Bluesfest Byron Bay Celebrates 35 Years with Stellar Fifth Artist Announcement
Byron Bay's iconic Bluesfest is gearing up for its 35th anniversary celebration with a spectacular fifth artist announcement featuring renowned acts such as Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, supergroup Infectious Grooves, Katie Melua and The Waifs, among others. The festival, scheduled to take place over five days from 28 March to 1 April 2024 at the Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah, promises a diverse musical experience that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional blues.
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals: A Bluesfest Legend Returns
Headlining the fifth artist announcement is the exclusive performance by Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals. Harper, a three-time Grammy Award winner, is hailed as one of the most versatile and fearless songwriters of his generation. With a career spanning 18 studio albums and over 16 million records sold worldwide, Harper's impact on the Australian music scene is immeasurable. Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble OAM emphasizes Harper's influence on artists like John Butler Trio, Xavier Rudd and others, highlighting his pivotal role in shaping the Australian music landscape.
Infectious Grooves: A Funk Punk Supergroup
Infectious Grooves, a funk punk supergroup featuring members of Metallica, Suicidal Tendencies, Velvet Revolver and Slipknot, promises a seismic collision of funk and metal. Festival goers can expect a genre-bending experience as founding bassist Robert Trujillo (Metallica), vocalist Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies), guitarist Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver), drummer Jay Weinberg (Slipknot) and guitarist Dean Pleasants (Suicidal Tendencies) join forces to deliver a unique performance.
Katie Melua: A Return After 20 Years
The 2000s best-selling British and European female artist, Katie Melua, is set to captivate the audience with her extraordinary voice and emotive performances. Making her first Australian tour in nearly two decades, Melua's return adds a touch of nostalgia and anticipation to Bluesfest 2024.
The Waifs, Brad Cox and More
Bluesfest's fifth artist announcement also includes beloved Australian folk outfit The Waifs, Golden Guitar winner Brad Cox, Yolgnu singer Yirrmal, LA rock band Dirty Honey and a diverse array of emerging talents such as Jerome Williams, Ben Swissa, eMDee, Perry Street Park and Da Manager.
Festival Director's Perspective
Festival Director Peter Noble OAM expresses his excitement for the 35th birthday celebration of Bluesfest, highlighting the festival's rich history of introducing diverse acts like Dave Matthews Band, Kendrick Lamar and Bob Dylan to Australian audiences. Noble emphasises that Bluesfest is not confined to Blues music but embraces a wide range of genres, making it a unique and unparalleled experience.
It's our 35th birthday coming at Bluesfest, and it’s gonna be hot! Not only is Bluesfest the most highly awarded festival in Australia, but it is also the only Australian festival to be nominated 9 times in the “Best International Music Festival” category, Pollstar Awards (USA). Bluesfest is Australia’s most awarded music festival and has been recognised as one of the TOP 10 Festivals of the Decade worldwide by industry bible Pollstar in 2021.
For our fifth and (probably not) final artist announcement, we are proud to present the artist who has done more to bring Bluesfest to the masses, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, for their first performance in Australia in five years. Ben first played Bluesfest in 1996.
No other artist who has played Bluesfest has had such an influence on the Australian music industry outside of B.B. King. We wouldn’t have John Butler Trio, Xavier Rudd, The Beautiful Girls, Angus and Julia Stone as they are today if it wasn’t for his influence.
Another genre-bending artist announcement is Infectious Grooves, featuring past and present members of Metallica, Suicidal Tendencies, Velvet Revolver, and Slip Knot. They are a true funk punk supergroup. Again, Bluesfest has featured, in the past, great genre-bending funk bands such as Fishbone and Funkadelic. And here’s another one to funk your mind up.
About Bluesfest Byron Bay
Bluesfest, recognised as Australia's most awarded music festival, has received nine nominations in the "Best International Music Festival" category at the Pollstar Awards (USA). The festival has also been named one of the TOP 10 Festivals of the Decade worldwide by Pollstar in 2021. From its humble beginnings in 1990, Bluesfest has evolved into a five-day extravaganza held at the Byron Events Farm, attracting over 100,000 music enthusiasts annually.
For tickets and more information about Bluesfest Byron Bay 2024, including the lineup and schedule, visit the official website.
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Don't miss this unforgettable musical journey at Bluesfest Byron Bay, where legends and rising stars converge to create an unparalleled celebration of music and culture.