The annual Bluesfest drip feed continues, with a formidable wave of new acts announced for Bluesfest 2015, including the “premiere reunion” of Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Paolo Nutini, David Gray, Ben Howard, Dispatch, Ruthie Foster, and Angelique Kidjo.
The second announcement also sees the addition of Counting Crows, Jimmy Cliff, Mavis Staples, Gary Clark Jr, The Beat, Keziah Jones, Playing For Change and Sheppard to the rapidly expanding Bluesfest 2015 bill.
Organisers got everyone riled up for the second reveal earlier this month when they confirmed that the latest wave of additions to the Bluesfest 2015 roster will not only be “jam packed with great artists”, but will also feature the world premiere reunion of “one of the greatest bands around the globe”, and they weren’t wrong.
While organisers insisted they couldn’t “give too much away”, the rumour mill quickly began churning, with everyone from Creedence Clearwater Revival, to Midnight Oil, The Kinks, Men At Work, and even ABBA subject to intense scrutiny. Organisers didn’t help, unveiling updates on their websites telling fans that the second lineup was “comin’ up around the bend” and asking, “Who will it be now?”
[include_post id=”417886″]
The announcement of Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals comes as good news to anyone with a true passion for folk, roots, blues, and rock music. Back together with his formidable band, The Innocent Criminals, Bluesfest veteran Ben Harper is sure to put on a show that Bluesfest punters will not be forgetting any time soon.
The Bluesfest 2015 lineup kicked off in spectacular style last month, when organisers announced a headlining spot from The Black Keys, who helmed an immense first announcement that also featured the likes of Zac Brown Band, Alabama Shakes, Train, Michael Franti & Spearhead, and modern funk progenitors George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic.
Things were rounded out by appearances from Paul Kelly, who’ll be bringing his Merri Soul Sessions to life on the famed Bluesfest stage, veritable national treasure Xavier Rudd, the supremely talented Beth Hart, The Bronx’s sizzling alter ego, Mariachi El Bronx, and of course, the highly anticipated return of Rockwiz Live.
The award-winning five-day blues, roots, folk, and rock event is held annually over the Easter long weekend at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just north of Byron Bay. Today’s announcement is just the second in a series of reveals that will be rolled out in the lead-up to the festival’s launch this April.
Festival chief Peter Noble is predicting one of the biggest lineups in recent years, with a diverse range of international heavyweights, returning Bluesfest veterans, and plenty of talented festival debutantes, all coming together to make the 26th instalment of Byron Bay Bluesfest something special.
Byron Bay Bluesfest 2015
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Paolo Nutini
David Gray
Ben Howard
Counting Crows
Gary Clark Jr
Angelique Kidjo
Jimmy Cliff
Mavis Staples
Dispatch
Ruthie Foster
The Beat
Keziah Jones
Sheppard
Playing For Change
joining…
The Black Keys
Zac Brown Band
Alabama Shakes
Train
Michael Franti & Spearhead
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions feat Dan Sultan, Kira Puru, & Vika And Linda Bull
Xavier Rudd and The United Nations
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Rebelution
Soja
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Beth Hart
Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls
Mariachi El Bronx
G. Love & Special Sauce
Pokey Lafarge
Band Of Skulls
Rockwiz Live
+ more to be announced!
Thursday, 2nd April – Monday, 6th April 2015
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay NSW
Tickets: Byron Bay Bluesfest | Moshtix | Ticketmaster
