Byron Bay Bluesfest

The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay, New South Wales, area since 1990. The festival features a large selection of blues and roots performers from Australia and around the world and is one of the world's leading contemporary music festivals.

Byron Bay Bluesfest
2014 festival from above
GenreBlues, roots
Dates6–10 April 2023
Location(s)Byron Bay, New South Wales
Years active1990–2019, 2022–
Founded byKeven Oxford
Organized byPeter Noble
Websitebluesfest.com.au

The festival was founded by Dan Doeppel and Kevin Oxford in 1990 and is run by Peter Noble who joined Oxford for the 1994 event. It has been held at several locations in and around Byron Bay and is currently held at Tyagarah, 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Byron Bay town. Originally running for four days, it now runs for five days, from Thursday to Monday.

The Boomerang Festival is an event within the festival dedicated to Indigenous Australian performance, art and culture.

Bluesfest 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

The festival began in 1990 at the Arts Factory in Byron Bay as a four-day blues music event over the Easter weekend. It was founded by Dan Doeppel and Kevin Oxford in 1990 and is now run by Peter Noble who joined Oxford for the 1994 event.

Bluesfest director Peter Noble

It has been held at several locations in and around Byron Bay and is currently held at Tyagarah, 11 kilometres drive north of Byron Bay town. It now runs for five days, from Thursday to Monday. From an original crowd of 6,000, it now attracts annual audiences of over 101,000 across the five days. Patrons range from locals to international visitors from a wide age range, including celebrities such as Matt Damon, Jason Momoa and Chris Hemsworth.[1]

In December 2004, Keven Oxford, a director and founder of the event, left the festival and sold his 50% share of the company to a consortium comprising Michael Chugg (managing director of Sydney-based Michael Chugg Entertainment), Daryl Herbert (CEO of Melbourne-based Definitive Events) and Glenn Wheatley (CEO of Melbourne-based Talentworks), who ran the festival with co-founder Peter Noble. Noble bought out the consortium in 2008 and now owns the festival alone.[2] In 2010 Bluesfest moved to its permanent home at the 120-hectare Tyagarah Tea Tree farm.[3]

In 2014, the Boomerang Festival was introduced as part of Bluesfest. This is an event within the festival dedicated to Indigenous Australian performance, art and culture.[4]

2020

Bluesfest 2020 was the first of 31 Bluesfests to be cancelled, due to event restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6]

2021

The 2021 event, scheduled for 1–5 April,[7] was cancelled one day before it was to commence after a COVID-19 case was detected in Byron Bay. A public health order to shut down the music festival was signed by the Minister for Health Brad Hazzard.[8] As of 17 February the festival was still going ahead as the NSW Government had approved its COVID safety plan. It was to have been about half the size of previous Bluesfests, and be fully seated. Only Australian artists were to play.[9] Evelyn Richardson, of live performance industry body Live Performance Australia, estimated the sudden cancellation had caused an A$10 million loss. Eddie Brook of the Cape Byron Distillery said that Bluesfest was worth A$100 million to the local economy.[10]

Another event was arranged for October 2021, but on 17 August it was cancelled.

2022

The 2022 Bluesfest took place on 15–19 April.[11] Around 100,000 people attended the festival.[12]

2023

In November 2022 it was announced that, in addition to the 34th annual Byron Bay Festival being held on 6–10 April 2023, the inaugural Bluesfest Melbourne will take place on 8–9 April.[13] Controversy about the line-up erupted after controversial band Sticky Fingers was included in the line-up. This resulted in Melbourne band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and rapper Sampa the Great withdrawing from the festival in protest.[14][15] Bluesfest director, Peter Noble, defended the decision to include the band stating that the lead singer of Sticky Fingers had apologized for his past actions and called for the artists to stop living in the past.[16] After weeks of backlash, it was announced that Sticky Fingers would no longer be on the lineup.[15] Around 70,000 people attended the Byron Bay festival.[12]

Awards

Summary (Bluesfest)
  • 1 win at the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards Memphis - For Festival Director Peter Noble
  • 8 wins at the NSW Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events (6 Gold, 2 Silver)
  • 6 wins at the North Coast Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events
  • 4 wins at the Helpmann Awards for Best Contemporary Music Festival, Ceremony for Australia's most talented and celebrated performers and industry
  • 6 wins at the Australian Event Awards for Australian Event of the Year
  • 10 nominations at the Pollstar Awards (US) for International Festival of the Year (6 in a row from 2012- incl 2017)
  • 1 nomination at the Pollstar Awards (US) for International Festival of the Decade

Bluesfest Awards
  • 2022 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Award
  • 2019 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2018 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event - Australian Event Awards
  • 2018 Keeping the Blues Alive Award Memphis - For Festival Director Peter Noble
  • 2017 Gold Major Festivals & Events - NSW Tourism Awards (After winning Gold 3rd time in a row Bluesfest entered the NSW Tourism Hall of Fame)
  • 2017 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2016 Gold Major Festival & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2016 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2016 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2016 Order of Australia Medal (OAM), Won by Festival Director, Peter Noble ‘For service to live and recorded music, to tourism, and to the community.’
  • 2015 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2015 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2015 Pan Australasian Festival Of The Year, Canadian Music Week International Festival Awards
  • 2014 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2014 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Australian Event Award
  • 2014 Gold Major Festival & Event, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2014 'The Rolling Stone Award' Won by Festival Director, Peter Noble
  • 2014 Silver Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2013 Silver Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event Australian Event Awards
  • 2013 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2013 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2013 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2013 Best Contemporary Music Festival Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2013 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2012/13 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 2012 Silver Major Festival & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2012 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2011 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 2011 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2011 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
  • 2010 Australian Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards
  • 2010 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 2009 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 200 Grammy Award, ‘Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album’, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience (AIM Records artist)
  • 2008 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 2007 The International A Greener Festival Award
  • 2006 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2005 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 1998 – 2013 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – "Best Australian Festival"
  • 1994 - 96 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – "Best Australian Festival"

Bluesfest nominations
  • 2022 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year
  • 2022 Best Cultural/Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2021 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Decade
  • 2019 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year
  • 2017 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2016 International Music Festival of the Year, 28th Pollstar Awards (2017)
  • 2016 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2015 International Music Festival of the Year, 27th Pollstar Awards (2016)
  • 2015 Best Contemporary Music Festival Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2014 Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
  • 2014 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2014 Best Tourism Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2014 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2014 Best New Event for Boomerang Festival, Australian Event Awards
  • 2013 International Festival of the Year 25th Pollstar Awards (2014)
  • 2013 Best Tourism Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2012 International Festival of the Year 24th Pollstar Awards (2013)
  • 2012 Best Cultural/Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2012 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Robert Helpmann Awards
  • 2011 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2011 Best Achievement in Sustainability, Australian Event Awards
  • 2009 Best Cultural or Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
  • 2009 Best Overseas Festival, UK Festival Awards
  • 200 Grammy Award, ‘Best Tropical Latin Album’, Greetings From Havana - Cubanismo (AIM Records artist)
  • 2008 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
  • 2007 International Music Festival of the Year from the esteemed US based Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

Past lineups

2007

The line-up for the 2007 festival included:[17]

2008

The 2008 festival was held at the 26 acres (110,000 m2) Belongil Fields, the original outdoor venue. The 2008 festival had more food and craft stalls, a covered area where festival goers could eat at tables, a chill-out area, plus an area for an additional, fifth stage.

Artists in 2008 included Buddy Guy, Eskimo Joe, The John Butler Trio, Gotye, The Beautiful Girls, Newton Faulkner, Seasick Steve, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, John P. Hammond, John Hiatt, Ray Davies, Maceo Parker, Loudon Wainwright III, Ozomatli, Ruthie Foster, Jake Shimabukuro, Keith Urban, Amali Ward, Lior, MOFRO, Dan Sultan, Jeff Lang, The Cat Empire, Clare Bowditch, Raul Midon and Xavier Rudd.

2011

The line-up for the 2011 festival included:

2012

The line-up for the 2012 festival included:

2013

The line-up for the 2013 festival included:

2014

The line-up for the 2014 festival included:

2015

The line-up for the 2015 festival included:

2016

The line-up for the 2016 festival included:

2017

The line-up for the 2017 festival included:

2018

The line-up for the 2018 festival included:

2019

The line-up for 2019 included:[18]

2020

Bluesfest 2020 was cancelled on 16 March 2020 due to the Public Health COVID-19 Public Events Order 2020.[6]

The line-up for 2020 was set to include:[19]

2021

Bluesfest 2021 was cancelled on 31 March 2021 by order of the Minister for Health and Medical Research, due to the discovery of a positive COVID-19 case in Byron Bay the previous day.[8]

The line-up for 2021 was set to include:[21][22]

Bluesfest 2021 was rescheduled to Friday, 1 October 2021 to Monday, 4 October 2021.[23] The revised line-up for 2021 was set to include:[24]

On 17 August 2021, Bluesfest 2021 was once again cancelled due to COVID-19, and will not be rescheduled. The majority of the announced lineup has been confirmed for Bluesfest 2022, which took place over its original Easter weekend scheduling.[25]

2022

2023

The 2023 Byron Bay Bluesfest is set to run from the 6th to the 10th of April and the line-up will include the following artists.[26]

  • Gang of Youths
  • Paolo Nutini
  • Tash Sultana
  • Bonnie Raitt
  • The Doobie Brothers
  • Buddy Guy
  • Joe Bonamassa
  • Jackson Browne
  • Elvis Costello & The Imposters
  • Jason Isbell
  • Lucinda Williams
  • Counting Crows
  • Beck
  • Mavis Staples
  • Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
  • Michael Franti & Spearhead
  • Robert Glasper
  • Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
  • LP
  • The Cat Empire
  • Xavier Rudd
  • Kaleo
  • Yirrmal
  • Beth Hart
  • Marcus King
  • Eric Gales
  • Steve Earle
  • St Paul & The Broken Bones
  • Lisa Hunt
  • Larkin Poe
  • Keb' Mo' Band
  • Allison Russell
  • Chain
  • The Black Sorrows
  • The Angels
  • Spinifex Gum
  • Fem Kuti & The Positive Force
  • Dami Im
  • Jon Stevens
  • Christone Ingram
  • Vintage Trouble
  • Backsliders
  • Ray Beadle Stax of Blues
  • Ash Grunwald
  • Clarence Bekker Band


Crossroads
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Beth Hart
The Angels
Spinifex Gum
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Nikki Hill
Welcome to Country

Gang of Youths

Paolo Nutini
Beck
Kaleo
LP
Fools
19-Twenty
Frank Sultana

Joe Bonamassa

Buddy Guy
Eric Gales
Chain
Marcus King
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Eric Stang with Clarence Bekker Band

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Tash Sultana
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Femi Kuti & the Positive Force
Yirrmal
Allison Russell
Round Mountain Girls

The Doobie Brothers

Bonnie Raitt
Beth Hart (acoustic)
Jon Stevens
Yirrmal
Steve 'N' Seagulls

Mojo
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

Elvis Costello & the Imposters

Paolo Nutini
Kaleo
LP
Dog Trumpet
Daniel Champagne

Elvis Costello & the Imposters

Yirrmal
Spinifex Gum ft. Marliya
Archie Roach Tribute
Marcus King
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Ray Beadle

Counting Crows

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
Jackson Browne
Chain
Allison Russell
Vintage Trouble
Jerome Williams
Bud Rokesky

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit

Bonnie Raitt
Mavis Staples
Nikki Hill
The Bros. Landreth
Steve Poltz
Hussy Hicks

The Cat Empire

Michael Franti & Spearhead
Xavier Rudd
Mavis Staples
Ash Grunwald
Backsliders
Bobby Alu

Delta
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

The Black Sorrows

Lucinda Williams
Steve Earle
Greensky Bluegrass
The Bros. Landreth

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

Larkin Poe
Lucinda Williams
Keb' Mo'
Steve Earle
Daniel Champagne
The Bros. Landreth
Round Mountain Girls

Femi Kuti & the Positive Force

Beth Hart
Clarence Bekker Band
Frank Turner
19-Twenty
Nikki Hill
Hussy Hicks

Lachy Doley & the Horns of Conviction

Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges
Backsliders
19-Twenty
Steve 'N' Seagulls
Roshani
Rockwiz Live

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Femi Kuti & the Positive Force
Coterie
Clarence Bekker Band
Dog Trumpet
Steve Poltz
Rockwiz Live

Juke Joint
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

Larkin Poe

Eric Gales
Keb' Mo'
Southern Avenue
Frank Sultana

St. Paul & the Broken Bones

Vintage Trouble
The Black Sorrows
Chain
Greensky Bluegrass
Steve 'N' Seagulls
Bud Rokesky
Southern Avenue

Lisa Hunt Forever Soul

Electric Cadillac
Dami Im
Fools
Dog Trumpet
Daniel Champagne
Buttered
Loose Content

Lisa Hunt Forever Soul

Dami Im
Electric Cadillac
Ray Beadle Stax of Blues
Ash Grunwald
Bobby Alu
2023 Busking Adult Winner

Lisa Hunt Forever Soul

Nikki Hill
Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges
Lachy Doley & the Horns of Conviction
Roshani
Local Area Highschool Showcase
2023 Busking Gromet Winner

See also

References
  1. "Stars feel the blues this Easter". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  2. "Bluesfest buy-out". DBMagazine (451). 15 October 2008. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  3. "Bluesfest Byron Bay Tickets". Oztix.com.au. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  4. "Boomerang Festival returns to Byron Bay Bluesfest in 2019". Australian Arts Review. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  5. Cashmere, Paul (16 March 2020). "Bluesfest 2020 Has Been Cancelled". Noise11.com.
  6. "Public Health COVID-19 Public Events Order 2020" (PDF). Health.gov.au.
  7. Martin, Josh (19 March 2020). "Byron Bay Bluesfest announces 2021 return, confirms new dates". Nme.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. Elsworthy, Emma (31 March 2021). "Byron Bay Bluesfest cancelled for second year running after local man tests positive for COVID-19". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 April 2021. This action is being taken to minimise the risk of the highly infectious COVID-19 variant of concern being transmitted in the local area, as well as across states and territories. − NSW Health statement
  9. Fuamoli, Sose (17 February 2021). "Bluesfest will definitely go ahead for 2021, becoming the first COVID-safe festival of its size". Radio Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  10. Elsworthy, Emma (31 March 2021). "Byron Bay Bluesfest cancellation over COVID case angers music industry and fans". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. Condon, Dan (17 August 2021). "Bluesfest will not happen in 2021, as festival announces 2022 plans". Double J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  12. Galvin, Nick (9 April 2023). "Slimmed-down Bluesfest rocks on despite all the dramas". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  13. "Artist Lineup & Play Dates". Bluesfest.com.au. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  14. Boulton, Martin (21 February 2023). "Bluesfest director doubles down after Sticky Fingers controversy". The Age. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  15. Burke, Kelly (2 March 2023). "Bluesfest removes Sticky Fingers from lineup after boycotts and backlash". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  16. Watson, Meg; Boulton, Martin (15 February 2023). "'Stop living in the past': Bluesfest director backs adding Sticky Fingers to line-up". The Age. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  17. Line-up 2007 bluesfest.com.au. Line-up 2007 at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 December 2006)
  18. "Byron Bay Blues Festival Playing Schedule". Byron Bay Bluesfest. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  19. "Byron Bay Blues Festival Playing Schedule" (PDF). Bluesfest.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  20. Chryss, Cooper (23 February 2020). "Australian Americana Music Honours 2020". Bluesfest.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  21. "2021 lineup". Bluesfest.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. "Playing schedule". Bluesfest.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  23. "Bluesfest 2021 rescheduled dates!". Bluesfest.com.au. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  24. "2021 lineup". Bluesfest.com.au. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  25. Condon, Dan (17 August 2021). "Bluesfest will not happen in 2021, as festival announces 2022 plans". Abc.bet.au. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  26. "Byron Bay Bluesfest contemporary Blues & Roots music festival". Bluesfest.com.au. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
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