The Australian Blues Music Festival returns to Goulburn next month, celebrating its 21st year as one of the country’s finest showcases of Aussie and international talent. 2016 was the most successful year to date for the mammoth regional festival, but one look at the lineup for next month’s event suggests that record will be broken once again.
Headlining the festival is Australia’s longest-serving blues outfit The Foreday Riders, who celebrate a whopping 50 years as a working band. There have been lineup changes, sure – but two of the original 1967 members are holding steady: the King Brothers, Ron (harmonica, vocals) and Jeff (guitar, Dobro).
Also high on the bill is Detroit-bred bluesman JJ Thames, festival favourites Dreamboogie, founder of legendary Aussie pub band Chain, Phil Manning, Canadian soulstress Anna Vriend, and Australia’s best bar-room blues pianist Don Hopkins.
There are over 70 acts performing across 11 stages in Goulburn, plus festival markets in Belmore Park. Best of all, it’s completely free – and completely worth a road trip. It all goes down on 9-12 February, in various venues around Goulburn, NSW. More information can be found here, and you can check out the entire lineup below.
Full Artist Line-Up
The Foreday Riders
Phil Manning
Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers
Claude Hay Trio
JJ Thames (USA)
Sweet Felicia & The Honeytones
Dreamboogie
Jesse Valach & The Blues Mountain
The Blues Preachers
The Groove Kings
Lazy Eye
Fiona Boyes (Solo)
Doc White
Pearlnoire & Don Hopkins
Iseula Hingano & Jesse Valach
Dorothy-Jane With Richard Steele
Don Hopkins (Solo)
Cass Eager
Catfish Voodoo
Key Grip
Halfway To Forth
Ann Vriend & The Rooster Davis Group (Canada)
Bailey Judd
Miss Whiskey
Wilson & White
Simon Kinney- Lewis Band
Big Erle
Nick Wildgoose With Special Guest Eddie Boyle
White Lightning
The Mighty Bluzicians
Jarrod Shaw
Daniel Hopkins
Blues & Blessings At St. Saviours Cathedral.
