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View Playing Schedule including TIMES and STAGES!
Time is truly flying and Bluesfest is now only a little over six weeks away. Today marks a special day and the one you have all been waiting for: The announcement of the long-awaited daily artist playing schedule with times and stages! Now you can prepare your festival itinerary down to the minute.
There are five major stages at Bluesfest – Mojo, Crossroads, Jambalaya, Delta and the Juke Joint – all bringing you the best of the best and don’t forget: Some of the most exciting shows happen early in the day on the smaller stages and will give you unforgettable experiences!
Recently described by Tonedeaf (one of Australia’s leading music blogs) as “the finest lineup of 2016 so far” Bluesfest is the only place to be this Easter.
The big news coming out of the playing schedule announcement is that most festival headliners are doing full 90 minute sets and not scaled back festival performances. This includes D’Angelo, The National, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Tom Jones, Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, Jackson Browne, City and Colour, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, Melissa Etheridge, The Cat Empire and Jason Isbell to name a few
A number of artists are even performing a solid 120 minute set at Bluesfestincluding D’Angelo at his second performance on Saturday 26th March, Tedeschi Trucks Band on Thursday 24th March, Joe Bonamassa on Saturday 26th March and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue on Sunday 27th March.
Further confirming that Bluesfest is the only place to be at Easter, there are a mighty amount of artists performing exclusively at Bluesfest in 2016 including The National; UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue; Joe Bonamassa; Graham Nash; The Original Blues Brothers Band; Janiva Magness; Con Brio; Kaleo; The Word; Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Fantastic Negrito.
Keep reading to get more insight on WHO plays WHERE & WHEN on WHAT day,as well as what our Festival Director Peter Noble has to say about the 2016 lineup!
Bluesfest close to 80% Sold Out!
As we roll into our next festival very fast (44 days to go today!), ticket sales are picking up speed on a daily basis. We are now close to 80% sold out and how exciting is that? Check out all the tickets still available through the link below. We can’t wait to welcome you to our 27th Annual Bluesfest! We are so proud to be turning 27 – we have certainly grown up but will always be young at heart!
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Festival Director Peter Noble shares his excitement about Bluesfest 2016
“This is what every festival attendee hangs out for – the playing schedule, we call it the form guide. It contains all the times and set lengths of the shows.
At Bluesfest, artists are given the opportunity to play full performances wherever possible and you will see full two hour shows with D’Angelo (Saturday), Joe Bonamassa (Saturday), UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue (Sunday) and Tedeschi Trucks Band (Thursday).
When the Wailers present Bob Marley’s classic album Legend on Sunday, the audience will get to see the full 100 minute performance.
Artists such as Brian Wilson, Jason Isbell, The Word, The National, City and Colour, The Cat Empire, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Melisssa Etheridge, Jackson Browne and more will be presenting their full 90 minute concert performances. There are no cut down performances at Bluesfest.
And to top it off there are so many artists performing exclusively at Bluesfest this year including The National; UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue; Joe Bonamassa; Graham Nash; The Original Blues Brothers Band; Janiva Magness; Con Brio; Kaleo; The Word; Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Fantastic Negrito.
This is one of our best Bluesfest artist bills ever and it’s not only us who think that; Australian media are saying it too.”
— Peter Noble, Festival Director
Bluesfest kicks off in fine form on Thursday 24th March and lovers of R&B, Neo-Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop won’t be leaving the Mojo stage with back to back performances byHiatus Kaiyote, Kamasi Washington andD’Angelo, with festival headliner Kendrick Lamar closing the stage on Thursday night.
Good Friday features legends including The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band closing the Crossroads stage and earlier in the night two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducteeGraham Nash. Those who prefer contemporary will be found at the Mojo stage on Friday 25th March to see artists such asElle King, Lord Huron, City and Colour andThe National, who are performing exclusively at Bluesfest.
Lovers of the Blues will be staying close to the Juke Joint stage over the five days of Bluesfest to see performances from the likes of Lucky Peterson, Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges, Chain and Blind Boy Paxton.
Saturday 26th March has turned into a huge day at Bluesfest with the announcement of a second show for D’Angelo who will be closing the Mojo stage on Saturday night, and the recent additions of Eagles of Death Metal and The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band featuring Rick Vito.
Sunday 27th March features an eclectic mix of genres across the stages including contemporary (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Decemberists, Modest Mouse, The Cat Empire), legends (UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro & Mickey Virtue; Jackson Browne; Graham Nash), Blue-Eyed Soul (Allen Stone, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats) plus so much more.
The final day of the festival features some huge names with Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds on the Mojo stage followed by the iconic Sir Tom Jones both not to be missed performances. The Crossroads stage is the place to be for a heavy dose of Blues on Monday 28th March including Taj Mahaland Joe Bonamassa (performing exclusively at Bluesfest).
Also not to be missed at Bluesfest 2016 is Reggae stalwarts The Wailers performing a different classic Bob Marley and The Wailers album over four nights at Bluesfest on the Jambalaya stage. Thursday 24th March will be Exodus, Friday 25th March will be Uprising, Saturday 26th March will be Survival, and Sunday 27th March will be a 100 minute performance of Legend.
The talent is overflowing at Bluesfest in 2016 and with the festival now little more than six weeks away it’s time to print out those playing schedules and work out the perfect festival plan.
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Counting down the days to Bluesfest with you!
Your friendly Bluesfest Team, who is always happy to take your call. 02 66858310
