In the second artist announcement of their 30th Anniversary Celebration, Bluesfest organisers have called on a mix of first timers and old friends to help celebrate the festival’s 30 year milestone. Taking place over the Easter long weekend (Thursday 18th April to Monday 22nd April 2019), Bluesfest has captured the hearts of music lovers at home and abroad and we can as always, expect some of the best musical acts in the world to touch down on Australian soil for what will definitely be, one to remember!
Joining Jack Johnson (exclusive), Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals (exclusive), Ray LaMontagne and George Clinton in Byron Bay this Easter will be:
Paul Kelly
Hozier • David Gray
Julia Stone • Gary Clark Jr.
Mavis Staples (exclusive)
Flogging Molly
Meshell Ndegeocello • Ruthie Foster (exclusive)
Shakey Graves • Anderson East (exclusive)
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Samantha Fish (exclusive) • The War And Treaty (exclusive)
Mojo Juju • Caiti Baker
Deva Mahal (exclusive) • Melody Angel
Hussy Hicks
With many more artists to be announced in the coming weeks & months…
With tickets selling faster than at any other Bluesfest in history, music fans are heading for a spectacular celebration and sell-out 30th Anniversary next Easter, festival Director, Peter Noble OAM is certain about that.
From the Desk of the Festival Director
“Bluesfest has just announced 19 artists in our second announcement for our 30th Anniversary Bluesfest next Easter, 18-22 April 2019. It’s all killer….no filler! Headlining is Australia’s Paul Kelly, one of our favourite sons, who has just sold out the Riverstage in Brisbane and the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on his Making Gravy Tour. Combine that with other amazing headliner singer-songwriters Hozier and David Gray, and you can see why we are so excited about where our multi award-winning festival is heading for our 30th celebration event.
”
“We have an amazing array of Blues, Roots, First Nations, R&B, Gospel, Indie Rock, Classic Artists, and Emerging artists showcasing what Bluesfest is famous for. With the rise of the Americana Music movement, we have added Shakey Graves, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, Anderson East and The War & Treaty, the latter two, both debuting at Bluesfest, in exclusive performances.”
“Gary Clark Jr. is hailed as THE Blues guitar player of today who is taking Blues music forward to a new generation. We are delighted to announce that Australian, Indigenous artists Mojo Juju and Caiti Baker are making a return for our 30th Anniversary Celebration, both of whom have released great new music in recent months….our first Boomerang Festival artists with many more announcements to come!”
“Irish-American Celtic Punk Rockers Flogging Molly will return after way too long to ignite our stage. So far for our 30th Anniversary Celebration, we have a stellar list of artists topped by three exclusive performances by Mavis Staples. She is a Grammy-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer as well as Blues Hall of Fame Member, former lead singer of family band The Staples Singers AND a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Winner! She’s an actress, a Civil Rights Activist who took part in the Freedom Ride bus trips to Mississippi in the fight for Civil Rights in the 60’s. Bob Dylan famously asked for her hand in marriage …. she turned him down. ”
“Mavis just co-wrote and sang on Hozier’s new single “Nina Cried Power”. Mavis Staples is 110% music royalty. At 79 years of age, she continues to astonish. We pay homage to her as one of the greatest of the greats. Having won FIVE ARIAs, Julia Stone, of Angus & Julia Stone, one of Australia’s most successful and loved artists, will be performing with her band. She will be coming with a whole new album and songs. Independently, she is a powerful and engaging live artist who is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter.””
Meshell Ndegeocello is a 10-time Grammy-nominated musician, bassist, rapper, singer and astonishingly creative artist performing Soul, Jazz, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Rock who is making her Bluesfest debut in 2019. There will be exclusive performances by Ruthie Foster, returning by popular demand with her Soulful music. Samantha Fish won Best New Artist at the Blues Awards in 2012. Her most recent albums ‘Wild Heart’ (2015) and Belle of the West’ (2017) BOTH topped the Billboard Blues Chart. Samantha is a truly great guitarist and singer. Her much anticipated Bluesfest debut is sure to be the first of many returns to Bluesfest. Another Bluesfest exclusive! Melody Angel is a Chicago Blues singer and guitarist. She wowed the audience two years back on her Bluesfest debut. She is young, and nothing will hold her back. You truly are witnessing the emergence of a major artist. ”
“ Also, a Bluesfest exclusive showcasing emerging talent from our very own Bluesfest Busking Competition which is now considered Australia’s premier showcase of emerging talent. We have had so many artists compete, and win, and go on to bigger things over the years. Kim Churchill, Hussy Hicks, Lucy Gallant are just a few who now tour internationally. Hussy Hicks, Bluesfest Busking Competition winner from 2010, tours the world nowadays and have gone to another level. They are a don’t miss tour de force. Roots music at its finest. ”
“We have already announced Jack Johnson and Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals in exclusive performances, plus George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s final EVER performances, Kasey Chambers performing The Captain, Kurt Vile, Allen Stone, Snarky Puppy, Rockwiz and so much more. This truly is an all killer … no filler announcement from top to bottom with many more to come. And we are very proud of it. Bluesfest is experiencing its biggest sales ever, so don’t delay in getting your tickets. We have more truly incredible artists who will be announced soon. And thank you for your amazing support”. - Peter Noble OAM Bluesfest Festival Director
The 2019 playing schedule so far is available on bluesfest.com.au with many more artists to come.