Bluesfest Touring have added even more headline shows to their 2015 touring calendar, announcing new sideshows for Bluesfest festival performers Donavon Frankenreiter, SOJA and Blue King Brown, JJ Grey and Dispatch.
Frankenreiter is one of the most recent additions to the Bluesfest lineup, and has already lined up a show in Western Australia supporting Michael Franti. The singer songwriter is an avowed fan of Australia, and is reaffirming his love of the country with a huge 17-date tour around the festival.
Funk and reggae groups SOJA and Blue King Brown will join forces for just one sideshow, at Brisbane’s brand-spanking-new venue The Triffid. Meanwhile, esteemed Florida blues outfit JJ Grey & MOFRO (formerly just MOFRO) hit Sydney for a single sideshow at The Basement, and rootsy Bostonians Dispatch have locked in their first-ever Australian headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Details below.
Also announced today are a new Gold Coast headline date for The Gipsy Kings, Adelaide and Wollongong shows for Jurassic 5, and a Hobart date for Michael Franti & Spearhead. Click through for those details, check out details from new Bluesfest tours below, and find all Bluesfest sideshows over on our Sideshows Feed.
Donavon Frankenreiter
An accomplished musician, surfer, and renowned for his iconic moustache and quick-witted humour, Frankenreiter’s tour will be focusing on Australian regional and surf towns. He’ll perform material from his fifth full-length album, Start Livin’, as well as old fan favourites. The follow-up to 2010’s Glow is another intimate, folk-infused treasure chest showcasing Frankenreiter’s rich vocals and masterful guitar work.
The tour kicks off in Dee Why a week before Bluesfest, and wraps a couple of weeks later with a huge show at Perth’s Red Hill Auditorium alongside Michael Franti and Blue King Brown. Tickets on sale 15th January.
Thursday, 26th March
Lizottes, Dee Why NSW
Tickets: Lizottes
Friday, 27th March
Cambridge, Newcastle NSW
Tickets: Bigtix and OzTix
Saturday, 28th March
The Factory, Sydney
Tickets: Bluesfest Touring
Sunday, 29th March
Beachcomber, Central Coast
Tickets: Bigtix and OzTix
Wednesday, 1st April
Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
Tickets: Offbeat Operations
Thursday, 2nd April
Miami Tavern Shark Bar, Miami QLD
Tickets: Moshtix
Sunday, 5th April
Wharf Tavern, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD
Tickets: Moshtix
Monday, 6th April
Harvey Road Tavern, Gladstone, QLD
Tickets: Moshtix
Wednesday, 8th April
Mangums, Airlie Beach, QLD
Tickets: Moshtix
Thursday, 9th April
Jezzine Barracks, Townsville, QLD
Tickets: OzTix
Friday, 10th April
The Corner, Melbourne VIC
Tickets: Bluesfest Touring
Saturday, 11th April 2015
Barwon Heads Hotel, VIC
Tickets: Bluesfest Touring
Sunday, 12th April
Blues on the Parade, Adelaide VIC
Tickets: Moshtix
Wednesday, 15th April
Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
Tickets: Moshtix
Thursday, 16th April
The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Tickets: The Triffid
Friday, 17th April
Tanks, Cairns QLD
Tickets: Ticket Link
Saturday, 18th April
w/ Michael Franti & Blue King Brown
Red Hill Auditorium, Perth, WA
Tickets: OzTix
Soja + Blue King Brown
Washington DC outfit SOJA (Soldiers Of Jah Army) have been touring their blend of reggae, go-go, D.C. hardcore, Latin, rock and hip-hop for over 15 years, sharing stages with the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Incubus and Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley to name a few. They’re touring their latest, fifth studio album, Amid the Noise and Haste, and have already announced two performances as part of Michael Franti’s Soulshine festival.
Australian urban roots and reggae powerhouse, Blue King Brown, will join SOJA at a special one-off show in Brisbane. The ARIA nominees have just released their new album Born Free, which was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica & Australia.
Tickets on sale 15th January.
Saturday, 4th April
The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Tickets: Bluesfest
JJ GREY & MOFRO
JJ Grey began touring as Mofro in the late ’90s, with a lyrical directness, and backbeats that crossed Steve Cropper with George Clinton, as his fan base grew from a modest group of loyal initiates into something resembling a national coalition. According to Grey, new release, Ol’ Glory, captures “that crucial lived-in feel” that defines his performances.
This will be his only Australian performance outside of Bluesfest. Tickets on sale 15th January.
Monday, 6th April
The Basement, Sydney NSW
Tickets: Bluesfest
Dispatch
Dispatch, hailing from the United States, are true entertainers – super talented and super energetic. The indie folk/roots rock/reggae/fusion band will perform their first ever headline shows in Australia in April, playing classics and material from their 2012 album Circles Around The Sun. On their first trip to Australia, the band say, “For years we’ve wanted to perform in Australia! Here we are, 15 years deep into our musical career and it’s FINALLY time. We can hardly wait to get over there in 2015 and play songs spanning our whole career for you – we promise it will be worth the wait! See you soon!”
As well as headline shows, Dispatch will also be supporting Zac Brown Band in Melbourne and Sydney. Tickets for their own shows go on sale 16th January.
Tuesday, 7th April
Prince Ballroom, Melbourne
Tickets: OzTix
Wednesday, 8th April
The Factory, Sydney
Tickets: Factory Theatre
