Stunning Lineup for Australia’s Bluesfest
Artists for Bluesfest 2011 have been announced and it may just be the strongest roots lineup in the history of the festival.
Headliners for the Easter event, held at Byron Bay, include Bob Dylan, BB King, Elvis Costello, Ben Harper, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, The Blind Boys (featuring Aaron Neville), and Robert Randolph.
Every year brings rumours of Dylan, but this time it’s for real.
It’s also the first Bluesfest appearance for BB King, Costello, and Trucks/Tedeschi.
Ben Harper is synonymous with the festival, and the Blind Boys are also regulars.
Robert Randolph and the Family Band make a welcome return after an eight year absence.
The strength of the Australian dollar – currently worth about the same as the greenback – has no doubt contributed to the quality of the overseas contingent, which also includes Mavis Staples, Ruthie Foster (pictured at Bluesfest 2009), Tony Joe White, the Indigo Girls, and perennial crowd favourite Michael Franti.
Local artists include The Cat Empire, slide man Jeff Lang, and the quirky Kate Miller-Heidke.
Bluesfest usually keeps some surprises up its sleeve, and the full playing schedule will be fleshed out over the coming months.