Bluesfest director Peter Noble welcomes easing Covid restrictions

Bluesfest Byron Bay is on the verge of returning after last year’s “comeback” was snatched away by a Covid scare at the 11th hour. Here’s how organisers have made it happen.

It has been a painful few years for the music industry.

For Bluesfest Byron Bay director Peter Noble and his team, the absence of their Easter event in 2020 and 2021 hit hard.

But things are looking up for the 2022 festival planned for April 14 to 18.

The NSW government last week announced easing Covid-19 restrictions would allow festival patrons to sing and dance.

A cap on festival capacities has also been lifted.

Mr Noble has expressed relief at the changes.

“For the audience, it means in NSW you can actually stand at music festivals and you can dance and you can sing,” Mr Nobel said.

“We’re glad to see that everything’s returning to normal.”

Jimmy Barnes will be performing at Bluesfest Byron Bay this Easter. Picture: Mark Stewart

The last-minute cancellation of last year’s festival came with plenty of heartbreak.

“I wouldn’t wish anybody to go through what we went through Easter last year, being cancelled the day before,” he said.

“It was from one case.”

The cancellation was sparked by a Covid scare linked to a group who travelled to Byron Bay from Queensland for a hen’s party, unknowingly infectious at the time.

While there was a cluster of at least 11 cases, only one was a Northern NSW resident from the Ballina area who attended Byron’s Beach Hotel at the same time as the hen’s party.

Bluesfest had opened its gates to campers and was on the verge of starting.

2021 Bluesfest ticket holder Jasmine Barton had already set up her campsite before the festival was cancelled at the last minute in response to a Covid scare. Picture: Scott Powick / NCA Newswire

“We had to placate people; they were being destructive because this was the music industry coming back and we had it snatched away from us like that,” Mr Noble said.

“The repercussions and the ripples that went throughout my industry were really, really terrible.

“I think the abundance of caution was an overabundance of caution.

“I have been contacted by many members of government advising it was not a decision they were comfortable with.”

The cancellation was hard to stomach in the face of the Sydney Royal Easter Show and major sporting events going ahead.

A distraught Bluesfest ticket holder is consoled by a friend after being told the festival was cancelled at the last minute in April, 2021. Picture: Scott Powick / NCA Newswire

“The message for my industry was simple: you don't count,” Mr Noble said.

Mr Noble said this was “probably the worst instance” of any event-related decision throughout the pandemic “in the world at the time”.

“That’s my personal opinion,” he said.

“Our industry is larger than sport, it competes with the mining industry.

“All we ever wanted was to be compliant.”

As for this year, Mr Noble said while patrons will be allowed to stand, they don’t have to.

Midnight Oil will perform at Bluesfest Byron Bay 2022. Picture: Remi Chauvin

The family-friendly festival will have plenty of seating areas, too.

“We do expect that people may not want to stand shoulder to shoulder in front of stages,” he said.

“We will be working today toward figuring out a plan to provide seating and standing areas.”

He said the festival, under previous rules, would have been running at a 20,000 person capacity.

Given it’s less than two months away, he doesn’t expect to go significantly beyond that figure.

“We’re very close to that 20,000 number on that main night already,” he said.

“I can’t see it being a hell of a lot more.”

One of the crowds at a past Bluesfest Byron Bay.

Still, it’s a huge step for the region and the country, with the return of a major music event.

“Those are the numbers that haven't been seen in Australia at major events now for two years,” he said.

While there will be no rule around vaccination status or mask-wearing at Bluesfest - as an outdoor event - Mr Noble said both were strongly encouraged.

“This year, everything’s looking different,” he said.

“We have a much more highly vaccinated society and it’s deemed much safer to put events on.

“That doesn't meant caution shouldn't be exercised by every person on that site.”

He said security and Covid marshalls would be ensuring people behave responsibly.

For the full lineup and to purchase tickets, visit the Bluesfest website.

Originally published as Bluesfest director Peter Noble welcomes easing Covid restrictions