace Jones is going to pick you up, hold you tightly in the fist of her hand, and give you one hell of a ride! Bluesfest is very proud to unveil Grace Jones as a major new artist announcement who performs on the main stage on Friday night April 22, 2011.

A Grace Jones performance is not just a concert; it’s a MUST-SEE unique happening you’d be crazy to miss! A special event that’s part musical tour de force, part runway fashion show, and part theatrical drama full of outrageous extravagance. In fact, her appearance at the 2009 Sydney Festival is still being talked about!
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Bluesfest 2011 consolidates supersonic line up with class 2nd artist announcement!

The Soul, the Funk and the Blues pumping up anticipation for 22nd Bluesfest happiness

Bluesfest from Byron Bay, Australia’s favourite counter-culture, family-orientated, artistically diverse music festival, today unveiled its SECOND artist announcement – and what an array it is of classic and contemporary blues, soul, funk, reggae and much more!

Tickets are on sale for Bluesfest, the 2010 Australian Event of the Year, and are selling very fast. The festival dates next year over Easter are from Thursday April 21 through to Monday April 25, 2011.
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Bluesfest 2011 unveils joy and wonderment with signature super 1st artist announcement!


Has the Australian Event of the Year just initiated the music Lineup of the Year?

November 04th 2010 – Bluesfest from Byron Bay, Australia‟s favourite counter-culture, family-orientated, ethnically and artistically diverse music festival, has today announced a whopper of a signature first artist announcement – and it’s the first of many! Tickets are on sale now for Bluesfest – which just won the Australian Event of the Year for Bluesfest 2010 – and festival dates next year over Easter are from Thursday April 21 through to Monday April 25, 2011.

Once again, Bluesfest 2011 offers its passionate fans a very tasty – almost holy – array of simply the best local and international blues and roots music with its renowned blend of multi-genre, multi-demographic and multi-generational sounds.

Let’s get the party started! The first Bluesfest announcement for 2011 includes:

  Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Cat Empire, Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Aaron Neville, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Fistful of Mercy, Mavis Staples, Xavier Rudd, Trinity Roots, Kate Miller-Heidke, Washington,

Little Bushman, Tony Joe White, Indigo Girls, Eric Bibb, Ash Grunwald, Ruthie Foster, C.W. Stoneking, Jeff Lang, Saltwater Band, and RocKwiz Live.
Continue reading Bluesfest 2011 unveils joy and wonderment with signature super 1st artist announcement!