A word from Festival Director Peter Noble OAM:
“With this Bluesfest announcement for Bluesfest 2023, our 34 th event, it is becoming clear that the return of international live artists mixed with great Aussie and Kiwi talent will be seen for the first time in Australia, at the level it was before the covid years. The line-up is one that I am immensely proud of and 2023 is becoming one of the great Bluesfests. Thank you so much everyone for your support through the hard years,
please now come and join us for the celebration.”
If there was one act Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble was desperate to secure, it was Paolo Nutini. It had been eight years since the Scottish singer songwriter had toured, so when word got out that Paolo may be touring, the Bluesfest booking team went into overdrive to secure him.
And secure him they did! Paolo Nutini is one of seven new artists announced today to play at Bluesfest 2023 on the Easter weekend in Byron Bay.
Paolo Nutini has scores of fans around the world, including none other than powerhouse songstress Adele. When Paolo Nutini unveiled an Abbey Road live recording session, Adele wrote of Nutini ‘This is one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life hands down.’
The Telegraph, UK described Nutini as ‘The best British male soul singer this century’.
Paolo Nutini has recently sold-out massive venues like the Alexandra Palace in the UK because he is the voice of our generation. Paolo will open Bluesfest, playing on Thursday night.
Other artists announced today include: The Angels, Ash Grunwald, Backsliders, The Bros. Landreth, Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and Yirrmal.
The Bros. Landreth are also an incredibly exciting act with voices that stop you
in your tracks.
Also performing is Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, who have been the closing band on the Main Stage at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. They are a huge deal! And then we have Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges, who calls on his gospel past and mixes it with contemporary blues in a spectacular way.
Bluesfest fans will get to hear Yirrmal’s superb voice on Thursday and Monday and Aussie favourites The Angels return for another year after being lauded as one of the best acts at Bluesfest 2022.
And it wouldn’t be a Bluesfest without festival favourites Ash Grunwald and the Backsliders. They are part of the family.
The site improvements on the Bluesfest property continue with over $500k invested in upgrading and waterproofing. Every aspect of the customer experience is being evaluated and where possible, improved.
Here’s the list of new artists on the Bluesfest 2023 bill!
[IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER]
THE ANGELS
ASH GRUNWALD
BACKSLIDERS
THE BROS. LANDRETH
EUGENE “HIDEAWAY” BRIDGES
PAOLO NUTINI
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
YIRRMAL
Joining the already announced line up…
[IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER]
19-TWENTY | ALLISON RUSSELL I BECK ACOUSTIC I BETH HART
[EXCLUSIVE] | BIG FREEDIA I THE BLACK SORROWS I
BONNIE RAITT | BUDDY GUY | THE CAT EMPIRE | CHAIN
CHRISTONE 'KINGFISH' INGRAM | COUNTING CROWS I THE
DOOBIE BROTHERS I ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS | ERIC GALES
FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE | GANG OF YOUTHS | GREENSKY BLUEGRASS [EXCLUSIVE]
JACKSON BROWNE | JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT | JOE BONAMASSA [EXCLUSIVE]
JOE CAMILLERI PRESENTS A STAR-STUDDED TRIBUTE TO THE GREATS OF THE BLUES
JON STEVENS | KALEO | KEB' MO' BAND | KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
LACHY DOLEY AND THE HORNS OF CONVICTION | LARKIN POE
LP | LUCINDA WILLIAMS | MARCUS KING
MAVIS STAPLES | MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD | NATHANIEL
RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS I NIKKI HILL [EXCLUSIVE]
ROBERT GLASPER | ROCKWIZ LIVE I ST PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES
THE SOUL REBELS & FRIENDS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS TALIB KWELI • GZA • BIG FREEDIA
SOUTHERN AVENUE [EXCLUSIVE] | SPINIFEX GUM FEAT. MARLIYA
STEVE EARLE | TASH SULTANA | VINTAGE TROUBLE | XAVIER RUDD
