Bluesfest 2015 memories might be just a few weeks old, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start getting all excited about next year’s festival. Director Peter Noble certainly is, and he’s got some ideas about how to shake up the 2016 Byron Bay celebration.
Writing in a Bluesfest newsletter, Noble indicated that the booking process for Bluesfest 2016 is already underway and he is predicting more of a swing towards “contemporary” acts on next year’s lineup.
He says that after witnessing the success young acts had at Bluesfest this year, he would like the 2016 festival to specifically highlight around 20 artists, mostly contemporary acts, who have either never toured Australia or who have never been to Bluesfest before.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be a legendary contingent to next year’s lineup, with Noble writing that he is already in talks with “couple of genuine legends” for 2016. The first artist announcement is expected sooner than usual too, seeing that Bluesfest 2016 will be held from March 24th-28th, by the way.
Another potential adjustment will be pushing up the headliner performance to 5pm daily, so families with young kids at Bluesfest, “can get to see genuine 100% headliners before their young ones get tired and they need to take them home.”
Noble says the festival already has “well over 150 artists on offer to come and play” but also acknowledged his “experience” has taught him not to count all those singing eggs before they hatch. The 2015 festival was hounded by multiple cancellations, after headliners The Black Keys and Lenny Kravitz, Australian band indie band Sheppard and English singer-songwriter Ben Howard all pulled out.
Still, nothing gets Noble down. He says he “feels invigorated and full of ideas for Bluesfest 2016.” If that gets you inspired, pre-early bird tickets for 2016 are already on sale. Head to the Bluesfest website for all those details.
Watch: Byron Bay Bluesfest 2015 – Official Highlights Finale
Bluesfest 2016
Thursday, 24th March – Monday, 28th March 2016
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay NSW
Tickets: Byron Bay Bluesfest
