The first bands of the Bluesfest 2014 lineup have been announced and following on from organisers of the award-winning Byron Bay event teasing that they’d be celebrating their 25th birthday next year with an “enormous” lineup, they’ve now revealed the first batch of artists to play the long-running music festival next April.
“It’s our 25th Birthday! We are going to be celebrating this one as never before and will deliver you one hell of a lineup and mark my words: This is only the beginning!” says Bluesfest director Peter Noble of today’s Bluesfest 2014 linuep reveal, which is the “earliest announcement in the history of Bluesfest,” according to the promoter and his team of the list of the first bands and artists confirmed for the five-day music festival
Headed to Byron for the 25th Silver Anniversary edition of Bluesfest are John Mayer, off the back of his latest album Paradise Valley and playing Bluesfest again after his first appearance seven years ago, as well as American live institution, the Dave Matthews Band.
Noble says he’s attempted to bring back Dave Matthews and his ensemble “every year since they last played Blusefest back in 2005,” and for the festival’s 25th birthday, the promoter confirms they’ll be playing “not one, but two full length performances, and each night will be completely different as this super band never plays the same set twice!”
Also topping the bill and representing Australia is peerless roots and blues success, the John Butler Trio, who has become a regular of the festival ever since the trio’s formation, with their appearance on the Bluesfest 2014 lineup marking the band’s 10th performance at the festival – fitting for their 25th Silver Anniversary celebrations. “It’s our 25th Birthday! We are going to be celebrating this one as never before and will deliver you one hell of a lineup.”
Also headed to the Tygarrah Tea Tree Farm site for next year is the First Lady of neo-soul Erykah Badu, in her debut Bluesfest appearance, long-term festival favourite Michael Franti & Spearhead, celebrated singer-songwriter Sam Beam aka Iron & Wine, the folk freak sounds of Devendra Banhart, Morcheeba – with the original lineup of the Godfrey brothers and Skye Edwards – and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, who previously revealed to Tone Deaf they were booked for an April tour, previously thought to be Groovin The Moo.
Also on the Bluesfest 2014 lineup are blues guitar prodigy Gary Clark Jnr, eclectic UK songstress KT Tunstall, and backing up his winning Bluesfest 2013 appearance – Allen Stone, as well as Valerie June, and Nikki Hill.
If last year’s Bluesfest is anything to go by, with its star-studded lineup bringing “capacity crowds” of 17,000 per day, a total attendance of 85,000, generating millions for the local economy, and nabbing a Helpmann Award last month; Bluesfest 2014 will be even more massive as organisers pull out all the stops for their 25th Silver Anniversary edition.
That’s only the first round of acts to be announced for the Bluesfest 2014 lineup, which promises a total of over 200 performances across seven stages over the traditional Easter long weekend, next year taking place from Thursday 17th to Monday 21st April.
Given that a number of the bands name-checked over the Bluesfest forums turned up in the first announcement, 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, Steve Earle, 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
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
