Tag: Bluesfest

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Regime Drops Classic Soul Groove, “Never Gonna Stop”

The Regime sounds like they’ve come out of Detroit or Memphis, but this 16-piece funk collective is entirely homegrown. If you love old-school soul sounds, you’re going to fall hard from the Sydney act’s latest single “Never Gonna Stop.” Just see if you can resist tapping your toes to this effortless groove!

“The whole song was recorded in my bedroom,” explained vocalist and producer Liam Stacey, “all except the drums which were done in Julian Joseph’s (vocals) room, and the house is metres away from the Sydenham train lines, 24-hour railway construction, and right under the flight path. So, obviously we left the windows open during recording!”

Newly signed to New World Artists, The Regime has a string of shows scheduled including three shows at the prestigious Byron Bay Bluesfest. Catch them at one of the following gigs near you.

8 March 2020 – Big Gay Day, Wickham
22 March 2020 – The Boogiemanz Ball, The Factory Theatre, Sydney
26 March 2020 – Beer Deluxe, Albury
27 March 2020 – The Cheeky Squire, Frankston
9, 10 & 13 April 2020 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brilliant Benjamin Booker Announces Bluesfest Sideshows

I must admit, I meant to write about Benjamin Booker’s Bluesfest sideshows yesterday but I fell down the Spotify rabbit hole with his music instead. Writing about him fell low down my priority list as I relished the opportunity to listen to his gritty blend of soul and blues.

If you want to know what Benjamin is all about, wrap your ears around this live version of Witness, the title track from his 2017 album. A socially charged anthem exploring the racial tensions facing the United States, it’s just one of many wonderful tracks I listened to yesterday.

Whether you’re a fan or, like me, you’ve just discovered his brilliance, you won’t want to miss these shows. See him at Sydney’s Factory Theatre on March 29 or Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on March 31.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite, and More Join Bluesfest

Thought the Byron Bay Bluesfest lineup couldn’t get any bigger? Think again. The organisers have just announced a fresh crop of incredible international and local artists.

The most exciting for me is the coming together of Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. These blues icons have just recorded a new album together called Get Up which they’ll showcase with their set. It seems meant to be as they actually met Bluesfest way back in 1996.

After Zac Brown Band were announced as Jason Mraz’s support act, I suspected they’d soon announce a Bluesfest show. It seems my hunch was correct; they’ll play on Easter Monday.

It’ll also be great to see the oldies from The Music Maker Blues Revue, including Ironing Board Sam and Major Handy, showing the young things how it’s done.

Music lovers will also enjoy sets from Leonardo’s Bride, Skipping Girl Vinegar, and Kim Churchill. And that’s along with everyone else we already knew about, including Robert Plant, Santana, Paul Simon, and Bonnie Raitt!

Bluesfest hits Byron Bay on the Easter long weekend, from March 28 to April 1. There are still some tickets left but I wouldn’t wait too long to get yours. This announcement should encourage a few more folks to indulge!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Counting Crows Announce Bluesfest Sideshow

I’ve been crossing my fingers for this announcement since they announced their inclusion at this year’s Bluesfest and I’m thrilled it’s finally official: the Counting Crows will play a string of shows later this year.

The Counting Crows are one of those bands that have been with me an awfully long time. I remember excitedly finding August and Everything After in my Santa sack when I was just 13 years old. I’ve loved them ever since. The last time I caught them they were playing short sets in big venues as part of The Who’s tour, so I’m thrilled to see them downsizing this time around. The intimate venues make these dates a must for fans.

Tickets go on sale on January 21 for the following shows.

27 March 2013 – QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
30 March 2013 – Hamer Hall, Melbourne
3 April 2013 – Concert Hall, Perth
6 April 2013 – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
9 April 2013 – Opera House, Sydney

Image source: Zach Klein @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Iggy and The Stooges Announce Bluesfest Sideshows

Iggy and the Stooges have announced a swag of sideshows to complement their appearance at next year’s Byron Bay Bluesfest.

Iggy Pop’s iconic band will show they can still push the boundaries will shows in the major capitals. Our very own Beats of Bourbon will also join in the fun, making these shows a must for folks who love their music loud.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, November 7. Sydney and Adelaide based fans should go to Ticketek and Venuetix respectively at 9 am, while Melbournians should log on to Ticketmaster at 10 am to get theirs!

25 March 2013 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
27 March 2013 – Festival Hall, Melbourne
30 March 2013 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
4 April 2013 – Hordern Pavillion, Sydney

Photo credit: Sophie Howarth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Robert Plant Heads New Bluesfest Lineup Announcement

The organisers of Byron Bay’s Bluesfest promised something special for their latest line-up announcement, and boy have they delivered. It’s a bill designed for the oldies, or young ones that appreciate classic music.

Robert Plant is heading up the latest additions with his new act, the Sensational Shape Shifters. Led Zep fans might be lucky enough to hear some of most iconic songs, as Robert’s been playing eight Led Zeppelin songs during his recent sets in South America. Let’s cross fingers!

As if that wasn’t enough to make you weak at the knees, Bluesfest will also bring Supertramp’s Roger Hodgson, Madness, Yes’ Jon Anderson, and Status Quo to Byron. Let’s just hope we don’t get a rendition of “Down Down, Prices are Down”!

These awesome acts join already named stars like Santana, Jimmy Cliff, Ben Harper, Chris Isaak, Joan Armatrading, and Iggy and the Stooges. Something tells me 2013’s Bluesfest is going to go off!
Bluesfest hits Byron Bay from March 28 to April 1.

Image source: Egghead06 @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kim Churchill Launches “Detail of Distance” at Bluesfest

Could there be any better place for local guitarist and singer-songwriter Kim Churchill to launch his sophomore album Detail of Distance than Bluesfest. The album will hit stores on April 5, a day before Kim commences his three-day stint at the iconic Byron Bay festival.

Kim recorded Detail of Distance in Vancouver, Canada with the help of master producer Todd Simko (Xavier Rudd, Bif Naked). It showcases an artist mature beyond his 21 years who’s started to add some rock edge to his bluesy folk sound. You can definitely hear that new energy in “Season’s Grind,” the first single lifted from the album.

Happily for those of us scattered around the countryside it’s worth noting that the Bluesfest slots are far from your only chance to see Kim. He’ll play shows through to June, so he’s bound to pull in to a town near you.

6 April, 7 April & 8 April 2012 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
19 April 2012 – Mullumbimby Civic Hall, Mullumbimby
20 April 2012 – The Soundlounge, Gold Coast
21 April 2012 – Joe’s Waterhole, Sunshine Coast
22 April 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
28 April 2012 – The Gum Ball, Maitland
3 May 2012 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
4 May 2012 – The Standard, Sydney
5 & 6 May 2012 – The Heritage Hotel, Bulli
10 May 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra
11 May 2012 – Baha Tacos, Rye
12 May 2012 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
13 May 2012 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
16 May 2012 – Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River
17 May 2012 – The Dunsborough Tavern, Dunsborough (Free Entry)
Fri 18 May 2012 – Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury
19 May 2012 – Norfolk Hotel, Fremantle
20 May 2012 – Indi Bar, Scarborough
25 & 26 May 2012 – Blues on Broadbeach, Gold Coast (Free Entry)
31 May 2012 – Club Sapphire, Merimbula
1 June 2012 – Milton Theatre, Milton
2 June 2012 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle

Image used with permission from Revolutions Per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Seth Lakeman & Carus Thompson Tour Oz Together

Good pals Seth Lakeman and Carus Thompson figure that slots at Bluesfest won’t offer quite enough time in front of the music loving public, so they’ve announced a double-headliner tour.

Seth is a British multi-instrumentalist renowned for his fiddling prowess, while Carus is an Aussie singer-songwriter who seems to be a citizen of the world these days. Seth has never visited our shores before, so with his sixth album Tales from the Barrel House hitting stores in April 6, Carus figured the time was right to show Seth some of the country’s best venues. And after spending the last eight years relentlessly touring Europe, Carus is no doubt excited to get back in front of Aussie audiences.

The quality of these musicians and their enduring bond will make these shows something very special. Tickets are available from the venues.

5 & 6 April 2012 – Byron Bay Bluesfest, Byron Bay
7 April 2012 – Harvester Moon, Bellarine
8 & 9 April 2012 – Bennetts Lane, Melbourne
10 April 2012 – The Vanguard, Newtown
12 April 2012 – Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle
13 April 2012 – The Hyde Park Hotel, North Perth
14 & 15 April 2012 – Fairbridge Festival, Fairbridge

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Dynamites Bring Funked Up Soul to Bluesfest and Sideshows

One of the things I love most about festivals season is the chance to discover bands that might ordinarily pass us by. One such example is The Dynamites, a hot 10-piece soul outfit from Nashville preparing to play Byron Bay’s Bluesfest and a couple of sideshows.

With a healthy dose of James Brown and a dash of Motown and Memphis sounds, this great big band featuring industry veteran Charles Walker is set to wow us. They’re here in support of their first local release Burn It Down, which will hit stores on April 2.

While that album manages to catch some of the band’s energy, seeing them live with the horns blazing and rhythm section throbbing takes things to a whole new level.

“You can only do so much on a record,” explained Charles Walker. “The performance is a lot different. I can’t stand doing songs exactly the same. I have to stretch out a little bit. That’s part of my thing.”

You can catch the band at the following shows and see what the fuss is all about!

1 April 2010 – The Esplanade Hotel, Melbourne
2 April 2010 –Bluesfest, Byron Bay
3 April 2010 – Step Inn, Brisbane
5 April 2010 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bluesfest’s Green Efforts Awarded

Today’s Blog Action Day, a day when bloggers all around the world are uniting to talk about one important issue: the environment.

We all care about it, but what’s it got to do with music? Plenty. Musicians all over the world are getting climate clever, putting on environmentally-friendly tours, and educating their fan bases about the importance of conservation.

One of the best examples of this is the organisers of Byron Bay’s East Coast Blues and Roots Festival. This very cool event has just won a Greener Festival Award from the UK-based website, AGreenerFestival.com.

“Doing ‘the right thing’ is what should be done anyway, and we have up till now not publicised our ongoing commitment to social and environmental responsibility,” explained the festival’s director, Peter Noble.

“However, I see the increasing importance of public awareness on all environmental issues and to lead by demonstration.”

There are so many cool things about the way the festival is run that most of us don’t even realise. All food stalls at the festival only use compostable plates and utensils. All plastic glasses and cardboard used at the festival is recycled and reused. The festival follows the policy “Aim for zero waste and ‘leave no trace,'” and organisers ensure the site is returned to its original state. Bluesfest also transfers waste to TiTree BioEnergy Facility, which in turn transforms the waste to clean energy.

The festival’s always been green, but it will amp up its environmental efforts when it moves into its new home at Belongil Fields next year.

“We will be installing wind and solar power, and we will have bio-diesel. We will strive to be the best and we will have the same motives through the whole festival.”

And of course, Bluesfest always has a killer line-up. Early-bird tickets are already on sale for the event, which runs from Thursday March 20 to Monday March 24.

Image source: Noah Buscher @ Unsplash