The fourth Bluefest 2014 lineup announcement has landed, and following on from revealing another round of official Bluesfest 2014 sideshows, more artists have been added to the 25th Silver Anniversary Edition bill of the annual event.
There’s already been three major Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcements, featuring headliners John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and John Butler Trio, then the likes of The Doobie Brothers, Aaron Neville, Dr. John, and Steve Earle before the addition of Elvis Costello and Jack Johnson in another announcement last month. Now, the new lineup additions headed to the award-winning Byron Bay event lives up to Bluesfest’s namesake.
“Damn right we got the Blues at Bluefest,” emphasises festival promoter Peter Noble of the latest announcement, led by master Bluesman Buddy Guy; “I am honoured that the World’s Greatest Blues Guitarist is coming to Bluefest and to play, not once on our 25th Anniversary Festival, but twice!” says Noble.
Noble, who first toured Buddy Guy back in 1990, has emphasised that he is “advised that Buddy Guy is going to be pulling back on international touring and so, as much as I would hesitate to ever say this is his last tour of Australia, it really is going to become more difficult to get him back to our shores in future.”
The 78-year-old Rack And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee leads the latest Bluesfest 2014 announcement, along with soul and rock legend Booker T. Jones – of The M.G’s and ‘Green Onions’ fame, the harp-playing wizadry of The James Cotton Blues Band (in their Australian debut), Bluesfest veteran Charlie Musselwhite (who last year played alongside Ben Harper), and international songsmith and folk-influenced master, Eric Bibb.
Representing the newer wave of artists is Sheffield prodigy Jake Bugg. Last in Australia for this year’s Splendour In The Grass, the 19-year-old this week released Shangri La, following just a year on from his self-titled debut album last year, based on sessions Bugg committed earlier this year with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and producer Rick Rubin.
Also on the fourth and latest Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement is famed singer Beth Hart, the aptly named North Mississippi Allstars, Devon Allman – the son of Allman Brothers Band’s Greg Allman, the searing guitar work of Walter Trout, the Candye Kane Band feat. acclaimed guitarist Laura Chavez, and making her Bluesfest debut next Easter, soul-rock diva Saidah Baba Talibah.
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.
In more positive news, Bluesfest was recently named among seven Aussie music festival as among the most environmentally friendly in the world, earning the Improving Award from UK not-for-profit A Greener Festival in their annual awards recognising the greenest events across the globe.
The Byron Bay event is also in the running for the International Music Festival of the Year award, for the second year running, from international live music stats trackers Pollstar.
It’s the fourth time that the event has been given the nod for the prestigious award, and next year is up against globally recognised heavyweights like UK’s Glastonbury, Lollapalooza Chile, Brazil’s Rock In Rio, Denmark’s Roskilde Festival, and Belgium’s Tomorrowland.
“We have been fortunate to receive many award nominations for Bluesfest and we appreciate each and every one, this nomination however is something very special,” said Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble in a statement. ”The nominees are chosen by a cross section of International professionals and leaders in the Industry so it really shows what level Bluesfest is sitting at world-wide and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Bluesfest 2014 Lineup
Buddy Guy
Jake Bugg
The James Cotton Blues Band
Booker T. Jones
Charlie Musselwhite
Eric Bibb
Beth Hart
North Mississippi Allstars
Devon Allman
Walter Trout
Candye Kane Band Feat. Laura Chavez
Saidah Baba Talibah
Joining the already announced lineup of:
Jack Johnson • John Mayer • Dave Matthews Band
John Butler Trio • Passenger • Aaron Neville
Erykah Badu • Iron & Wine
Gregg Allman • Boz Scaggs • Doobie Brothers
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros • India.Arie
Dr John & The Nite Trippers • Morcheeba • Steve Earle & The Dukes
Devendra Banhart • Michael Franti & Spearhead • The Wailers
Jimmie Vaughan• Gary Clark Jr • Suzanne Vega •
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals • Kasey Chambers • Ozomatli
CW Stoneking • Allen Stone • Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
KT Tunstall • Clairy Browne &The Bangin’ Rackettes
Robben Ford • Grandmothers of Invention •The Magic Band
Trixie Whitley • The Soul Rebels • Valerie June • Nikki Hill • The Paladins
Music Maker Foundation Feat. Pat Wilder, Cool John Ferguson, and Little Freddie King
RocKwiz Live
+ more to be announced
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
