Our valued broadcast partners will be back on board bringing you interviews with some of your favourite artists on site this year.

This week Double J are giving one lucky Bluesfest fan and their ‘music bestie’ the chance to win the ultimate music expedition, with an incredible VIP Bluesfest experience up for grabs. The prize includes flights, accommodation, VIP tickets, a tour of backstage, and even a chance to watch your favourite artist from the side of stage!

Head over here for all the info on how to enter!  It’s simple. They just need 50 words or less about your music bestie.

Entries close on Monday 2 March 2020.

Check out some highlights from Double J at Bluesfest in previous years!

The post WIN a Double J VIP Bluesfest Experience appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

With a collection of selected artists set to perform two songs each – one of their own and one in collaboration with another musician from the line-up with a choice of songs that can be old, new, original or covers providing it is within context of Americana Music. Backed by a great house band for the night is all about performing great music.

John Butler

Troy Cassar-Daley

Kasey Chambers

Ash Grunwald

Hussy Hicks

The Waifs

The War and Treaty

Hosted by Henry Wagons

Tickets on sale now

The post Australian Americana Music Honours 2020 appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

As the Easter Long Weekend draws nearer, it’s about time we dropped another lineup of discovery artists to get you all inspired! From local delights to a blend of ancestry roots, we know this group will not disappoint. Want to know what you’re in for now? Have a listen below!

1. Harts play Hendrix

Talented multi-instrumentalist Harts will play a special Jimi Hendrix tribute show.

2. Micki Free

Funny and irresistible blues & rock aficionado.

3. Here Come The Mummies

A ‘terrifying funk from beyond the grave’, brought to you by an eight-piece funk-rock band of 5,000 year-old Egyptian Mummies. 

4. Dami Im

Australian singer-songwriter and virtuoso on piano, Dami Im has topped the ARIA charts, released 4 acclaimed studio albums and has performed all over the world. Not to mention she became Eurovision Royalty in 2016 with her song “Sound of Silence”! 

5. Morgane Ji

An uncategorisable rock-pop musician and practitioner of world electronic music, of African, Indian and Asian roots. Morgane Ji strives to create the unexpected.

6. Emily Wurramara

Containing stories from her heart and childhood sung in both English and her traditional language, Emily Wurramara’s debut EP ‘Black Smoke’ amassed over 1 million Spotify streams, rotation on Triple J and a Queenslad Music Award.

7. Dirty Honey

Their straight-up-no-apologies-no-explanations-needed music has been called “new-fashioned rock ’n roll.” Dirty Honey bring you meaty melodies, explosive dynamics, tight grooves, bellowing vocals, and guitar riffs that come at you like a heavyweight haymaker.

8. Roshani

An explosive multi-instrumental one-woman prodigy of Sri Lankin decent – a sound that was developed while living in her van, busking on the streets and travelling wherever the wind took her. Roshani is as captivating and uplifting as her life story.

9. MY BABY

Spinning roots driven hypnotic dance – a sound informed by gospel and blues singing fused with ancient folk melodies. Come to Bluesfest to see MY BABY spread  their psychedelic blues-trance rave.

10. Hussy Hicks

Known for their emotive lyricism critically acclaimed Australian act, Hussy Hicks are a tour de force featuring Leesa Gentz’ powerhouse soul vocals and Julz Parker’s revered guitar skills.

11. LamBros.

Brothers Connor & Harry Lambrou have been entertaining audiences with their unique brand of music, and infectious passion at venues all across Australia.  2020 has them gearing up for a jam-packed year of shows and releases.  

12. THE REGIME

A 12-piece funk collective, dripping with raw sexual energy.  THE REGIME has firmly consolidated a reputation as one of the most exciting new artists climbing their way to the top of the live music scene.  

CLICK HERE for the full lineup so far!

Or have a listen here:

The post 12 DISCOVERY ARTISTS ADDED TO BLUESFEST LINEUP appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

People Get Ready! The Wailers are set to play all of our favourite Bob Marley hits from the compilation album ‘Legend’.

Released back in May 1984, this ‘greatest hits’ collection of singles in the original format is the best-selling reggae album OF All TIME… with an estimated 28 million copies sold globally.

We can’t wait to sing along to all of Bob Marley’s absolute JAMS on Sunday, 12th of April.

Here’s our top 3 faves… Oh, and Happy 75th Birthday Bob!

1. Three Little Birds

2. Is This Love

3. Buffalo Soldier

Check out ‘Legend’ performed live in full in 1979 with the birthday man himself

The post The Wailers play ‘Legend’ at Bluesfest 2020 appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

50 years later and that son, Dweezil Zappa celebrates and commemorates this event by bringing his ‘Hot Rats Live’ tour to Bluesfest Byron Bay and across Australia this April. Dweezil will be playing this incredible album cover to cover. In its track listing order. (Not even Frank Zappa did that live!!) We were lucky enough to catch up with him ahead of his trip down under. Check out the chat below!

Bluesfest:           Where in the world is Dweezil Zappa right now?

Dweezil:               I’m in my home in Los Angeles, and we’re getting ready to start rehearsals for this upcoming tour.

Bluesfest:           That’s right. You’ve actually got quite a few dates before you even get to Australia if I’m not wrong. I had to look at the book and it was like, “Whoa, that’s almost every night.”

Dweezil:               Yeah, it’s definitely a pretty tight schedule. We often have tours where it’s anywhere from five to eight shows in a row before you have a day off, and kind of rough going but that’s really the way that things have to be to make it so that you can afford to do these things.

Bluesfest:           Hot Rats, released 50 years ago, dedicated to you by your dad, Frank. Is that why you decided to say, “Okay, let’s do this, let’s do the 50th celebration, it’s all sort of me and dad.”

Dweezil:               Well, it kind of all made perfect sense. A lot of times people sort of make requests and say, “Oh, you should play this song, you should do this album,” but Hot Rats is one that we’ve played a few of the songs over the years, but we’ve never played all of them, all in sequence. And it just seemed to make the most sense that, on such an auspicious occasion of it being 50 years old and still so ahead of its time, why not highlight it?

And it’s one of the records that always top the list of fan favourites, even though it has only one vocal song on it. Typically, people respond more to vocal-oriented music than straight-up instrumental, but there’s something about the sound quality of the album and the material on it that it kind of… If you relate it to an audio movie, there’s a lot of feelings of tension and release that happened with it, and you can tell the moments that are in free form improvisation and you can tell the moments that have the total structure.

And it’s that balance between the two that I think really appeal to people when it came out because there wasn’t really a lot of anything like that at that time. Especially with the amount of fuzz-tone guitar and fuzz-tone violin and stuff like that, there was a lot of different stuff happening on the record.

Bluesfest:           Yeah. And that was actually one of my questions. I saw a quote saying, “It’s impossible, it’s unperformable, it’s unfathomable,” what made you want to challenge that and bring Hot Rats to a live stage?

Dweezil:               Well, the thing about it is, there is enough stuff on the record that has structure to it, and then there’s enough structure to what the improvisational sections are supposed to be in terms of straight form, but the ability to then have your own voice and improvise on top of it, and have it be in context to the music, that’s what I always take into consideration when I’m playing my dad’s music.

So for example, the song ‘Son Of Mr Green Genes”, that has a six or seven-minute guitar solo on it, but what he played is so pivotal and so specific in the song that I decided to learn that solo note for note, and I just play it as he played it or as close as I can make it sound to exactly what he played.

And so, playing the notes is one thing, but then also recreating the texture of the guitar sound itself, that’s another challenge that I always take on. And so, I feel like, with that song, it’s pretty amazing that we are able to recreate all of the textures that are going on that recording just with six people.

So there’s a lot of stuff happening on many keyboards where layered sounds are happening, different kinds of organs or sometimes there’s percussion and other things that are happening at various times. And so there are three people that are playing different keyboard things at times and then …… you’ll see there are people picking up different instruments throughout the whole thing.

Scheila Gonzalez, she normally plays saxophone and keyboards, even plays the guitar at some point on “Son Of Mr Green Genes”. Just to get all of the layers and textures that are happening at different points, people are having to work extra hard to get all the things in there.

But what I was saying also is that the playing in the improvisational sections, what I like to do is I like to play certain things that are either specific phrases that began or in the middle or end, something that would have been on the record, but then I would fill in the spaces with my own ideas. But I am using sounds that are so specific and evocative of the record, that I’m able to play in a way that feels it’s all in context to the music. Because I don’t want to take a left turn and suddenly be like, “Oh, this has nothing to do with the record,”  – so that’s one of the big challenges always with my dad’s music.

Bluesfest:           Technology has come on unbelievably since your dad’s day, do you find that you’re still going back to recreate those amplifier sounds and pedals? Are you using originals or are you, if you like synthesizing them and putting them onto keyboards and stuff? Are you using old gear or new gear?

Dweezil:               Well, the technology has evolved in a lot of ways with keyboards, but in terms of guitar equipment, it’s evolved quite a bit too. So I use something called the Fractal AxE-FX, and it’s a digital processor, but it does all the amps and speaker cabinets and effects. And you can do things to such unbelievable degree that it sounds very much exactly like the record, and I can do that from song to song from any era, from any style of music. And I can create presets and have them available at the touch of a button.

So, it’s much easier to create and replicate these kinds of sounds with technology like that, than it would be to have multiple different amplifiers, and all kinds of different pedals, and different ways of switching things. Because, I have done that in the past, but what that ends up being like refrigerator-size racks, filled with things that are really heavy and then you couldn’t… If I was going to come down to Australia, I just wouldn’t be able to afford to bring that stuff.

Bluesfest:           Your musical education, of course, started young with your dad. And you said you started the guitar very young, but I read you had great mentors like Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen. I mean, how was that as a young kid, picking up an axe and going, “Oh, well Eddie Van Halen is going to show me a thing or two today.”

Dweezil:               Well, so you got to put it in context. At the time, there was no MTV, there was no internet, there wasn’t any way for you to see musicians like those that you mentioned up close, you didn’t know what their voices sound like, you never saw them interacting with people, you only either saw them live on stage or in a photograph from the album cover or liner notes. And so it heightened the experience that much more to be able to have this experience where we had a random phone call come to the house from a guy saying it was Eddie Van Halen. Turns out it was Eddie Van Halen, and then 20 minutes later he was at the house.

And it’s like, I don’t know how or why the call came in, but it did. And then when he was there, I got to see up-close how he played certain things that I only could imagine what they were like from just listening.

And so that was burned into my brain to see exactly where he played certain parts of ‘Eruption’ or ‘Mean Streets’(sic) or stuff like that. And then Steve Vai was in my dad’s band at the time, so I got to take a few lessons with him, and he was showing me some of the basic things right when I first started. And I still have a notebook with his lessons, where he’s drawn out some chords and the pentatonic scale, and all these things.

So when it came to doing my dad’s music, the biggest change I had to make was, I had to physically change the way that I attacked picking the right-hand stuff, but then I had to increase my mental capacity for understanding music terminology and things that I skipped over growing up, because I really only would just listen to records and teach myself from that.

Bluesfest:           Well Dweezil, I’ve run way over time with you, but I thank you very much for your time, and I wish you all the best on the road, tour safely, fly safely. And I look forward to seeing you when you come to Bluesfest at Easter. Thank you very much indeed Dweezil Zappa.

DWEEZIL:             Thank you.

Catch Dweezil Zappa on his Hot Rats Live tour at Bluesfest this Easter or

The post 50 Years of ‘Hot Rats Live’ appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

1. Ironic

Who doesn’t love singing along (or screaming along in my case! apologies to the Bluesfest office this week!) to the lyrics ‘it’s like rraaaiiiiiinnnnnnn, on your wedding day!’?

2. Hand in my Pocket

Another sing-along classic, but check out this version from the Canadian singer on Guitar Center. It’s simply

3. Head Over Feet

Telling a tale of a couple who are best friends as well as lovers, in which the protagonist thanks a friend for his manners, love and devotion – Alanis Morissette produced another classic singalong hit.

4. You Learn

“Swallow it down, like a Jagged Little Pill…”

“You live, you learn.

You love, you learn.

You cry, you learn.

You lose, you learn.

You bleed, you learn.

You scream you learn”

Could a truer chorus be sung?

5. Last but not least… 

James Corden and Alanis Morissette’s updated lyrics for ‘Ironic’ in 2015 on The Late Late Show. What would the lyrics be in 2020?

Alanis Morissette and Tori Kelly were just added to the Bluesfest 2020 lineup alongside Dave Matthews Band, Crowded House, Lenny Kravitz, Patti Smith and Her Band, George Benson, Kool & the Gang and many more. Tickets are on sale now via moshtix.com.au 

Get ready for Bluesfest 2020 by checking out the Spotify playlist here

The post Our Favourite Jagged Little Pill Tracks appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

Last year he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for his first album Kingfish.

This month he turns 21-years-old!

Kingfish Album Cover

Born to do it

“Kingfish”, as he’s known to his fans and friends, started early – very early. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1999, he grew up surrounded by the music of the south. His extended family sang and performed in church and he was a regular at gospel performances.

When he was just five his dad sat him down to watch a documentary on the ‘father of the Blues’ – Muddy Waters – and his interest in Blues took root. At just six he was playing the drums At 11 years old he was playing bass and then he moved to guitar. At the tender age of 15, he was fielding offers to perform!

Single Cover for Outside Of This Town from the Kingfish Album

Blues the way it’s supposed to be

By 2015, he came to the attention of Tony Coleman who was B.B. King’s drummer. Coleman said he was playing blues “the way it was supposed to be”.  Kingfish’s friends who were into rap and hip-hop couldn’t understand why he was into traditional blues.

“They really thought it was funny, cause it was like “Man you young but you listen to that old, sad stuff.” I’m like, “Man, I ain’t really like that, I’m listening more for a culture thing, you know? This is history. This birthed what you guys listen to today, because you know rap is nothing but the blues’ grandchild.”

Taking the music industry by storm

Kingfish has had – by any standard – a huge 12 months. His debut album, Kingfish, was released in May last year where it immediately became the No. 1 album on The Billboard Blues Chart and the No. 1 Billboard Heatseeker album release. Billboard called Kingfish “a blues prodigy.” No Depression magazine said the album was “a stunning debut from a young bluesman with an ancient soul and a large presence in the here-and-now.” 

Bluesfest is lucky to lock in this amazing new talent whose re-telling of the blues, whilst still proudly holding the torch of his predecessors, is shaking the genre to its core.  

See “Kingfish” Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday at Bluesfest and witness a legend in the making.

The post The Rise and Rise of Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

The BMA’s are run by The Blues Foundation and are considered the highest honour that can be given to a blues musician.

Bluesfest is thrilled that the nominations announced last week included five of this year’s performers.

We put the spotlight on our artists that are up for the gongs.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Nominated for a massive five awards:

• Album Of The Year
• Best Emerging Artist Album
• Contemporary Blues Album
• Contemporary Blues Male Artist
• Instrumentalist Guitar

This 20-year-old is taking the music industry by storm! See him Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday at Bluesfest.

Walter Trout

Powerful Blues guitarist Walter Trout has been nominated for two big awards.

• Blues Rock Album
• Blues Rock Artist

Be wowed by his guitar artistry on Saturday and Monday at Bluesfest.

Larkin Poe

Larkin Poe is a family affair. The sisters are bringing a totally fresh approach to traditional blues music. Their breakout album ‘Venom and Faith’ and has been nominated for the:

• Contemporary Blues Album award,
• and also for a GRAMMY®!

They’re playing  Saturday and Monday at Bluesfest.

Jimmie Vaughan

Jimmie Vaughan is an iconic Blues artist  – four-time GRAMMY® Award winner and legendary performer, he’s been nominated for:

• Traditional Blues Male Artist 

Catch Jimmie on Thursday, Friday and Sunday at Bluesfest 2020.

Mavis Staples

A two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning solo artist, Mavis Staples really is one of the last true Ladies of Soul and is touring five cities across Australia in March with Bluesfest Touring.

Mavis is up for one of the biggest awards – she’s been nominated for the:

• B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and
• Instrumentalist Vocals

See award nominees Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Walter Trout, Jimmie Vaughan and Larkin Poe at Bluesfest this year!

Mavis Staples, Walter Trout and Larkin Poe are on tour around Australia – find more information and dates here.

The post Bluesfest Artists Nominated For Prestigious Blues Awards appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

We were lucky enough to catch up with her for a quick chat ahead of her performance;

Q: Tal, you’re coming along to Bluesfest for the first time this Easter. As an Aussie, what’s it like returning to your homeland? 

Believe it or not, I’ve never been to Byron Bay before, which is strange seeing as how I’m from Sydney. I’m so excited to go because I already know it’s gonna be one of my favourite places, based on what I’ve heard about Byron. I’m also excited to see all my friends and family. I don’t get to Australia as often as I’d like to.

Q: What are your top five tracks at the moment?

They don’t change really. Anything off of “Songs Af Love And Hate” or “Songs From A Room” by Leonard Cohen or anything off of “Blonde On Blonde” or “Bringing It All Back Home” by Bob Dylan. There is a lot of great music happening at the moment as well.

I’m highly impressed by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas. 

Q: What’s the most memorable gig you’ve ever played?

The first show I did singing my music when I opened for The Who. It was just such a shock, in the best possible way, going from only playing a handful of gigs with my band in clubs, to performing to packed arenas. 

Q: Is there any artist on the Bluesfest lineup so far that you’re most looking forward to seeing?

I wanna see John Butler because I saw him when I first started playing music, and I’d love to tell him about the positive impact he had on me. Ani DiFranco ‘cause I’ve never seen her. Buffy Sainte Marie– she is one of my all-time favourite singers. John Prine is one of my favourites. Patti Smith and Her Band, cause I’ve only ever seen her sing one song live, Dweezil Zappa, Dave Mathews, Cory Henry, and Devon Allman are all pals so it’ll be nice to see them too. 

Q: What do you do on a day off?

I rarely get a day off. Usually, a day off is a travel day. I try to leave enough time in my schedule to meditate. I usually meditate for 20 minutes before each show. I am also a foodie, so I love discovering great places to eat out on the road. 

Q: Any new music we should be keeping an ear out for in the coming weeks/months? Or – any surprises in store for the Australian shows?

I’m just starting to write again now since it’s been about 9 months since my album “Love Remains” came out, so who knows! Watch this space!

For more on Tal Wilkenfeld, follow her on Facebook here she’s also performing headline dates in Melbourne and Sydney this April around her Bluesfest performance.

Tickets to Bluesfest Byron Bay are available here.

The post Our chat with Tal Wilkenfeld appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.

I know we might be biased but, volunteering at Bluesfest can be a pretty rewarding experience. The heart and soul of any music festival is and always will be, the volunteers and staff who make everything possible. The hard work and dedication of those collectively involved, keep the music alive and make a lifetime of memories while doing so. Plus, as a volunteer you get to see all the cool behind-the-scenes workings of the festival and meet some awesome humans – maybe even make some new friends while also have the freedom to switch off and enjoy the festival once your daily five-hour shift is complete.

To help you have the best volunteering experience at Bluesfest 2020, our advice is to:

1. Apply early! 

Don’t miss your chance to apply early and sign up for the ‘good’ shifts. Those ones get snapped up early!

2. Lock in your accommodation/camping once your roster is confirmed. 

As one of Australia’s favourite holiday spots, Byron Bay can get pretty busy around holiday time. Get your plans in place!

If you’re an enthusiastic, reliable, committed person – we would love you to join the crew and help us to make Bluesfest 2020 the best yet! Applications are open now. Click here 

Don’t miss out on your chance to see Crowded House, Patti Smith and Her Band, Dave Matthews Band, Lenny Kravitz, George Benson, Kool & the Gang, The Gipsy Kings and so many more incredible artists performing this Easter without having to hand over a penny for it!

The post Volunteer Applications now open! appeared first on Byron Bay Bluesfest.