Bluesfest 2021 — CANCELLED

Overview

UPDATE, August 19, 2021: After Bluesfest was originally cancelled just days out from its usual Easter slot, and then later postponed to October, the long-running fest has now announced that it's abandoning plans to go ahead this year — and will return for Easter 2022 instead. For more information head to the Bluesfest website.

Mid last year, after its 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, Bluesfest announced the first 50 acts for its 2021 festival. That lineup has changed in the months since, with an all-Aussie roster now set to hit the fest's stages — headlined by Aussie icon and the human scream Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, Ziggy Alberts and The Teskey Brothers.

Also on the bill: John Butler, Xavier Rudd, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers, The Church, The Waifs, Jon Stevens and John Williamson, plus Ian Moss, The Angels, The Living End and Tex Perkins. The list goes on, and includes new additions Pete Murray, Kate Ceberano, Electrik Lemonade and Palm Valley.

In good news after a year lacking in large-scale music festivals, the event has been given a provisional green light, with organisers announcing that they've received NSW Government approval to run the festival at 50 percent capacity this April — as long as no outbreaks occur beforehand.

The festival is set to return to Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm — just outside Byron Bay — for its usual Easter time slot, from Thursday, April 1 to Monday, April 5.

When the festival was cancelled last year, it was the first time in 30 years it had not run, but the second year in a row it had come under threat. In 2019, the Festival Director threatened to move the festival to a spot outside of NSW because of the State Government's strict music festival licensing regime.

Here's hoping that it does go ahead as planned in 2021 — with tickets on sale now.

BLUESFEST 2021 LINEUP

Pete Murray
Mark Seymour and The Undertow
Kate Ceberano
Fiona Boyes and The Fortune Tellers
Lambros
The Regime
Round Mountain Girls
Electrik Lemonade
Palm Valley
Ocean Alley
John Williamson
Tex Perkins The Man in Black
Jon Stevens
Ash Grunwald and Josh Teskey
Vika and Linda
Garrett Kato
Mia Dyson
The Church
Kate Miller-Heidke
The Living End
The Angels
Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks
Blue King Brown
Jeff Lang
Kara Grainger
Tash Sultana
Ziggy Alberts
Kev Carmody
Ian Moss
Hiatus Kaiyote
Russell Morris
Briggs
Kim Churchill
Mama Kin Spender
All Our Exes Live In Texas
Jimmy Barnes
The Teskey Brothers
John Butler
Xavier Rudd
The Cat Empire
Kasey Chambers
The Waifs
Troy Cassar-Daley
The Black Sorrows
Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Chain
Backsliders
Harts Plays Hendrix
Ash Grunwald
The Bamboos
Mick Thomas' Roving Commission
Dami Im
Pierce Brothers
Emily Wurramara
Roshani
Ray Beadle
Henry Wagons
Hussy Hicks
Pacey, King and Doley
Daniel Champagne
Nathan Cavaleri
Little Georgia
Bluesfest Busking Competition and Winners
The Australian Americana Music Honours

Bluesfest 2021 will run Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix.

Image: Joseph Mayers.