Paul Simon to headline Bluesfest
Byron Bay Bluesfest, Australia's premier blues and roots music festival, celebrates its 24th anniversary with a supreme line up. Both international and Australian blues and roots performers will play their inspired tunes during five days over the Easter long weekend at Byron Bay, New South Wales.
The annual music festival -winner of 2010 Australian event of the year- is expected to attract more than 17,500 visitors this time. Attendees will have to opportunity to see and listen to more than 200 performances of the best blues, folk, soul and world artists on six different stages from 28 March to 1 April. Tickets range from $335 AU for a three-day pass and $455 for a five-day pass.
This is a very exciting year for Bluesfest as multi-award and 12 time Grammy winner Paul Simon will be performing at the event on Easter Monday. In 2003, the American musician was given a Grammy Lifetime Achivement award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Farfunkel. Adding Paul Simon to Bluesfest 2013 is pretty mind blowing, even for me, said Festival Director Peter Noble.
I knew the line-up was going to be massive, but it just keeps getting bigger. So many incredible artists are going to perform at Bluesfest, it really is every Festival Director's dream come true and I am so humbled, Noble added.
Alongside Paul Simon, Robert Plant -the legendary front man of band Led Zeppelin- will headline the band while presenting the Sensational Space Shifters.
Announcing Robert Plant a couple of weeks ago and now adding Paul Simon, it's like: Wow... we are really doing it this time and I actually think we are breaking all previous records. This is going to be the best Bluesfest of all time, Noble stated.
Indeed, this year's line up is incredibly exciting and the soil of Byron Bay will burst with talent. Needless to say, it is a luxury to gather Grammy Award winners on the same event, and the excitement continues... Latin Jazz Rockers Santana -who have won eight Grammy Awards and three Latin Awards- are also part of this magnificent line up. The particular sounds of Carlos Santana's guitar promises to arise intense sensations in the audience.
Bluesfest favourite Ben Jarper is coming back this year. Ex Supertramp singer/song writer Roger Hodgon will join the other artists, alongside reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, punk rock innovators Iggy & The Stooges, awe inspiring rock band Wilco, R&B star Mavis Stapies, Sixto Sugarman Rodriguez and so many more.
Taking the stage before Paul Simon will be the Canadian singer-songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright. The musician has been referred to by Elton John as the greatest songwriter on the planet and has been praised by the New York Times for his genuine originality.
Without a doubt, this will be a year to remember for Bluesfest.