Byron Bay Bluesfest 2015 organisers have unveiled the festival’s massive second lineup announcement, which includes the revelation that their highly-anticipated “premiere reunion” is festival favourite Ben Harper reteaming with his band The Innocent Criminals.
The reunion will end a seven year break from performing together, and will be the group’s only Australian performance, with no sideshows to be announced. Harper is set to play with The Innocent Criminals once again in the US in March. He first played at Bluesfest in 1996, and has since played the festival another seven times, including a headline slot in 2013.
Other acts on Bluesfest 2015’s second lineup announcement include Paolo Nutini, Ben Howard, Counting Crows, Jimmy Cliff, David Gray, Mavis Staples and Gary Clark Jr. The first Bluesfest 2015 artist lineup was led by The Black Keys, The Zac Brown Band, Band Of Skulls, Alabama Shakes, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic and Paul Kelly.
Bluesfest 2015 will take place over five days, across the Easter long weekend from the 2nd to 6th of April, north of Byron Bay. Festival organisers have stated that even more acts will be revealed for the festival in the coming weeks. Lineup, ticket and location information are available below.
CORRECTION 14/10/14 1:53pm: Music Feeds and several other outlets earlier reported three additional artists had been announced as part of the festival, after an incomplete version of a Bluesfest poster was posted online. Bluesfest has confirmed those artists have not been officially announced as part of the festival. See the amended lineup below.
UPDATE 17/12/14: Bluesfest has added another 11 acts to its 2015 lineup. View the updated lineup, below.
Watch: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals Reunite in 2015
Byron Bay Bluesfest 2015
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires
Augie March
Donavon Frankenreiter
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Justin Townes Earle
Declan Kelly Presents Diesel n’Dub (Featuring Emma Donovan, Alex Lloyd, Pat Powell, Radical Son, Tony Hughes)
Ash Grunwald
Blue King Brown
The Beautiful Girls
Steve Smyth
Karl S. Williams
Lenny Kravitz
The Gipsy Kings (feat. Nicolas Reyes & Tonino Baliardo)
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Jurassic 5
John Mayall
Keb Mo
Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin with the Guilty Ones
JJ Grey & Mofro
Tony Joe White
Jon Cleary
Trevor Hal
Serena Ryder
Jake Shimabukuro
Music Maker Foundation (feat. Cool John Ferguson, Little Freddie King, Alabama Slim, George Stancell)
Michael Franti’s Soulshine
Second Lineup Announcement
Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals
Paolo Nutini
David Gray
Ben Howard
Counting Crows
Jimmy Cliff
Mavis Staples
Gary Clark Jr
Dispatch
Ruthie Foster
The Beat
Keziah Jones
Playing For Change
First Lineup Announcement
The Black Keys
Zac Brown Band
Alabama Shakes
Train
Michael Franti & Spearhead
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions feat Dan Sultan, Kira Puru, & Vika And Linda Bull
Xavier Rudd and The United Nations
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Rebelution
Soja
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Beth Hart
Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls
Mariachi El Bronx
G. Love & Special Sauce
Pokey Lafarge
Band Of Skulls
Rockwiz Live
+ more to be announced!
Thursday, 2nd April – Monday, 6th April 2015
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay NSW
Tickets: Byron Bay Bluesfest | Moshtix | Ticketmaster
