Big blues acts and community support fuel Blues on Broadbeach 2025
It’s been another stellar year for Blues on Broadbeach - with organisers promising even bigger stuff for 2026. READ MORE
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The Gold Coast’s love affair with the blues continues to hit the high notes, with massive crowds recorded for the annual Blues on Broadbeach Festival.
Restaurants and bars were packed across the precinct as thousands soaked up the atmosphere created by artists including Jimmy Barnes, blues rock guitarist Eric Gales and legendary Louisiana artist Sunpie Barnes.
Festival director Mark Duckworth said despite official attendance figures not yet being available, it was clear strong crowds had been recorded for the 24th annual event.
“People have just come out in droves,” he said.
“Last year we saw 160,000 and it feels the same this year, if not bigger.”
Mr Duckworth hailed a new collaboration, the ‘Late Night Supper’, that brought blues and food together for a sold-out event at the Roosevelt Lounge.
He said was thanks to these collaborative efforts, as well as community backing, that the festival was going from strength-to-strength.
“It takes an army of people to put this gig on,” he said.
“That’s why Blues on Broadbeach is now 24 years old – because everyone backs it. So it’s really important for us to thank the community and the local traders for their support.”
For many of those attending, Blues on Broadbeach is an annual pilgrimage.
Zak Zuiderduin and Frankie Burton said they’ve come almost every year since its inception in 2002.
“I think we only missed the first two,” Ms Burton said.
“We came for the daytime because we couldn’t afford to stay, but now we come and stay at the Venetian,” she said.
“We missed one year when Covid was on,” Mr Zuiderduin added.
They said they just can’t stay away: the music is too good.
“I often tell people that even the lesser acts here at Blues on Broadbeach are ten times better than any of these idiots on those stupid reality shows,” Mr Zuiderduin said.
“These people are fair dinkum musicians and they’re living it, you know.”
For Alan Reade, Byron Stevens, Keepa Tuuta and Jock Hardy, Blues on Broadbeach is the one time of the year they know they’ll get together.
“We went to school together, and Alan’s my cousin,” Mr Stevens said.
“We all come from a small place on the west coast of the north island (of New Zealand),” Mr Tuuta said.
The men have been friends for decades and were really excited to be among the music, all clamouring to say what they loved most about the festival.
“It’s great coming here though because you turn around and there’s music,” Mr Reade said.
“There’s music everywhere, you go to breakfast and there’s music.”
They also said they love that the festival seems to attract a good crowd.
“I’ve never seen any trouble,” Mr Kuuta said.
Next year will see the festival celebrate its 25th year.
Mr Duckworth said planning for the quarter of a century milestone had already began six months ago.
“There’s lots of big things planned, and we’ve been planning them for six or seven months already,” he said.
“So get ready for some big stuff.”
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Originally published as Big blues acts and community support fuel Blues on Broadbeach 2025
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