The first 14 acts of Bluesfest 2014 were announced on Tuesday as the festival prepares to celebrate 25 years of bringing the world’s top blues and roots performers to Australia over the Easter weekend.
“It’s our 25th Birthday! We are going to be celebrating this one as never before and will deliver you one hell of a lineup and mark my words: This is only the beginning!” said Bluesfest director Peter Noble of Tuesday’s lineup reveal.
Headlining the festival’s first announcement is John Mayer, returning to Bluesfest after a seven-year hiatus, and the Dave Matthews Band.
Mayer recently released his sixth album, Paradise Valley in June, while Noble said he’d been trying to lock in DMB “every year since they last played Bluesfest back in 2005”. The band is set to play two (!) unique full-length performances over the four-day festival.
Other big names to join the first bill include John Butler Trio, their 10th visit to the Byron Bay festival, Erykah Badu and Michael Franti & Spearhead.
Last year’s Bluesfest recorded capacity crowds of 17,000 per day (85,000 in total) while this year’s 25th anniversary edition will feature 200 shows across seven stages.
Bluesfest 2014 first lineup
John Mayer
Dave Matthews Band
Erykah Badu
John Butler Trio
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Iron & Wine
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Devendra Banhart
Morcheeba
Gary Clark Jr
KT Tunstall
Allen Stone
Valerie June
Nikki Hill
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