Patti Smith and Her Band have announced that Bluesfest 2017 will be their last Australian festival performances, making them all the more special. The announcement comes just days after Bluesfest Touring added a final concert to Patti Smith’s touring roster, where her special guest will be Courtney Barnett. Bluesfest is thrilled to announce that Courtney Barnett will also be playing at the festival on Thursday 13 April.
Barnett is a Melbourne-based singer, guitarist and songwriter who has built a growing legion of local devotees through a series of DIY releases on her own label Milk! Records and now it seems the rest of the world has embraced her – having sold out her most recent tours to rapturous audiences in the UK and USA. Her special guest spot at Festival Hall and Bluesfest set are Barnett’s only scheduled shows for 2017.
She joins a commanding list of female performers at the festival this year including Patti Smith and Her Band’s final Australian shows, Mary J. Blige, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Beth Hart, Laura Mvula, Rhiannon Giddens, Nikki Hill, Joan Osborne, Melody Angel and Irish Mythen.
The five day Easter extravaganza that is Bluesfest will be held once again at its lush 120 hectare home, just outside Byron Bay. Bluesfest delivers up to 12 hours of music daily across multiple undercover stages, as well as offering an abundance of food and market stalls, several bars, parking and camping on site.
The festival promises more artist announcements in the coming weeks.
Peter Noble OAM, Festival Director of Bluesfest, comments on Courtney Barnett joining the Bluesfest 2017 line up:
It’s an honour to be presenting Patti Smith and Her Band’s final festival appearances in Australia, as a part of their final tour here. At Bluesfest, on Easter Thursday she will perform the album Horses, and will then do an acoustic set on Good Friday in the afternoon.
Patti personally requested Courtney Barnett to be her special guest in her final ever show in Australia at Melbourne’s Festival Hall, just a few days after the festival. And now, we are thrilled to announce that Courtney will play before Patti on Easter Thursday at Bluesfest. These are the only two scheduled shows for Courtney in 2017.
Courtney, who has said that Patti Smith is amongst her greatest influences, kindly agreed to Patti Smith’s request, and oh boy, are we excited to be bringing you this announcement.
Bluesfest is a handmade event, crafted slowly and lovingly. We take our time and take great pride in what we bring to our stages.
We are not finished yet…. and you will be hearing more from us soon. Every year at Bluesfest is a little different, and this year certainly is. We hope you like where I am taking the event.
It will ALWAYS be about the music.
ALWAYS
Peter Noble OAM
Director
Byron Bay Bluesfest
COURTNEY BARNETT
JOINS 2017 ARTISTS ALREADY ANNOUNCED:
SANTANA
JIMMY BUFFETT AND THE CORAL REEFERS
ZAC BROWN BAND
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND PERFORM HORSES FINAL AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND ACOUSTIC FINAL AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
MARY J. BLIGE
THE LUMINEERS
BUDDY GUY EXCLUSIVE
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
MADNESS
BONNIE RAITT
MAVIS STAPLES EXCLUSIVE
BILLY BRAGG
BILLY BRAGG AND JOE HENRY
SIR ROSEVELT
JETHRO TULL
MILES ELECTRIC BAND
TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE
RICKIE LEE JONES
GREGORY PORTER
SNARKY PUPPY
SLIGHTLY STOOPID
PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
BETH HART EXCLUSIVE
LAURA MVULA
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
ANDREW BIRD
RHIANNON GIDDENS
BOOKER T. PRESENTS THE STAX RECORDS REVIEW
EXPERIENCE JIMI HENDRIX
GALLANT
ROY AYERS
ERIC GALES
MUD MORGANFIELD
DEVON ALLMAN
MAX JURY
NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE
TURIN BRAKES
BLIND BOY PAXTON
TREVOR HALL
JAKE SHIMABUKURO
DUMPSTAPHUNK
THE RECORD COMPANY
THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
TONY JOE WHITE
THE SUFFERS EXCLUSIVE
NIKKI HILL
THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS
JEFF LANG
RAY BEADLE AND THE SILVER DOLLARS
LLOYD SPIEGEL
JOAN OSBORNE
GLENN CARDIER AND THE SIDESHOW
DAVY KNOWLES
MELODY ANGEL
IRISH MYTHEN
THE STRUMBELLAS
