UPDATE: Kesha Cancels Bluesfest Appearance, Postpones 2018 Australian Tour
ORIGINAL STORY: The multi-course feast that is the Bluesfest 2018 lineup has just been rounded out with one final dish.
Fans will now be able to sink their ears into the musical stylings of soul legend Leon Bridges, rocker Ryan McMullan, soul/reggae champ and Playing for Change vocalist Clarence Bekker, multi-instrumental busking dynamo Tay Oskee and quirky folk-popster Molly Millington, who cap off the last bunch of lineup additions for this year’s festivities.
They join previously announced acts like Lauren Hill, Kesha, Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge, Robert Plant, Lionel Ritchie and Seal, alongside local favourites like Holy Holy, Dan Sultan and guitar master Harts at the Byron Bay blowout.
“This has become such a special year… ” says festival boss Peter Noble. “Full of amazing artists, Grammy Winners past and present… plenty of great female artists, like Ms. Lauryn Hill, Kesha, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, First Aid Kit AND Australia’s wunderkind Tash Sultana… just to name a few.
“We have got it covered from the Legends to the latest contemporary artists… Lionel Richie and Robert Plant… to the John Butler Trio and Ms. Lauryn Hill… from Boomerang, our indigenous festival within a festival, to just about the best artist bill we have had so far. It’s not hard to see why – we have been nominated Best International Music Festival by the American Pollstar Awards – SIX TIMES IN A ROW.
“And here we go with more great artists,” he continues. “Grammy nominated Leon Bridges represents the future of Soul & Gospel music, and we are proud to announce he will be doing two shows at Bluesfest 2018, next Easter… his career is heading for the stratosphere.
Bluesfest 2018 will take place at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm just outside of Byron Bay over the Easter long weekend, with multiple stages, food and market stalls, on-site camping and 12 hours of music each day.
Peep the full lineup below or catch the full list of sideshows here.
Bluesfest 2018 Lineup
LEON BRIDGES
RYAN MCMULLAN
PLAYING FOR CHANGE PRESENTS THE CLARENCE BEKKER BAND
TAY OSKEE
MOLLY MILLINGTON
Joining…
Boomerang Festival Additions
THE STRIDES
YIRRMAL
SORONG SAMARAI
BENNY WALKER
NARAS
MOVE IT MOB STYLE
ERIC AVERY
TE KOPERE MAORI HEALERS
JANNAWI DANCE CLAN
MUGGERA DANCERS
BUNDJALUNG LOCAL ARTISANS AND WEAVERS
Joining…
DAN SULTAN
ALL OUR EXES LIVE IN TEXAS
CHAIN
CON BRIO
MIA DYSON
SHAUN KIRK
CAITI BAKER
STEVE SMYTH
DOG TRUMPET
HANLON BROTHERS
Joining…
LAURYN HILL
Joining… (Third Announcement)
KESHA
SHERYL CROW
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
JUANES
SEU JORGE
ZIGGY ALBERTS
ÁSGEIR
NEWTON FAULKNER
AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM
HARRY MANX
HARTS
HOLY HOLY
WILLIAM CRIGHTON
ELEPHANT SESSIONS
Joining… (Second Announcement)
YOUSSOU N’DOUR
SEAL
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD
JACKSON BROWNE
JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT
GOMEZ
RAG ’N’ BONE MAN
THE ORIGINAL BLUES BROTHERS BAND
JIMMY CLIFF
THE WAILERS
BENJAMIN BOOKER
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF
CANNED HEAT
WALTER TROUT
ANDRE CYMONE
THE TESKEY BROTHERS
Joining… (First Announcement)
ROBERT PLANT AND THE SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS
LIONEL RICHIE
THE JOHN BUTLER TRIO
TASH SULTANA
THE NEW POWER GENERATION
CHIC FEATURING NILE RODGERS
FIRST AID KIT
JOSE GONZALEZ
MORCHEEBA
GOV’T MULE
LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL
THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS
ERIC GALES
BOBBY RUSH
DUMPSTAPHUNK
JOE LOUIS WALKER
RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS
Bluesfest 2018
Thursday, 29th March — Monday, 2nd April
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay
Tickets: Official Website
