# Byron Bay Bluesfest

The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay, New South Wales, area since 1990. The festival features a large selection of blues and roots performers from Australia and around the world and is one of the world's leading contemporary music festivals.
The festival was founded by Dan Doeppel and Kevin Oxford in 1990 and is run by Peter Noble who joined Oxford for the 1994 event. It has been held at several locations in and around Byron Bay and is currently held at Tyagarah, 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Byron Bay town. Originally running for four days, it now runs for five days, from Thursday to Monday.
The Boomerang Festival is an event within the festival dedicated to Indigenous Australian performance, art and culture.
Bluesfest 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be held for the final time in 2025.

## Ticketing and Resale

Bluesfest has partnered with Moshtix for its ticketing services, ensuring fans have a reliable and secure method to purchase their passes to the festival. Recognizing the need for flexibility and the unpredictable nature of attendees' plans. Attendees looking to resell their tickets can easily do so by listing their passes on the platform. This partnership reflects Bluesfest's commitment to enhancing attendee experience and combatting the issues associated with ticket scalping and fraud.

## History

The festival began in 1990 at the Arts Factory in Byron Bay as a four-day blues music event over the Easter weekend. It was founded by Dan Doeppel and Kevin Oxford in 1990 and is now run by Peter Noble who joined Oxford for the 1994 event.
It has been held at several locations in and around Byron Bay and is currently held at Tyagarah, 11 kilometres drive north of Byron Bay town. It now runs for five days, from Thursday to Monday. From an original crowd of 6,000, it now attracts annual audiences of over 101,000 across the five days. Patrons range from locals to international visitors from a wide age range, including celebrities such as Matt Damon, Jason Momoa and Chris Hemsworth.
In December 2004, Keven Oxford, a director and founder of the event, left the festival and sold his 50% share of the company to a consortium comprising Michael Chugg (managing director of Sydney-based Michael Chugg Entertainment), Daryl Herbert (CEO of Melbourne-based Definitive Events) and Glenn Wheatley (CEO of Melbourne-based Talentworks), who ran the festival with co-founder Peter Noble. Noble bought out the consortium in 2008 and now owns the festival alone. In 2010 Bluesfest moved to its permanent home at the 120-hectare Tyagarah Tea Tree farm.
In 2014, the Boomerang Festival was introduced as part of Bluesfest. This is an event within the festival dedicated to Indigenous Australian performance, art and culture.
The event will be held for the final time in 2025.

### 2020

Bluesfest 2020 was the first of 31 Bluesfests to be cancelled, due to event restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

### 2021

The 2021 event, scheduled for 1–5 April, was cancelled one day before it was to commence after a COVID-19 case was detected in Byron Bay. A public health order to shut down the music festival was signed by the Minister for Health Brad Hazzard. As of 17 February the festival was still going ahead as the NSW Government had approved its COVID safety plan. It was to have been about half the size of previous Bluesfests, and be fully seated. Only Australian artists were to play. Evelyn Richardson, of live performance industry body Live Performance Australia, estimated the sudden cancellation had caused an A$10 million loss. Eddie Brook of the Cape Byron Distillery said that Bluesfest was worth A$100 million to the local economy.
Another event was arranged for October 2021, but on 17 August it was cancelled.

### 2022

The 2022 Bluesfest took place on 15–19 April. Around 100,000 people attended the festival.

### 2023

In November 2022 it was announced that, in addition to the 34th annual Byron Bay Festival being held on 6–10 April 2023, the inaugural Bluesfest Melbourne will take place on 8–9 April. Controversy about the line-up erupted after controversial band Sticky Fingers was included in the line-up. This resulted in Melbourne band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and rapper Sampa the Great withdrawing from the festival in protest. Bluesfest director, Peter Noble, defended the decision to include the band stating that the lead singer of Sticky Fingers had apologised for his past actions and called for the artists to stop living in the past. After weeks of backlash, it was announced that Sticky Fingers would no longer be on the lineup. Around 70,000 people attended the Byron Bay festival.

## Awards
### Summary (Bluesfest)

* 1 win at the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards Memphis - For Festival Director Peter Noble
* 8 wins at the NSW Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events (6 Gold, 2 Silver)
* 6 wins at the North Coast Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events
* 4 wins at the Helpmann Awards for Best Contemporary Music Festival, Ceremony for Australia's most talented and celebrated performers and industry
* 6 wins at the Australian Event Awards for Australian Event of the Year
* 10 nominations at the Pollstar Awards (US) for International Festival of the Year (6 in a row from 2012- incl 2017)
* 1 nomination at the Pollstar Awards (US) for International Festival of the Decade

### Bluesfest Awards

* 2024 Festival of the Year, Variety Australia Awards
* 2023 Silver Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Award
* 2022 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Award
* 2019 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2018 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event - Australian Event Awards
* 2018 Keeping the Blues Alive Award Memphis - For Festival Director Peter Noble
* 2017 Gold Major Festivals & Events - NSW Tourism Awards (After winning Gold 3rd time in a row Bluesfest entered the NSW Tourism Hall of Fame)
* 2017 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2016 Gold Major Festival & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2016 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2016 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2016 Order of Australia Medal (OAM), Won by Festival Director, Peter Noble ‘For service to live and recorded music, to tourism, and to the community.’
* 2015 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2015 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2015 Pan Australasian Festival Of The Year, Canadian Music Week International Festival Awards
* 2014 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2014 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Australian Event Award
* 2014 Gold Major Festival & Event, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2014 'The Rolling Stone Award' Won by Festival Director, Peter Noble
* 2014 Silver Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2013 Silver Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event Australian Event Awards
* 2013 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2013 Gold Major Festivals & Events, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2013 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2013 Best Contemporary Music Festival Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2013 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2012/13 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 2012 Silver Major Festival & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2012 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2011 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 2011 Gold Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2011 Business Excellence Award, North Coast Tourism Awards
* 2010 Australian Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards
* 2010 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 2009 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 200 Grammy Award, ‘Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album’, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience (AIM Records artist)
* 2008 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 2007 The International A Greener Festival Award
* 2006 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2005 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 1998 – 2013 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – "Best Australian Festival"
* 1994 - 96 Readers Poll Award, Rhythms Magazine – "Best Australian Festival"

### Bluesfest nominations

* 2022 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year
* 2022 Best Cultural/Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2021 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Decade
* 2019 Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year
* 2017 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2016 International Music Festival of the Year, 28th Pollstar Awards (2017)
* 2016 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2015 International Music Festival of the Year, 27th Pollstar Awards (2016)
* 2015 Best Contemporary Music Festival Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2014 Major Festivals & Events, NSW Tourism Awards
* 2014 Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2014 Best Tourism Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2014 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2014 Best New Event for Boomerang Festival, Australian Event Awards
* 2013 International Festival of the Year 25th Pollstar Awards (2014)
* 2013 Best Tourism Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2012 International Festival of the Year 24th Pollstar Awards (2013)
* 2012 Best Cultural/Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2012 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Robert Helpmann Awards
* 2011 Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2011 Best Achievement in Sustainability, Australian Event Awards
* 2009 Best Cultural or Arts Event, Australian Event Awards
* 2009 Best Overseas Festival, UK Festival Awards
* 200 Grammy Award, ‘Best Tropical Latin Album’, Greetings From Havana - Cubanismo (AIM Records artist)
* 2008 Best Contemporary Music Festival, Australian Helpmann Awards
* 2007 International Music Festival of the Year from the esteemed US based Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

## Past lineups
### 2007

The line-up for the 2007 festival included:
* Rodriguez (US)
* Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals (US)
* John Mayer (US)
* Missy Higgins
* Wolfmother
* Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (US)
* Bonnie Raitt (US)
* Bo Diddley (US)
* Taj Mahal (US)
* Tony Joe White (US)
* The Roots (US)
* Kasey Chambers
* John Butler Trio
* Fat Freddys Drop (NZ)
* Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars (Sierra Leone)
* Fishbone (USA)
* Gomez (UK)
* Fred Eaglesmith (CAN)
* Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch with Fats Kaplin (US)
* Feist (Canada)
* The Waifs
* Ben Kweller (US)
* Flogging Molly (US)
* Xavier Rudd
* The NEO
* Pappa Jam

### 2008

The 2008 festival was held at the 26 acres (110,000 m$^2$) Belongil Fields, the original outdoor venue. The 2008 festival had more food and craft stalls, a covered area where festival goers could eat at tables, a chill-out area, plus an area for an additional, fifth stage.
Artists in 2008 included Buddy Guy, Eskimo Joe, The John Butler Trio, Gotye, The Beautiful Girls, Newton Faulkner, Seasick Steve, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, John P. Hammond, John Hiatt, Ray Davies, Maceo Parker, Loudon Wainwright III, Ozomatli, Ruthie Foster, Jake Shimabukuro, Keith Urban, Amali Ward, Lior, MOFRO, Dan Sultan, Jeff Lang, The Cat Empire, Clare Bowditch, Raul Midon and Xavier Rudd.

### 2011

The line-up for the 2011 festival included:
* Bob Dylan
* B. B. King
* Grace Jones
* Ben Harper and Relentless7
* Elvis Costello and the Imposters
* Leon Russell
* George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic
* Jethro Tull
* ZZ Top
* John Legend
* Michael Franti and Spearhead
* Gurrumul
* Toots and the Maytals
* Luciano and Jah Messenjah Band
* Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Aaron Neville
* Paul Kelly
* Buffy Sainte-Marie
* Warren Haynes and his Allstar Band
* Rodrigo y Gabriela
* Fistful of Mercy
* Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Band
* Imogen Heap
* Ernest Ranglin
* Robert Randolph and the Family Band
* The Cat Empire
* Mavis Staples
* Kasey Chambers
* Clare Bowditch
* Little Feat
* Indigo Girls
* Osibisa
* Tim Finn
* Raúl Malo
* Wolfmother
* Xavier Rudd
* Funky Meters
* Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
* Irma Thomas
* Fishbone
* Los Lobos
* Trinity Roots
* Kate Miller-Heidke
* Michelle Shocked
* Jeff Lang
* Saltwater Band
* Washington
* Jack Thompson and the Original Sinner
* Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
* Neil Murray
* Ash Grunwald
* Eli "Paperboy" Reed
* C. W. Stoneking
* Tim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band
* Eric Bibb
* Ruthie Foster
* Tony Joe White
* Joe Louis Walker
* Frank Yamma
* The Bamboos
* The Aggrolites
* Resin Dogs
* Yodelice
* Shane Nicholson
* Lisa Miller
* The Dingoes
* Leah Flanagan
* Bobby Long
* Lowrider
* Dale Watson and His Lone Stars
* Barrence Whitfield
* The Blackwater Fever
* Phil Jones and the Unknown Blues

### 2012

The line-up for the 2012 festival included:
* Cold Chisel
* John Fogerty performing the songs of Creedence Clearwater Revival
* Crosby, Stills & Nash
* Earth, Wind & Fire
* The Pogues
* The Specials
* John Butler Trio
* My Morning Jacket
* Yes
* Buddy Guy
* Donovan
* Lucinda Williams
* Maceo Parker
* G3 featuring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather
* Ziggy Marley
* Brian Setzer's Rockabilly Riot!
* John Hiatt & the Combo
* Angelique Kidjo
* Sublime with Rome
* Zappa Plays Zappa
* Slightly Stoopid
* Jonny Lang
* Seasick Steve
* Kenny Wayne Shepherd
* Keb' Mo'
* Candi Staton
* Nick Lowe
* Steve Earle
* Justin Townes Earle
* Yann Tiersen
* Josh Pyke
* Bettye LaVette
* Rosie Ledet
* Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
* Weddings Parties Anything
* Great Big Sea
* Seth Lakeman
* Blue King Brown
* The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson
* David Bromberg Quartet
* Canned Heat
* Melbourne Ska Orchestra
* Alabama 3
* Dawes
* Vusi Mahlasela
* Backsliders
* Richard Clapton
* Blitzen Trapper
* The Audreys
* Eugene Bridges
* Ray Beadle
* James Vincent McMorrow
* Eilen Jewell
* 1814
* Joanne Shaw Taylor
* Hat Fitz & Cara
* Harry Manx
* Tribali
* Watussi
* Eagle and the Worm
* Mick Thomas' Roving Commission
* Mat McHugh (The Beautiful Girls)
* The Hands
* Mama Kin
* Tijuana Cartel
* Busby Marou
* Benjalu
* Bobby Alu
* Dan Hannaford
* Carus Thompson
* Daniel Champagne
* Dubmarine
* Kim Churchill
* Dallas Frasca
* Mason Rack Band
* Lachlan Bryan
* Marshall O'Kell
* Claude Hay
* Ashleigh Mannix
* Round Mountain Girls
* Ollie Brown
* Mojo Bluesman
* Kooii
* Harry Healy
* Blackbirds
* Mick McHugh
* Minnie Marks
* Young Sounds of Byron

### 2013

The line-up for the 2013 festival included:

### 2014

The line-up for the 2014 festival included:

### 2015

The line-up for the 2015 festival included:

### 2016

The line-up for the 2016 festival included:

### 2017

The line-up for the 2017 festival included:

### 2018

The line-up for the 2018 festival included:

### 2019

The line-up for 2019 included:

### 2020

Bluesfest 2020 was cancelled on 16 March 2020 due to the Public Health COVID-19 Public Events Order 2020.
The line-up for 2020 was set to include:

### 2021

Bluesfest 2021 was cancelled on 31 March 2021 by order of the Minister for Health and Medical Research, due to the discovery of a positive COVID-19 case in Byron Bay the previous day.
The line-up for 2021 was set to include:
Bluesfest 2021 was rescheduled to Friday, 1 October 2021 to Monday, 4 October 2021. The revised line-up for 2021 was set to include:
On 17 August 2021, Bluesfest 2021 was once again cancelled due to COVID-19, and will not be rescheduled. The majority of the announced lineup has been confirmed for Bluesfest 2022, which took place over its original Easter weekend scheduling.

### 2023

The 2023 Byron Bay Bluesfest ran from the 6th to the 10th of April and the line-up included the following artists.
* Gang of Youths
* Paolo Nutini (UK)
* Tash Sultana
* Bonnie Raitt (US)
* The Doobie Brothers (US)
* Buddy Guy (US)
* Joe Bonamassa (US)
* Jackson Browne (US)
* Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (US)
* Lucinda Williams (US)
* Counting Crows (US)
* Beck (US)
* Mavis Staples (US)
* Archie Roach Tribute
* Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (US)
* Michael Franti & Spearhead (US)
* Jon Stevens (NZ)
* Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue(US)
* LP (US)
* The Cat Empire
* Xavier Rudd
* Kaleo (ICL)
* Yirrmal
* Beth Hart (US)
* Marcus King (US)
* Eric Gales (US)
* Steve Earle (US)
* St. Paul & The Broken Bones (US)
* Lisa Hunt Forever Soul (US/AUS)
* Larkin Poe (US)
* Keb' Mo' Band (US)
* Tex Perkins & Matt Walker
* Allison Russell (CAN)
* Frank Turner (UK)
* Chain
* The Angels
* Spinifex Gum
* Femi Kuti & The Positive Force (NGR)
* Dami Im
* Christone Ingram (US)
* Vintage Trouble (US)
* Backsliders
* Ray Beadle Stax of Blues
* Ash Grunwald
* Clarence Bekker Band (Global)
* Eric Stang (US)
* The Bros. Landreth (CAN)
* Steve 'n' Seagulls (FIN)
* Greensky Bluegrass (US)
* Eugene Bridges (US)
* Lachy Doley & the Horns of Conviction
* Fools
* Southern Avenue (US)
* Steve Poltz (CAN/US)
* Nikki Hill (US)
* Coterie (AUS/NZ)
* Dog Trumpet
* Frank Sultana
* 19-Twenty
* Daniel Champagne
* Round Mountain Girls
* Bobby Alu
* Hussy Hicks
* Roshani
* Electric Cadillac (INO)
* Jerome Williams
* Bud Rokesky
* Buttered
* Loose Content
* RockWiz Live!

### 2024

The 2024 Byron Bay Bluesfest ran from the 28th of March to the 1st of April and the line-up included the following artists.
* Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals (US)
* Jimmy Barnes
* Jack Johnson (US)
* Tom Jones (UK)
* The Teskey Brothers
* Matt Corby
* Tedeschi Trucks Band (US)
* Portugal. The Man (US)
* Infectious Grooves Ft. Suicidal Tendencies, Slipknot, Metallica & Velvet Revolver (US)
* L.A.B. (NZ)
* Ziggy Alberts
* Katie Melua (UK)
* The Cruel Sea
* Elvis Costello & the Imposters (UK)
* The Dead South (CAN)
* Peter Garrett & the Alter-Egos
* Taj Mahal (US)
* Tommy Emmanuel
* Tim Finn (NZ)
* Snarky Puppy (US)
* The Waifs
* PJ Morton (US)
* Blind Boys of Alabama (US)
* Rickie Lee Jones (US)
* Drive-by Truckers (US)
* Meshell Ndegeocello (US/GER)
* Ian Moss
* The Paper Kites
* The Whitlams Black Stump Band
* Brad Cox
* Allman Betts Band Family Revival Ft. Larry McCray & Ally Venable (US)
* Dan Sultan
* Coterie (AUS/NZ)
* Playing For Change (Global)
* Yirrmal
* Newton Faulkner (UK)
* Taj Farrant (US/AUS)
* 19-Twenty
* Lisa Hunt Forever Soul (US/AUS)
* Steve Poltz (CAN/US)
* Dirty Honey (US)
* Fiona Boyes & the Fortune Tellers
* The Turner Brown Band (US/AUS)
* Harry Manx (IOM/CAN)
* Erja Lyytinen (FIN)
* Jackie Venson (US)
* Pierce Brothers
* Clayton Doley Bayou Billabong
* Here Come the Mummies (US)
* Caravana Sun
* WILSN
* Little Quirks
* eMDee
* Velvet Trip
* Hussy Hicks
* Jerome Williams
* Ben Swissa
* Blues Arcadia
* Women of Soul Collective
* Roshani
* Sweet Talk
* Perry Street Park
* Da Manager
* RockWiz Live!

### 2025

The 2025 Byron Bay Bluesfest will run from the 17th of April to the 20th of April and the line-up will include the following artists: