Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble OAM has announced that the 2021 festival will be permitted to go ahead following a COVID-19 safety plan.
In a statement this morning, Noble revealed that the NSW government has indicated that the festival can proceed if the current COVID-19 situation continues as it is.
“This is a great day, not only for Bluesfest, but also for the Australian Live Music Industry and our unrelenting efforts to get back to presenting Live Music Safely,” he said.
“Whilst our capacity, stages and campgrounds will be approximately 50 per cent of the numbers we have had in the past, it is great to know there is a future for our industry, and that we have been given the opportunity to present Bluesfest 2021 at a level not seen at festivals in Australia since the summer of 2019/20.”
Bluesfest 2020 was unfortunately cancelled three weeks out from kick-off due to NSW government orders. As a result of continuing restrictions, the 2021 lineup is now all-Australian.
Instead, international acts like Patti Smith, George Benson, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Larkin Poe, and The Wailers will perform rescheduled individual shows in April 2022.
The 2021 lineup includes homegrown talent like Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, The Cat Empire, The Church and John Butler.
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Noble revealed that the festival is currently 80 per sold out, with the Friday, Saturday and Sunday days all expected to sell out entirely.
“We will be inspecting the 150-page COVID-19 Safety Plan in-depth and will make a further announcement on how Bluesfest will be presented in a safe manner next week,” he said.
“What we can say is that the plan is created in a way where we can adapt to the requirements of the NSW Health Department should there be a need to create higher levels of safety for the public on-site, and, of course, we are also hopeful, that conditions will be further relaxed should there be no further community transmissions.
Noble also confirmed that masks will not be mandatory while attending the festival.
“There are so many people to thank who took part in working with us in getting to this point. The artists and their agents and managers, the media for their ongoing support, our suppliers and of course the Bluesfest Team who never wavered, well … only sometimes, in their conviction to produce Bluesfest at Easter (April 1-5) this year,” he said.
But number one is, our gratitude to the music fans, who purchased the tickets from the moment we went on sale and who will join us in making history as major live music events return in Australia.”
Bluesfest 2021 Lineup
Jimmy Barnes
Tash Sultana
Ocean Alley
Ziggy Alberts
The Teskey Brothers
John Butler
Xavier Rudd
The Cat Empire
Kasey Chambers
The Church
The Waifs
Jon Stevens
John Williamson
Ian Moss
The Living End
The Angels
Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks
Russell Morris
Kev Carmody
Troy Cassar-Daley
Briggs
Tex Perkins the Man in Black
Hiatus Kaiyote
Kate Miller-Heidke
Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald
Weddings Parties Anything
The Black Sorrows
The Bamboos
Chain
Backsliders
Ash Grunwald
Blue King Brown
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Vika & Linda
Harts Plays Hendrix
Jeff Lang
Nathan Cavaleri
Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission
Kim Churchill
Henry Wagons
Mia Dyson
Garrett Kato
Mama Kin Spender
Dami Im
Pierce Brothers
Emily Wurramara
Ray Beadle
Pacey, King & Doley
All Our Exes Live in Texas
Kara Grainger
Hussy Hicks
Roshani
Daniel Champagne
Little Georgia
Byron Busking Competition & Winners
Thursday, April 1st – Monday, April 5th, 2021
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay, NSW
More info: Bluesfest
