The second Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement has landed, adding a series of “legends” to the 25th Silver Anniversary edition bill of the festival next year.
Following from announcing the likes of John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and John Butler Trio late last month, the second lineup additions headed to the award-winning Byron Bay confirms promoter Peter Noble’s previous comments that the second Bluesfest 2014 lineup announce “will probably be older artists.”
“Here come the legends,” says Noble today of the list of new acts headed to the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm for the East long weekend (of 17 to 21st of April, 2014); “it’s all about legends, blues and roots and a perfect blend of funk and reggae,” adds Noble.
Leading the second Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement is long-running hitmakers the Doobie Brothers, drawing from around 40 years worth of songmaking on the Bluesfest stage, Boz Scaggs is also on the Bluesfest bill – an original member of the Steve Miller Band who “will give us the real ‘Lowdown’, (one of his many great hits) – a really classy white soul man, if EVER there was one,” adds Noble.
They will be joined by Gregg Allman, the legendary leader of Southern rockers The Allman Brothers, for his first ever solo Australian tour and the legendary Steve Earle and his band, The Dukes. As the Peter Noble previously let slip, celebrated singer-songwriter India.Arie and New Orleans creole legend Dr Jon are also hitting Bluesfest 2014 for its 25th Anniversary.
Also bolstering the Bluesfest 2014 lineup is Aaron Neville – returning to Bluesfest after performing with The Neville Brothers and as a guest for the Blind Boys of Alabama, rockabilly outfit The Paladins (who first played Bluesfest back when it was a club event in 1990), as well as Suzanne Vega – making her Bluesfest debut.
Two legendary backing bands are also heading over to Australia for the first time; The Grandmothers of Invention, featuring original members of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, and The Magic Band – Capatain Beefheart’s ensemble that played on the iconic Trout Mask Replica album. “Both bands feature original members from that time – and they will perform faithful renditions of the classic songs they created,” confirms Noble.
There’s a strong selection in the Jamaican Legends series, featuring Ernest Ranglin and Sly & Robbie, Jimmie Vaughan, Ozomatli, CW Stoneking and The Wailers. While the Music Maker Foundation will ignite the Blues in Bluesfest with a presentation of artists such as Little Freddie King, Pat Wilder, and Cool John Ferguson.
If last year’s Bluesfest is anything to go by, with its star-studded lineup bringing “capacity crowds” of 17,000 per day and a total attendance of 85,000, generating millions for the local economy, plus nabbing a Helpmann Award in the process; Bluesfest 2014 will be even more massive as organisers pull out all the stops for their 25th Silver Anniversary edition.
The complete Bluesfest 2014 lineup promises a total of over 200 performances across seven stages and given that a number of the bands name-checked over the Bluesfest forums turned up in the first two announcements, it’s a good place to start for guesses over future lineup additions, with the likes of Tom Jones, Trombone Shorty, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, the Black Crowes, the Black Keys, and more tossed into the rumour mill.
The additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks, while this October, the festival’s Tygarrah Tea Tree Farm site will host the inaugural Boomerang Festival, the newly launched event celebrating Indigenous music, arts, and culture. The full Boomerang program reveals a deep, diverse array of arts, theatre, film, panels, speakers, and special events as well as a musical lineup that includes Gurrumul, Archie Roach, Busby Marou, The Medics, Casey Donovan and many more.
Bluesfest 2014 Lineup
Doobie Brothers
Aaron Neville
Gregg Allman
Boz Scaggs
India.Arie
Suzanne Vega
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Dr John & The Nite Trippers
Ernest Ranglin
Sly & Robbie
Bitty McLean
Jimmie Vaughan
The Wailers
Ozomatli
CW Stoneking
Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
Grandmothers of Invention
The Magic Band
Robben Ford
The Paladins
Music Maker Foundation Feat. Pat Wilder, Cool John Ferguson, and Little Freddie King
Joining the already announced Bluesfest 2014 lineup of:
John Mayer
Dave Matthews Band
John Butler Trio
Erykah Badu
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Iron & Wine
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Devendra Banhart
Morcheeba
Gary Clark Jr
KT Tunstall
Allen Stone
Valerie June
Nikki Hill
and many more to come!
Bluesfest 2014 Dates & Tickets
25th Annual Byron Bay Bluesfest
Thursday 17th – Monday 21st April, 2014
All Single Day, Camping, Festival tickets are on sale now through www.bluesfest.com.au and Bluefest office on 02 6685 8310
Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster on www.ticketmaster.com.au
Bluesfest playing schedule is available on www.bluesfest.com.au
