Bluesfest Boss Peter Noble On Booking Eagles Of Death Metal: "This Is A Time To Show Support"

The mammothByron Bay Bluesfest 2016 lineup today got a serious injection of soul-scratchin, ’70s-tinged blues rock with the inclusion of Eagles Of Death Metal who will be heading our way for the festival for their first Australian shows since the horrific Paris attacks which saw 89 people shot at their Paris show at the Bataclan.

Speaking to Music Feeds today Bluesfest founder Peter Noble described the Eagles Of Death Metal‘s decision to keep touring following the attacks as inspiring. “The fact that they are coming out and playing live, I just can’t think of a braver act by a band,” he said.

Discussing the decision to book the band, Noble says it was very much business as usual. “Those of us in the music industry that feel that this is important, from all around the world have gone out and supported the band’s desire to tour by the simple act of booking them.”

Expressing his immense regard, he was awed that they were continuing to tour despite “the trauma that they went through” and expressed nothing but respect for the band, saying they “will never live down what happened to them”.

“They’re out touring from February this month, and it only happened in November. To think that in less than four months after what happened to them they’re going to be playing Bluesfest, I just go hats off to ya”, he said.

Not all have been so supportive. Some members of Bluesfest forum members have expressed concern over the band’s inclusion on the line-up, concerns that Noble dismisses entirely as ridiculous.

“There are some people there that really need to get a life,” he said. “This is a time to show support. For those of us who love music, the best tribute we can give is to go out and see live music.”

It’s not just Australia that is getting a visit of course, with the band currently preparing to tour Europe, including a return to Paris. With South America to follow before heading our way, the band’s tenacity in the face of tragedy is moving and truly rock’n’roll \m/.

Addressing Bluesfest ticket holders and music fans every Noblel said: “We just need to go out and give a simple statement; that bands really do have to right to entertain and for people to be entertained, and culture should not bow or be stopped by the acts of crazy madmen. It’s that simple.”

Damn straight.

Bluesfest has already announced a number of huge acts including Kendrick Lamar, Modest Mouse, D’Angelo and The National. Check out the full final lineup announcement below and stay tuned for our full interview with Peter Noble, up soon.

UPDATE 05/02/16: Read our full chat with the Bluesfest boss here.

Watch: Eagles Of Death Metal – I Want You So Hard

Bluesfest 2016 Lineup Additions

The Mick Fleetwood Band

Eagles Of Death Metal

Playing For Change Band

Chain

Backsliders

Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Irish Mythen

Digging Roots

Frazey Ford

Marshall Okell

Sahara Beck

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks

Joining…

Modest Mouse

Richard Clapton

Ash Grunwald

Graham Nash

Kamasi Washington

Elle King

Blind Boy Paxton

Dustin Thomas

Wards Xpress

Raw Earth.

Joining

The “Original” Blues Brothers Band

Don McLean

Russell Morris

The Blind Boys Of Alabama

Jeff Martin (The Tea Party)

Archie Roach

Tex Perkins & The Ape

The Mastersons

Hussy Hicks

East Journey

Joining

D’Angelo And The Vanguard

Cold War Kids

Hiatus Kaiyote

Houndmouth

Fantastic Negrito

Con Brio

Kaleo

Mike Love

The Bros. Landreth

Kim Churchill

Mojo Juju

Pierce Brothers

Harts

Steve Smyth

Joining

Melissa Etheridge

Kendrick Lamar

Tom Jones

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

The Decemberists

Jason Isbell

Sturgill Simpson

Tweedy

Steve Earle and The Dukes

The Wailers

Grace Potter

Lord Huron

Nahko and Medicine For The People

Vintage Trouble

Lucky Peterson

Emdee

Blackberry Smoke

Joining

The National – Bluesfest exclusive

City And Colour

UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue – Bluesfest exclusive

Joe Bonamassa – Bluesfest exclusive

Tedeschi Trucks Band

The Cat Empire

Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of The Real

The Word

Rhiannon Giddens

Janiva Magness

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Allen Stone

The Selecter

Shakey Graves

Songhoy Blues