Music News

The fifth and final round of artists to perform at the 21st Anniversary Bluesfest over Easter 2010 has today been announced.

Australia’s 'most awarded and internationally renowned festival' officially will be held at its permanent new home – at the Tyagarah Tea Tree farm just off the Pacific Highway, 12 minutes north of Byron Bay from Thursday April 1 through to Monday April 5, 2010.

Today’s announcement also means the complete and detailed Bluesfest Playing Schedule is available online, so now you can make those big decisions and plan your exact final Bluesfest itinerary.

One day tickets are also on sale – just visit www.bluesfest.com.au to see it all.

The fifth and final Bluesfest 2010 Artist Announcement: Halfway to Forth, Carney, Clayton Doley's Organ Donors, Corrina Steel, Cousin Harley, Hat Fitz, Martinez Trio, Mason Rack, Mojo Webb Band, Old Man River, The Snowdroppers, The Blues Preachers, The Wilson Pickers, Wagons, Round Mountain Girls, Blues Train, Steve Smyth, Steiner School Showcase, and Byron High Showcase.

Festival director Peter Noble said, “We’ve unveiled some amazing headliners and celebrated bands coming to Byron Bay for Bluesfest 2010, but now our final announcement is the final touch which really tips the scales into overdrive.

“This is no mere festival filler – many of these artists are the finest bluegrass, harmony singing, fret-board wailing, rocked up, dirty blues, and raw roots musicians you’re likely to find anywhere. In fact, there’s a good chance one or two of your favourite Bluesfest 2010 discoveries are only being announced today.”

Peter Noble highlights a few hot tips from today’s announcement:

Carney – Back again after blowing us away in 2009, this young band is on the cusp of big, big things. Last year, Carney generated a major buzz all around the festival for their brand of dynamic blues rock – with many of the stage crew saying they were the band of the festival. A four-piece Los Angeles musical phenomenon, fronted by siblings Reeve Carney (lead vocals and guitar) and Zane Carney (lead guitar), Carney is fast becoming one of the most powerful, captivating and adept bands of their generation. With a debut album on the way in 2010, their songs evoke thoughts of Jeff Buckley, The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, John Lennon and even Pink Floyd. Carney's live shows have become something of a sold out, packed out event in LA – so catch them here at Bluesfest before the rest of the world goes nuts for Carney!

Martinez Trio – We told you Bluesfest 2010 was a guitar lover’s dream didn’t we? And the Martinez Trio are rightly considered to be among the very best acoustic guitar virtuosos in the country. Guitar master George Benson has said, “Victor Martinez is one of the greatest Avant Garde guitarists ever. The interplay and understanding that flows through the family is inspiring, endearing and infectious. They truly captivate their audience as they stretch each other’s ability with a flourish here and an astonishing variation there. Absolutely incredible.” Victor, Andro and Dauno are father and sons. Victor, an extremely accomplished composer, teacher and leader in his field, leads the Martinez family. Do yourself a big favour and enjoy their captivating skills at Bluesfest 2010.

Wagons – Music watchers will know there is a big buzz surrounding the fourth album by Melbourne-based outfit Wagons – a group signed to high quality imprint Spunk Records. The Sydney Morning Herald gave the fourth Wagons album, The Rise And Fall Of Goodtown 4 stars, while The Age went further with 4.5 stars. The Herald Sun called Henry Wagons, “the next certified Australian rock star, he has Johnny Cash's oration and can be equally cantankerous, morbid, vulnerable and downright funny.” And we can’t neglect to mention the same 2009 record was named Album of the Year by The Age, Rhythms Magazine, Mess & Noise, PBS Radio – and was the feature album of the week just about everywhere! With influences as wildly diverse as Johnny Cash, Scott Walker, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Cormac McCarthy, Haruki Marukami, Rod Stewart and Skyhooks – Wagons are a formidable live band. We know there are so many great bands to see at Bluesfest 2010 – but people, you really must experience Wagons.

The Snowdroppers – The Snowdroppers call themselves gutter blues specialists and with damn good reason. We say: here is another emerging band that is guaranteed to be a whole lot of fun at Bluesfest 2010. Australian Guitar magazine named their debut record Too Late To Pray as album pick of the month in late 2009, and said, “If you can’t dance to this mix of jangling banjo, crisp guitars and plodding bass, then you’re already dead!” Taking their name from Sydney 1920’s slang for cocaine addicts, The Snowdroppers delight in bringing something dark and thrillingly nostalgic and by adding their own unique, modern interpretation (and bastardisation) of the old blues and country masters of the American south. We’re excited – and so is the Bluesfest online forum it’s worth adding – which has been discussing this band in some detail. See you front and centre!

Today’s new names join the artists unveiled in the first 4 Bluesfest announcements:

1ST ANNOUNCEMENT: Crowded House, Buddy Guy, Roger Hodgson from Supertramp, Gipsy Kings, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club®, Jeff Beck, Lyle Lovett, RocKwiz, Jimmy Barnes Plays the Rhythm & the Blues, Jessica Mauboy, The Swell Season, Newton Faulkner, Dr John & the Lower 911, Bèla Fleck’s African Project Featuring Oumou Sangarè & band, Blue King Brown, Al Di Meola World Sinfonia, Gogol Bordello, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Joe Bonamassa, Peter Green & friends, The Flatlanders, Avett Brothers, Justin Townes Earle, Renee Geyer, Colin Hay Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lil Band o’ Gold, Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express, AND Robert Gordon & the Gang They Couldn’t Hang - featuring Chris Spedding (Roxy Music), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), and Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats).

JACK JOHNSON ANNOUNCEMENT: Jack Johnson (exclusive to Bluesfest), Donavon Frankenreiter, Ozomatli, Galactic, A.L.O (Animal Liberation Orchestra), Matt Costa, Zee Avi, and Neil Halstead.

2ND ANNOUNCEMENT: The Fray, John Butler Trio, John Mayall, Taj Mahal, Matisyahu, Angus & Julia Stone, 10cc, Bebel Gilberto, Rodriguez, Jon Cleary: Piano, Bass & Drums, Ross Wilson’s Five Decades Of Cool, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker, Josh White Jr, Patty Larkin and The Greencards.

3RD ANNOUNCEMENT: Troy Cassar Daley, The Break featuring members of Midnight Oil & The Violent Femmes, Kev Carmody & Friends, Dan Sultan, Umphrey’s McGee, Galactic featuring Cyril Neville (Neville Brothers), Imelda May, Poor Man’s Whiskey (USA) performing their incredible creation ‘Dark Side of the Moonshine’, Music Maker Relief Foundation Proudly Presents: Pat ‘Mother Blues’ Cohen, Eddie Tigner, Dr G.B. Burt, Ardie Dean & Albert White, Jen Cloher & The Endless Sea, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Johnny Green’s Blues Cowboys, Warren H Williams, Narasirato Pan Pipers, Tijuana Cartel, Watussi, The Fumes, Grace Barbe, Tribali (Malta), and Chase The Sun.

4th ANNOUNCEMENT: Buddy Knox Band; Banawurun; John Cruz; Kamerunga; LJ Hill; Telek; The Flood; Zennith, Mojo Juju & the Snake Oil Merchants; The Barons of Tang; The Neo; Kaos Kreepshow, Daniel Champagne; Kim Churchill; Joe Robinson, Jason Isbell; EmDee; Eugene Hideaway Bridges; and Ray Beadle.

More news about coming to Bluesfest:

- Tickets for camping space at our new home at Tyagarah continue to sell fast and are a hot item, so make sure you reserve your spot before they all go - Saturday one night camping is close to capacity!

- The Blues Buddy Package is still available. You and a friend can enjoy five day festival and camping tickets for 2 people at $60 off the total normal cost. So that means more spending money at Bluesfest!

- The weather? The long range forecast is looking good, so fingers crossed. Also, there are still a few Tent Motels up for grabs, we managed to find room for more - buy yours now.

- VIP Saturday and Sunday Single Day tickets are now sold out! But Thursday, Friday and Sunday Single Day VIP tickets are still on offer, plus Limited 5 Day and 3 Day VIP tickets are still available.

- Car parking will be free at Bluesfest, but we're really encouraging people to use public transport to come and go to Bluesfest, and the Shuttle Bus drop off point is just 200 metres from the festival's Southern entrance.

More awards for Bluesfest – Australia’s most highly awarded festival!

September 2009 again saw Bluesfest recognised as an international winner in The Greener Festival awards. This was for an impressive three years in a row, more than any other Australian festival - and a tribute to the event’s ongoing and long-term commitment to environmental sustainability.

Bluesfest also just won the Rhythms Magazine Readers Poll for “Best Australian Festival” for the 16th time. Way to go and thank you to everyone who voted for us!

Bluesfest was also the first music festival to be nominated for a prestigious Australian Events Award. Bluesfest was nominated for the Best Cultural or Arts Event alongside the Sydney Festival 2009 and Adelaide Fringe 2009. The award eventually went to the 16th Biennale of Sydney. Bluesfest was also recently nominated as the Best Overseas Festival in the UK Festival Awards!

Unlike any other Australian event, Bluesfest has twice had the honour of being nominated as Best International Music Festival by US concert bible “Pollstar” in 2005 and 2006 alongside world renowned events such as Britain’s Glastonbury and Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival. And closer to home, Bluesfest has twice won the prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Music Festival in Australia, also in 2005 and 2006.

Tickets can be purchased by: Phoning the Bluesfest office on 02 6685 8310 or visiting the website at www.bluesfest.com.au