Bluesfest Byron Bay, Australia’s multi award winning 5 Day Festival, held over the Easter long weekend (17 – 21st of April) at its home, the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, north of Byron Bay, announces another instalment of exceptional artists who will be performing at Bluesfest for the 25th Anniversary Festival.
The latest announcement includes some of the best Australian Folk, Blues, Reggae, Funk, Soul, Groove, Hip-Hop and Dub artists, not to mention some of Australia’s youngest talent who are making waves internationally and a special reunion of a much loved 90’s era Australian band.
The announcement also takes us across the globe to New Orleans, the Netherlands, South Africa, Israel, Italy and Japan with a special collaboration of musicians who inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through their music.
Bluesfest has become one of Australia’s favourite, as well as most successful music festivals and is equally loved for the music but also for its unspoiled atmosphere. Bluesfest is an inspirational Festival loved by all ages, which is reflected by its incredibly diverse line-up of artists heading to Byron Bay this April.
Tickets to the event continue to sell fast, with record breaking 5 day Season Ticket sales reported. 5 day, 3 day and Saturday camping tickets have now sold out. There is still plenty of camping and accommodation available in the area. Check out accommodation options on www.bluesfest.com.au
VIP 5 day VIP 3 day and VIP Friday and Saturday tickets are also no longer available.
Overall Bluesfest is 84% sold out and patrons are urged to lock in their tickets to not miss out.
8TH BLUESFEST ARTIST ANNOUNCEMENT:
Matt Corby
Tim Rogers
Foy Vance – Kim Churchill – Skunkhour
Saskwatch- Dubmarine – Watussi
Tijuana Cartel- Lime Cordiale
Playing for Change
With more to be announced!
Sydney’s Matt Corby grew up steeped in gospel and a love for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Matt Corby’s heartfelt music has made him a household name; ‘Brother’(2011), was nominated for APRA Song of the Year, reached number 3 on the Triple J Hottest 100 and scored Matt three ARIA Award nominations and won ARIA song of the year in 2012. His latest single, ‘Resolution’, is now certified three times platinum, won Song of the Year at the 2013 ARIA Awards and reached number 8 on the Triple J Hottest 100 this year. Matt Corby, who was runner up on the fifth season of Australian Idol, has grown from support slots and talent shows to playing sold at shows on his 11 show ‘Resolution Tour’ late last year including Hordern Pavilion Sydney, Festival Hall Melbourne and other shows in Geelong, Fremantle, Adelaide, Auckland and Wellington.
Tim Rogers, the roguishly charming rock star legend best known as the guitarist, singer, and primary songwriter of the essential Australian rock band You Am I. With a career that is motoring along in its third unique decade – it is with long awaited pleasure that we are welcoming Tim Rogers to our Bluesfest stage for the very first time! Tim Rogers will also be joined on stage by long-time collaborator, Shane O’Mara.
Sydney’s Lime Cordiale is fronted by brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach. The duo have been turning heads in Australia performing to adoring audiences on their recent tour including a sold out headline show at The Standard in Sydney and gigs alongside the likes of The Rubens, The Specials (UK), Ball Park Music and Cosmo Jarvis (UK) to name a few. Lime Cordiale’s new EP Falling Up The Stairs showcases the band’s uniquely Australian sound, featuring quirky lyrics, pop hooks and big brass licks and will see the brothers tour North America and Canada is March this year.
Foy Vance will be making his Bluesfest debut in 2014. The acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter who won the 2013 Northern Ireland Music Prize for his latest album Joy of Nothing (2013) was born in the North Ireland town of Bangor, but his passion for traditional music was born in the southern states of America. He has spent a considerable amount of time on the road, touring with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Michael Kiwanuka, Marcus Foster, Snow Patrol, and Ed Sheeran.
Kim Churchill is no stranger to the Bluesfest stage. He won the Bluesfest Byron Buskers competition in 2009 and since then his intricate fingerpicking percussive beats on the body of the guitar and two-handed tapping intertwined with earthly stomp box, powerful harmonica melodies and soulful voice has made him a Bluesfest favourite year after year. Last time (2013) Kim, who was supporting Billy Bragg in the US, flew to Australia mid-tour to play Bluesfest and due to a delayed flight arrived 30 minutes before showtime, he still managed to give his usual mesmerizing, explosive performance and then went straight on back to the US to re-join Billy Bragg’s tour. This time he has a new album on the way and once again has been chosen to support Billy Bragg on his current 23 date UK and European tour. The future is looking bright for Kim Churchill.
Few Australian bands have crossed as many genres or opened as many doors as Skunkhour who will be reuniting for this special Bluesfest appearance. Forming in Sydney in 1992 and ahead of their time while fiercely proud of Australian’s pub rock heritage, they fused many influences to create a sound and catalogue like no other. Between 1995 and 2000 the band had four songs inducted into the Triple J Hottest 100. Prepare for a nostalgic experience this Bluesfest when Skunkhour take the stage.
Nine-piece soul revivalists Saskwatch blew the crowd away last Bluesfest and will be bringing their Soul and RnB Grooves back to the stage. Their timeless talent, irrefutably fun, undeniably danceable and simply incredible live show will have you wanting to go to every one of their Bluesfest performances. Saskwatch will also be bringing new material (their forthcoming album Nose Dive is set for release April 11th) that is sure to win over new and old fans at Bluesfest.
The second nine-piece on this announcement is the high-powered and high-energy Dubmarine who hail from Brisbane and somehow smash together Dub, Dancehall, Reggae, Drum n Bass, and a little touch of
Rock into a groove that is all their own.
Having sold out countless shows with blustering horns, party-fuelled rhythms and rocking roots bass-lines, Australia’s Watussi are back to do it all over again at Bluesfest’s 25th Anniversary. They have toured the world, including with some of their musical idols including Santana and recorded with New Orleans Blues pianist Jon Cleary. Watussi are back to remind you not to forget!
Tijuana Cartel, one of Australia’s favourite ‘Party Bands’ will be owning the stage once again with their multi-layered grooves mixed with touches of slide and flamenco guitar, trumpet and Afro Cuban percussion with some electronica to get the crowd jumping.
Playing for Change is a movement close to Festival Director, Peter Noble’s heart. The Playing for Change line-up at Bluesfest 2014 will include Grandpa Elliott, a legendary street musician from New Orleans, who sings alongside Clarence Bekker (Netherlands), Titi Tsira (South Africa), Tal Ben Ari “Tula” (Israel), Jason Tamba (Congo), and Mermans Mosengo (Congo). The rhythm section will feature Roberto Luti (Italy) on lead guitar, Papa Orbe Ortiz (Cuba) on the bass, Peter Bunetta (USA) on drums, and on keyboards Keiko Komaki (Japan). Playing for Change is an extraordinary, joyful live experience that will stay with you long after the house lights have come up and the funds raised from the tour will continue to affect people’s lives for years to come. View the project’s video “Stand By Me” which has received 59 million hits and counting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM
Bluesfest artists announced so far:
Jack Johnson • John Mayer • Dave Matthews Band
exclusive Two Incredible Performances
Jeff Beck • Elvis Costello • John Butler Trio
Buddy Guy Two Outstanding Performances • Joss Stone • Erykah Badu • Passenger • Iron & Wine • India.Arie• Aaron Neville • Doobie Brothers• Boz Scaggs • Gregg Allman • Dr John & The Nite Trippers • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Gary Clark Jr • Jimmie Vaughan • Eric Bibb • Steve Earle & The Dukes • Kasey Chambers • Jason Isbell • Gov’t Mule• Morcheeba • Devendra Banhart • Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros • Jake Bugg • Ozomatli • KC & The Sunshine Band • WAR • Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
The Wailers • Sly & Robbie and The Taxi Gang • Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 • Chali 2Na • The James Cotton Blues Band • Booker T. Jones • The Black Sorrows • Devon Allman • Suzanne Vega • Beth Hart • Grace Potter and the Nocturnals • KT Tunstall • Trixie Whitley • Garland Jeffreys • The Charlie Musselwhite Band • Robben Ford • CW Stoneking • Kate Miller-Heidke • Allen Stone • The Soul Rebels • North Mississippi Allstars • The Magic Band • Grandmothers of Invention • Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience • Dyson, Stringer & Cloher • Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes • Nikki Hill • Valerie June • The Beards • Matthew Curry • Joanne Shaw Taylor • Ray Beadle Band • Genevieve Chadwick • The Paladins • Backsliders • Chain • Candye Kane Band • Glenn Cardier and The Sideshow• Nahko & Medicine For The People • Saidah Baba Talibah • The Mojo Webb Band • Daniel Champagne • Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges • Walter Trout • Hat Fitz & Cara • Seth Lakeman • Shaun Kirk • Claude Hay • Marshall OKell and The Pride • Public Opinion Afro Orchestra • Cambodian Space Project • Music Maker Foundation Feat. Pat Wilder, Cool John Ferguson, and Little Freddie King
RocKwiz Live
For more information on the artists announced and playing times visit: www.bluesfest.com.au
All Festival and Camping tickets are on sale through www.bluesfest.com.au or by phoning the office on 02 6685 8310
Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster on www.ticketmaster.com.au