Festival lovers, rejoice: the 2016 festival season has officially begun, with Bluesfest dropping its first lineup announcement for next year.
Bluesfest stands as one of the largest Australian festivals going around, with the whole thing taking place near Byron Bay across five days and the entire Easter long weekend. It’s a festival that has seen acts such as Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Cold Chisel, Paul Simon and Elvis Costello headline the festival – but it has plenty to offer for younger fans, too.
Bluesfest is also known for its onslaught of lineup announcements. Each year the festival gets bigger, more acts get added, and now we have the earliest lineup announcement ever – a full 252 days before the festival begins. If this lineup reveal doesn’t scratch your itch, there’s no need to worry, because this is just the first of up to eight (OK, maybe more) lineup announcements Peter Noble and co. will be dropping over the next eight months.
That’s a lot of acts to sift through, so we figured we’d help you out. Here’s our cheat sheet to Bluesfest’s first round lineup for 2016, starting with…
The National
One of the most respected bands in the world today, and the headlining band on the first Bluesfest lineup. Described as “the most necessary band of their age”, The National will be bringing their visceral and emotional set to the Byron Bay stage. Bluesfest has confirmed that this is an exclusive performance. So don’t wait around for sideshows, because they’re not coming – and you don’t want to miss out.
Read our interview with The National before their recent appearance at the Sydney Opera House here.
City And Colour
Singer-songwriter Dallas Green is no stranger to Australian shores; he’s toured the country multiple times, both as a member of Alexisonfire and as part of his side project, City And Colour. His live show presents him as an “artist that mines the minutiae from dreams of paradise to night terrors, and the emotional territory that likes between them.” His show has grown from a solo live performance to feature a full band that helps his songs resonate even further.
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue
Another Bluesfest exclusive, UB40 were a reggae juggernaught in the ’80s and still stand tall today (albeit with a slightly more confusing name). UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue is exactly what it says on the tin; original members of the band taking the stage to smash out hit after hit after hit. The same lineup toured Australia last year and enjoyed sell-out performances everywhere they went (read our review here). So put on your skankin’ pants, everybody.
Joe Bonamassa
What’s that? You want some blues in your Bluesfest? Well them, Joe Bonamassa has got you covered and then some. A man who was opening up for B.B. King at age 12, his career has only exploded from there. The Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling blues guitarist of a generation is another Bluesfest exclusive performer, set to make his first appearance at the festival in six years.
Read our latest interview with Bonamassa here.
Tedeschi Trucks Band
The supergroup combination of Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi is a powerful one, and the proof is in the pudding as their 2011 album Revelator scored the Best Blues Album at the Grammys. Derek Trucks is a former member of The Allman Brothers Band, and was listed by Rolling Stone as the 16th greatest guitarist of all time. Susan Tedeschi is celebrating her 20th year in the music industry, sharing her captivating voice with the world.
The Cat Empire
Most well known for writing “that song”, The Cat Empire are also a band that has performed around the world for the past 16 years, building a strong reputation as a fantastic festival act. The Cats have wowed crowds at Big Day Out, Beat The Drum, Glastonbury and Bonnaroo with their ska/funk/jazz/everything tunes. They’re sure to get the party going.
Read our latest interview with The Cat Empire here.
Lukas Nelson and Promise Of The Real
In their first ever Australian appearance, Lukas Nelson and Promise Of The Real will be bringing their blend of ‘cowboy hippie surf rock’ to Bluesfest. The band have some impressive accolades, such as being the backing band for Neil Young on his latest album The Monsanto Years, and if the name didn’t give it away, being the family of legendary country musician Willie Nelson.
The Word
An improvisational gospel jazz supergroup is a fitting booking for Bluesfest. Featuring members of the North Mississippi Allstars in Robert Randolph and John Medeski, the band will be jamming all throughout their set, creating captivating and innovating gospel jazz grooves (and frankly, how could they not with a combo like that?).
Rhiannon Giddens
The Grammy Award-winning former lead singer of Carolina Chocolate Drops, Rhiannon Giddens will be making both her Bluesfest and Australian debut. She will be bringing her dazzling vocal prowess to run through a whole bunch of genre-bending tunes, including elements of country, gospel, jazz and blues.
Janiva Magness
No stranger to accolades, Janiva Magness has enjoyed 22 Blues Music Award nominations over the duration of her 11-album career. She’s a fantastic blues and R&B singer who is known for her electric live shows, winning the B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year award, becoming only the second women ever to win it in the process.
St. Paul and The Broken Bones
Soul sextet St. Paul and The Broken Bones just recently opened up for The Rolling Stones, and now they’re coming to Australia to play Bluesfest for the first time. Paul Janeway’s energetic performances are backed up by a band that remain high-voltage and in the pocket at all times.
Allen Stone
A man who is described as one of the most breathtaking soul artists in the world today, Allen Stone has been making waves all over the US, opening for Al Green, performing with Macklemore, and gracing the pages of The New York Times. Making his Bluesfest return, Stone is a soul/pop buzz artist who could be next in line to become the next big thing.
The Selecter
A band that should (and often is) spoken about in the same vein as Madness and The Specials, The Selecter are a classic ska two-tone band who have been around for decades. Reforming in 2011, they’ve played festivals around the world, and influenced a generation of bands that mixed ska and punk.
Shakey Graves
Only in Australia a few months ago, Alejandro Rose-Garcia brought his unique blend of Anti-Folk to the Factory Theatre, and now he is returning to play Bluesfest. NPR called him one of ten artists music fans “should’ve known in 2012” for his intimate performances with just himself, a guitar, and a handmade kickdrum built out of an old suitcase.
Songhoy Blues
One of the most hyped world music bands around today, the Songhoy Blues trio hail from Gao, and present a combination of rock, R&B and blues that’s soaked in a unique Malian influence.
Bluesfest 2016 will take place from Thursday March 24 until Monday March 28 next year at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just north of Byron Bay. Tickets are on sale now.
