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Bluesfest Officially Announces 2021 Festival Will Be an All-Australian Event

With international acts unable to travel due to ongoing border restrictions, Bluesfest 2021 will instead showcase stellar local talent.

Bluesfest

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As 2020 gradually draws to a close, and with just over four months until the planned start date of the 2021 edition of Bluesfest, organisers have revealed the upcoming festival will now be an all-Australian event.

The news was broken this afternoon, with organisers noting that current border restrictions have meant that the array of international acts on the previously-announced lineup will not be able to perform in 2021.

“With Australia’s international border restrictions in place, we must officially announce that the international artists previously included on our 2021 lineup will not appear at Bluesfest next Easter,” Bluesfest announced on Facebook.

“We can confirm that the Bluesfest 2021 will consist of an amazing ALL-AUSSIE lineup! With our last three All-Aussie Artist announcements, your response and support has already been incredible. We are fast approaching 70% sold out for what we believe will be our approved capacity. Thank you!”

We are now close to four months away from Bluesfest 2021, next Easter Long Weekend, 1st – 5th of April 2021.

With…

Posted by Bluesfest Byron Bay on Tuesday, 24 November 2020

Bluesfest originally shared its first lineup announcement for 2021 back in July, just months after the festival was forced to cancel its 2020 event due to the restrictions placed upon gatherings as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, Festival Director Peter Noble OAM noted that should international travel not be a possibility by the time April rolls around, the Bluesfest lineup had been constructed with the intent of delivering a powerful all-Australian edition in its place.

As a result, the list of restrictions has seen a large number of acts taken off the Bluesfest lineup, including headlining acts Patti Smith and Bon Iver, in addition to the likes of Kool & the Gang, The Gipsy Kings, Buffe Sante-Marie, and George Benson.

With the international artists now removed from the lineup, Jimmy Barnes and Tash Sultana move into headline spots, with big local names such as Ocean Alley, The Teskey Brothers, Xavier Rudd, The Church, Kasey Chambers, and more following closely behind.

The upcoming edition of Bluesfest is set to take place from April 1st to April 5th in 2021 at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm in Byron Bay, NSW.

While tickets are on sale now through the festival’s official website, organisers have made it clear they are working closely with local health authorities to ensure that the forthcoming edition of the festival goes ahead safely and in accordance with proper health and safety guidelines.

Bluesfest 2021 Lineup

Jimmy Barnes
Tash Sultana
Ocean Alley
Ziggy Alberts
The Teskey Brothers
John Butler
Xavier Rudd
The Cat Empire
Kasey Chambers
The Church
The Waifs
Jon Stevens
John Williamson
Ian Moss
The Living End
The Angels
Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks
Russell Morris
Kev Carmody
Troy Cassar-Daley
Briggs
Tex Perkins the Man in Black
Hiatus Kaiyote
Kate Miller-Heidke
Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald
Weddings Parties Anything
The Black Sorrows
The Bamboos
Chain | Backsliders
Ash Grunwald
Blue King Brown
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Vika & Linda
Harts Plays Hendrix
Jeff Lang
Nathan Cavaleri
Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission
Kim Churchill
Henry Wagons
Mia Dyson
Garrett Kato
Mama Kin Spender
Dami Im
Pierce Brothers
Emily Wurramara
Ray Beadle
Pacey, King & Doley
All Our Exes Live in Texas
Kara Grainger
Hussy Hicks
Roshani
Daniel Champagne
Little Georgia
Byron Busking Competition & Winners

Thursday, April 1st – Monday, April 5th, 2021
Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay, NSW
More info: Bluesfest