Byron Bay Bluesfest announce 10 Australian acts for 2021 lineup
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19.08.2020

Byron Bay Bluesfest announce 10 Australian acts for 2021 lineup

Photo by Dara Munnis
Words by Will Brewster

Featuring Tash Sultana, Hiatus Kaiyote, Kev Carmody and more.

After managing to re-book several of the international highlights from this year’s intended event, Bluesfest have now revealed their first all Australian artist announcement in preparation for their 2021 festival.

Comprising both contemporary talents and seasoned Aussie music veterans, the announcement sees the likes of Tash Sultana, Kev Carmody, Ian Moss, Hiatus Kaiyote, Russell Morris, Briggs, Kim Churchill, Mama Kin Spender, All Our Exes Live In Texas and Ziggy Alberts join the lineup, which already features Bon Iver, Jimmy Barnes, Patti Smith and George Benson.

Perhaps of note, Tash Sultana has announced that Byron Bay Bluesfest will be their only East Coast festival show for 2021, and will also mark the debut of a new live-set that sees the multi-talented looping dynamo joined onstage with a band for the first time.

“I’ve got to a point where the music I’ve written is beyond the capabilities of looping so I’ve decided to get a backing band to play the written parts live and I’m looking forward to performing them at Bluesfest next Easter,” Tash said in a statement circulated today.

The festival has also revealed that Ian Moss will be taking the stage directly before Jimmy Barnes’ headline set, surely promising for the legendary duo to link up and treat Bluesfest punters to a bit of Chisel magic.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Bluesfest Director Peter Noble OAM has also announced that it’s likely the 2021 festival will run at a limited capacity in outdoor environments in order to fit COVID-19 health regulations.

“There’s a number of all Australian line up announcements to come that includes ‘real’ headliners, Indigenous artists and Blues n Roots artists,” Noble said.

“We are setting ourselves up to put on another great Bluesfest albeit in a brand new way, There will be challenges, and we expect to be presenting a festival with a lower capacity and potentially outdoors in order to have a safe event. It is sad for us to see that a number of festivals will not go ahead.

“However, we are working with Government to present a safe event and be part of the return of ‘live’ music in this country. Whilst it is disheartening to hear that Woodford and Port Fairy Folk Festivals feel that the challenge of presenting is something they don’t want to take on right now, and which is totally understandable, it doesn’t mean that events cannot return, and I believe it is important for Bluesfest to be a part of that return and to help lead the way.”

You can check out the the Bluesfest 2021 lineup as it stands below, and grab your tickets here.

BYRON BAY BLUESFEST 2021
BON IVER
TASH SULTANA
JIMMY BARNES
GEORGE BENSON
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND
ZIGGY ALBERTS
THE TESKEY BROTHERS
JOHN BUTLER
XAVIER RUDD
THE CAT EMPIRE
KEV CARMODY
TROY CASSAR-DALEY
BRIGGS
IAN MOSS
RUSSELL MORRIS
KOOL & THE GANG
THE GIPSY KINGS
KASEY CHAMBERS
THE WAIFS
HIATUS KAIYOTE
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD
WEDDINGS PARTIES ANYTHING
NATHAN CAVALERI
LP
MORCHEEBA
THE BLACK SORROWS
MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA
CHAIN
BACKSLIDERS
TORI KELLY
BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE
THE WAILERS PERFORM SONGS FROM ‘LEGEND’
JIMMIE VAUGHAN
JOHN MAYALL
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
THE MARCUS KING BAND
CHRISTONE ‘KINGFISH’ INGRAM
LARKIN POE
HARTS PLAYS HENDRIX
ASH GRUNWALD
KIM CHURCHILL
MAMA KIN SPENDER
WALTER TROUT
THE BAMBOOS
ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS
THE WAR & TREATY
CORY HENRY & THE FUNK APOSTLES
MICK THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION
DAMI IM
PIERCE BROTHERS
EMILY WURRAMARA
ROSHANI
RAY BEADLE
HENRY WAGONS
HUSSY HICKS
PACEY, KING & DOLEY
DANIEL CHAMPAGNE
LITTLE GEORGIA
BUSKING COMPETITION & WINNERS
THE AUSTRALIAN AMERICANA MUSIC HONOURS

This article originally appeared on Mixdown.