The third Bluefest 2014 lineup announcement has landed, and following on from revealing the first round of official Bluesfest 2014 sideshows, more artists have been added to the 25th Silver Anniversary Edition bill.
There’s already been two major Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcements, featuring headliners John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and John Butler Trio, then a list of blues, reggae, and roots artists including, the Doobie Brothers, Aaron Neville, Gregg Allman, Dr. John, Steve Earle and more last month. Now, the third lineup additions headed to the award-winning Byron Bay event adds a list of welcome return artists and exciting new acts.
The latest announcement will see iconic Bluesfest headliner Jack Johnson hitting the main stage for a fanbase that stretches from young to old, with the singer-songwriter regularly making the festival’s most-sought-after artists list year-in, year-out. Johnson arrives off the back of his latest release, From Here To Now To You, his third #1 album in a row on the US Billboard chart.
The legendary Elvis Costello is returning with his equally revered outfit The Imposters, following on from their storming 2011 Bluesfest debut, to deliver the sassy British songsmith’s back catalogue; a goldmine of peerless music.
Making his Bluesfest debut for the 25th Silver Anniversary Edition lineup will be renowned British folk star and Australian adopted favourite, Passenger, whose album All The Little Lights is nearing double platinum status Down Under.
Also on the third Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement is critically acclaimed rock heiress Grace Potter and her band The Nocturnals, Australia’s Queen of Country Kasey Chambers, Belgian/US talent Trixie Whitley, the charismatic group, The Soul Rebels, and Melbourne 9-piece neo-noir showpiece, Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes.
Another exciting addition to Bluesfest 2014 is RockWiz Live, the hugely popular SBS series bringing their unique brand of trivia-based music entertainment to the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm site, with Bluefest Director Peter Noble teasing his involvement with sassy host Julia Zemiro and the talented live band.
“We have put out the call and the response has been most gratifying,” says Peter Noble of the new additions to the bill.
“Along with Bluesfest family members from our previous announcements Michael Franti & Spearhead, John Butler and all the others, who are becoming family, or are about to find out that at Bluesfest – they have a creative home – one where their art is respected on a profound basis.”
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, but one artist that definitely won’t be making the trip is 81-year-old Jamaican legend Ernest Ranglin, with his cancellation on Bluesfest causing a bitter war of words between Noble and Ranglin’s French agent.
With more additions to be made to the Bluesfest 2014 lineup still coming, a good place to head for rumours is the Bluesfest forums, where previous additions have been put into the mix, with the likes of Tom Jones, Trombone Shorty, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, the Black Crowes, the Black Keys, and more also tossed into the rumour mill.
Bluesfest 2014 Lineup
Jack Johnson
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Passenger
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Kasey Chambers
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes
Trixie Whitley
The Soul Rebels
RocKwiz Live
Joining the already announced lineup of:
Doobie Brothers
Aaron Neville
Gregg Allman
Boz Scaggs
India.Arie
Suzanne Vega
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Dr John & The Nite Trippers
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=
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
