Bluesfest to close gates in 2025 (It didn’t really..)

August 14, 2024 96

One of Australia’s most iconic music festivals has announced its final curtain call, marking the end of an era in the industry already shaken by a series of recent cancellations.

This morning, Byron Bay Bluesfest revealed that after 35 years of celebrating blues, roots, and a variety of other genres during the Easter long weekend, the 2025 event will be its last. Festival director Peter Noble expressed his desire to make next year’s edition “the most unforgettable experience yet.”

“To my Dear Bluesfest Family, and after more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community, and the resilient spirit of our fans,” he said, in a press release.

“But after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it’s time to close this chapter.

“As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year’s festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last.”

The choice to end the festival reflects a troubling trend of event cancellations and failures in Australia’s music scene, driven by rising touring expenses and growing concern among fans and artists alike. Splendour in the Grass, often regarded as the nation’s premier multi-genre festival, called off its 2024 edition despite a star-studded lineup that included Kylie Minogue, G-Flip, and Future. Similarly, both Harvest Rock and Spilt Milk festivals canceled their 2024 events, while the Caloundra Music Festival was permanently axed after the Sunshine Coast Council withdrew its financial support.

Bluesfest, which has long been a magnet for around 100,000 fans eager to catch 200 performances over five epic days, now joins the ranks of major festivals bowing out for good, following the collapse of Big Day Out, Soundwave, and Stereosonic in the mid-2010s. Last year’s lineup boasted heavyweights like rock icon Jimmy Barnes—who made a triumphant return straight from the hospital—alongside the mellow vibes of Jack Johnson, the legendary Tom Jones, and crowd favorites Ben Harper and Elvis Costello. The festival’s history is a veritable who’s who of music legends, from Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to Kendrick Lamar, Robert Plant, James Brown, Angus and Julia Stone, and the great BB King.

But Bluesfest hasn’t escaped the drama. The 2023 edition was rocked by controversy, with a widespread boycott erupting over the booking of Sticky Fingers. The band’s frontman, Dylan Frost, faced accusations dating back to 2016 of threatening Indigenous singer-songwriter Thelma Plum, a move that sparked outrage across the music community.

Written by: Joel Devereux

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