With Byron Bay’s annual Bluesfest just a mere few weeks away, it’s time to take a look at the legendary artists set to grace the stages, from the large scale Mojo tent to the intimate Juke Joint.
Crowded House
Arguably one of Australia and New Zealand’s most successful musical exports, Crowded House are set to headline Bluesfest for an exclusive Australian performance.
Formed in Melbourne in 1985, the band became a household name with thanks to the release of songs like Don’t Dream It’s Over, Weather With You and Better Be Home Soon.
Bandmember originals Neil Finn and Nick Seymour are ready to introduce fans to a new chapter in the Crowded House tale, so we look forward to seeing what they’ve been conjuring up!
Catch Crowded House on the Crossroads stage at 10pm on Sunday.
Alanis Morissette
Joining this year’s Bluesfest lineup is none other than world-renowned 90’s icon Alanis Morissette. An incredibly influential artist in contemporary music, 2020 sees Alanis celebrate 25 years of her Grammy Award winning debut album Jagged Little Pill which features anthems like You Oughta Know, Hand in My Pocket and All I Really Want.
With more than nine highly acclaimed albums to her name, her performance is bound to be one to remember.
Catch Alanis Morissette on the Crossroads stage at 10pm on Friday.
Lenny Kravitz
Four-time Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz will be bringing his epic Raise Vibration performance to Bluesfest this year. Channeling the worlds of rock’n’roll, blues, funk and soul, Lenny Kravitz’ originality is the result of three decades worth of ever-evolving creativity.
Catch Lenny Kravitz on the Mojo stage at 10.30pm on Friday.
Patti Smith and Her Band
No stranger to Bluesfest, Patti Smith and Her Band are set to conquer the stages all over again at this year’s festival.
A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee; Patti Smith infuses poetry and rock to create music which warrants her an ever-green icon.
Catch Patti Smith and Her Band on the Crossroads stage at 9.30pm on Saturday
John Butler
With a successful musical career spanning over 20 years, Bluesfest eagerly welcomes Aussie Roots and Rock extraordinaire John Butler back to this year’s stage.
Well known for his position as front man for the John Butler Trio; the singer-songwriter will be taking to this year’s stage for a unique solo performance featuring his 2018 album Home.
John Butler’s musical repertoire is heavily built on lyrics which draw upon themes of love and preservation as well as infectious guitar riffs soaked in originality.
A strong advocate for environmental and social activism; his last performance at Bluesfest saw him accompanied on stage by numerous other iconic artists to protest the Adani Coal Mine.
Be sure to catch John Butler on the Crossroads stage at 6.15pm on Sunday!
The Cat Empire
Dancing fans rejoice for Melbourne’s Cat Empire will be bringing their personal brand of high-energy, feel-good music back to the stages of Bluesfest on opening night. The chart-topping band are a crowd favourite at Bluesfest with their infectious anthems which seep right into your core.
Embracing a jazzy roots-pop genre; The Cat Empire’s experimental and fun use of bass combined with the championing of instruments such as the sax has seen them gain success on a global scale.
Catch The Cat Empire on the Mojo Stage at 10.30pm on Thursday, opening night!
Allen Stone
Allen Stone is in a class of his own. The contemporary singer-songwriter has successfully built an ensemble of loyal fans thanks to his powerful music and poetic lyrics.
The American singer is a true original, breathing fresh life into his genre and redefining existing themes. While the colour blue is often used as a reflection of a sad emotion, his recently released single Give You Blue, was written as a disassociation between the two and instead linking the colour to blue sky and joy.
Bluesfest 2020 will see Allen Stone return to the stages armed with a new album bound to connect with his fans.
Catch Allen Stone on the Crossroads stage at 6.30pm on Saturday as well as 8:00pm on the Mojo Stage on Sunday!
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
New Orleans nine-piece brass-band Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will be bringing their jazz rock performance to the festival on opening night.
Frontman Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews centres his music around the notion that “music brings unity.” If you’ve seen Trombone Shorty’s performance before; you’ll absolutely agree with this sentiment as it’s impossible not to groove to the tunes.
Catch Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on the Crossroads stage at 10pm on Thursday!
Larkin Poe
Sister-duo Larkin Poe will be returning to Bluesfest this year after leaving crowds begging for more after their 2019 performance.
Rebecca and Megan Lovell’s musical stylings take shape from a mixture of Roots, Blues and Gothic soul tinged with Americana. The sisters also share a penchant for Gothic undercurrents in their writings, much like their ancestor Edgar Allan Poe. These girls know how to own a stage, wielding their instruments like weapons and fortifying their positions on stage.
Catch Larkin Poe on the Crossroads stage at 3.30pm on Saturday as we all as 5.00pm on the Mojo stage on Monday!
Emily Wurramara
The release of Emily Wurramara’s debut EP Black Smoke, sung in both English as well as her traditional language Anindilyakwa, saw her embark on tours both nationally and internationally as fans found deep connection with her music.
Emily’s silky-smooth vocals paired with poetic lyrics, transport you to into her world as she sings tales inspired by her childhood and connection to land and nature.
Be sure to catch Emily Wurramara on the Juke Joint stage at 4pm on Sunday!
Little Georgia
Australian folk-rock duo Little Georgia deliver performances filled with vigour aided by lovely harmonies and compelling lyrics.
From a chance duet at an open mic night in Sydney, Little Georgia was born. The duo released their debut studio album All The While in November 2018, which saw them embark on an extensive tour schedule across the globe. From harmonica to guitar, this duo epitomises folk-rock.
Fresh back from their trip to New Orleans, Little Georgia will be taking to the stages of Bluesfest on two separate occasions.
Catch Little Georgia on the Mojo stage at 12.30pm on Sunday as well as Juke Joint stage at 3.00pm Monday.
With so many more incredible artists on the lineup, be sure to grab a ticket to this year’s Bluesfest!
Tickets are still on sale and available via the Bluesfest Website.
