Today Bluesfest, the 5 Day Festival, held annually over Easter just north of Byron Bay (EVENT DATES: Thu 24th March to Mon 28th March 2016) announce five new eclectic additions to the 2016 line-up.
LATEST BLUESFEST 2016 ARTIST ANNOUNCEMENT INCLUDES:
BRIAN WILSON PERFORMING PET SOUNDS + GREATEST HITS
TAJ MAHAL (SOLO)
THE RESIDENTS PRESENT SHADOWLAND
NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS
SHOOGLENIFTY
and many more to come!
In an absolute coup for the festival, the inimitable musical genius, Brian Wilson is coming to Bluesfest on Easter Monday to perform the resounding masterpiece Pet Sounds, one of the most influential albums of all time live in its entirety including the hits; �Wouldn�t It Be Nice�, �Sloop John B�, & �God Only Knows�.
Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds plus his greatest hits in an extended set will be a rare and unforgettable live music experience for the Bluesfest audience, with an incredible 11piece band including original Beach Boys member Al Jardine & long-term member Blondie Chaplin plus an eight piece string section.
Brian Wilson is a multiple Grammy award winner, who has been called the Mozart of Rock, the Gershwin of his generation, is a Rock�n�Roll, Songwriters & UK Music Hall of Famer,& cited as inspiration by luminaries including, Sir Paul McCartney, who acknowledged that Pet Sounds “was the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded �Pepper�”. His life was the central focus of the recent film Love & Mercy which has received widespread critical acclaim.
Brian Wilson stopped being a performing member of The Beach Boys in late 1964, apart from some rare appearances together, he went into the studio and almost singlehandedly produced The Beach Boys recordings whilst the band toured. Since that time Brian has continued his association with The Beach Boys on a recording basis as well as the odd reunion tour including the 50th Anniversary tour in 2012. He released his first solo album in 1988, his latest solo release No Pier Pressure released by Capitol records in 2015 proves his talents continue all these years later. The album features his former Beach Boys band mates Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin, among other special guests and session all-stars.
One of the most prominent and influential figures in the late 20th century Blues and Roots music, Taj Mahal has also been added to the line-up. Bluesfest is proud to announce Taj Mahal will be performing solo and unplugged for the first time in Australia since 1994.
Over his 50 year career, composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Taj Mahal has been nominated for nine Grammys and won two. In 2014 he accepted the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association, an honour he described as: �This is one of the most powerful and wonderful things that could happen in life.�
Also featured on the latest announce is the avant-garde American collective The Residents presenting Shadowland on their 40th Anniversary tour. With their heads hidden behind giant eyeball masks, coupled with their visionary music and unique aesthetics, The Residents have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music and performance art for over forty years. They will be performing at Bluesfest as part of their first trip to Australia in a decade and are here to present Shadowland – Part 3 of the Randy, Chuck & Bob Trilogy.
Soul sensations Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats also make their Bluesfest debut in 2016. Originally a solo singer-songwriter, Denver�s Nathaniel Rateliff formed the seven-piece soul band Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats in 2013. Their debut self-titled album was released to widespread acclaim on the iconic Stax Records in 2015 and peaked at #17 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart. Rolling Stone have described the Night Sweats as �one of rock’s best new live acts� and they were the #1 buzz artist at the Latitude Festival. With this new addition to the line-up, alongside previously announced artists Allen Stone and St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Bluesfest is bringing the best of the Blue �eyed Soul revival hitting the US, together next March.
Scotland�s Shooglenifty will also be making their Bluesfest debut in March 2016. Shooglenifty has been credited for being the originators of �Acid Croft�, a fiery and infectious blend of Celtic traditional music and dance grooves, a unique sound that has seen them perform across the globe since 1990.
Brian Wilson will be performing on Easter Monday, 28th March along with Tom Jones, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Isbell, Taj Mahal and many other great artists, plus more yet to be announced. Taj Mahal will also deliver a unique Bluesfest show on Easter Sunday, 27th of March.
Bluesfest shows no signs of slowing down and will continue to release artist announcements in the coming weeks. Festival and camping tickets are reported to be selling fast. Info on tickets, the daily artist playing schedule, plus more is available on www.bluesfest.com.au
Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble shares his excitement about the latest announcement:
�It is with pride we announce Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, the album that changed the course of music upon its release in 1966, in its entirety at Bluesfest, as well as a number of the hits he wrote and produced whilst a member of the Beach Boys and in his solo career. Pet Sounds has been listed by Rolling Stone as the second greatest album of all time, after The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and has only been performed a handful of times before, and not for a decade.
Brian Wilson HAS achieved greatness, he IS the architect of the California sound, a multi Grammy award winner and is regarded as a musical genius.
His songs typically played at his concerts include �California Girls�, �Little Deuce Coupe�, �I Get Around�, �In My Room�, �Surfer Girl�, �Don�t Worry Baby�, �Help Me Rhonda�, �Surfin� USA�, �Fun, Fun, Fun� and �Love & Mercy�, which is also the title of the acclaimed movie about his life released this year. Some of the brilliant songs from Pet Sounds played include �God Only Knows�, and �Wouldn�t It Be Nice�.
The 2015 release by Wilson � No Pier Pressure, shows he is STILL at the top of his game and is another work of brilliance by a man who has seen the highs and lows in life and has emerged greater than ever.
The recent movie Love & Mercy (2015) the story of Brian Wilson, has caused many to discover him, as well as re-discover this true genius.
It is an honour to be presenting Brian Wilson at Bluesfest doing his hits, as well as Pet Sounds – the way it was meant to be presented � with full band and small orchestra and string section. The only thing that will be missing at Bluesfest will be the trains and barking dogs from the original release.
Taj Mahal the legendary Blues & Roots musician is coming to Australia performing acoustically, for the first time in over 20 years. His fans have been asking for this for so long, and finally they are going to hear Taj do his classics in such a special way. We can�t wait to welcome Taj back to Bluesfest � he is one of our all-time favourite artists.
Add in Shooglenifty, performing traditional Scottish music with a blend of fusion, even indie rock, topped with The Residents � the San Francisco bubble eyed Avant Garde, art collective, performing on their 40th Anniversary tour. Put Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats in the mix, whose album has taken the soul revival world by storm and was THE hit at England�s recent Latitude Festival, and you have ANOTHER SERVING IN THE MUSICAL GUMBO THAT IS Bluesfest.
This is shaping up to be one of our best years � and there�s more to come yet. So what are you waiting for, rush out and buy your Bluesfest tickets today � whilst you still can.�
2016 BLUESFEST ARTISTS ALREADY ANNOUNCED:
KENDRICK LAMAR
TOM JONES �THE NATIONAL
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS
UB40
feat. ALI CAMPBELL, ASTRO & MICKEY VIRTUE
JOE BONAMASSA � TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND
MELISSA ETHERIDGE � JACKSON BROWNE
CITY AND COLOUR � THE DECEMBERISTS
THE CAT EMPIRE � JASON ISBELL
TWEEDY � STURGILL SIMPSON
STEVE EARLE AND THE DUKES � THE WORD
GRACE POTTER � LORD HURON
BLACKBERRY SMOKE � VINTAGE TROUBLE
NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE
SONGHOY BLUES � SHAKEY GRAVES � ALLEN STONE
ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
LUKAS NELSON AND PROMISE OF THE REAL
THE SELECTER � RHIANNON GIDDENS
JANIVA MAGNESS � LUCKY PETERSON � EMDEE
THE WAILERS
PRESENT BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 4 ALBUMS IN ENTIRETY
EXODUS, SURVIVAL, UPRISING & LEGEND OVER 4 NIGHTS
