Patti Smith, Dave Matthews Band and Crowded House Top Bluesfest's First 2020 Announcement
Time to start making Easter long weekend plans (yes, already).
Bluesfest has lifted the lid on its first artist announcement for 2020 and heading the stampede are famed American singer Patti Smith, rockers Dave Matthews Band and the legendary Crowded House.
All three are repeat Bluesfest offenders, with Patti Smith and her band returning after a standout performance in 2017, the "magical and unmissable" Dave Matthews Band heading back for their third festival and Crowded House once again trekking up the coast — this time for an exclusive Australian performance. Expect to hear plenty of huge tunes from the likes of Smith's 'Because the Night' to Matthews' 'Crash Into Me' and the anthem that is 'Don't Dream It's Over'.
Other acts to hit the stage over the weekend include the multi Grammy Award-winning George Benson, American singer Brandi Carlile, Aussie favourites The Cat Empire, British trip-hop band Morcheeba and John Butler.
The festival will return to Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm — just outside Byron Bay — for 2020 despite Festival Director Peter Noble threatening to leave NSW earlier this year because of the State Government's strict new music festival licensing regime. An inquiry into the licence is currently underway.
Better start making Easter plans because tickets are already on sale. Anyway, here's the full lineup (so far).
BLUESFEST 2020 LINEUP
Dave Matthews Band
Patti Smith and Her Band
Crowded House
George Benson
Brandi Carlile
John Butler
Xavier Rudd
The Cat Empire
Morcheeba
John Prine
Jenny Lewis
Frank Turner
John Mayall
Buffy Sainte-Marie
The Marcus Kind Band
Walter Trout
Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram
Greensky Bluegrass
Larkin Poe
The War & Treaty
Bluesfest 2020 will run April 9–13 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix.