Bluesfest to make Melbourne debut with two-day festival in April 2023
After more than 30 years of being based in northern NSW, Bluesfest will next year expand to a Melbourne debut.
After more than 30 years of being based solely in northern NSW, Bluesfest will next year expand to a Melbourne debut.
The Easter long weekend event will run concurrently with the five-day music festival held near Byron Bay, but the Victorian bill, to be hosted at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, won’t be at the mercy of the weather.
“The thing I love about the indoor venue is that it’s secure: we know we’re not going to be affected by rain, flood or even heat,” event presenter Neil Croker said. “It’s going to be a nice environment, and with three stages running each day, we’ll create a festival feel within the space.”
Acts booked to appear in Melbourne on April 8 and 9 will include The Doobie Brothers, Buddy Guy, Paolo Nutini, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Kasey Chambers and Xavier Rudd, with more to come.
“We’ve picked a roster that gives two days’ worth of great blues and roots crossover acts,” Croker told The Australian. “We think it’s a great mix, and I hope over time we’ll grow this festival so we can have an additional day and additional stage.”
The festival will have a daily crowd capacity of about 8000, and it will be run separately to several Melbourne sideshows already announced by Bluesfest Touring, including concerts held at the Palais Theatre by international acts such as Bonnie Raitt, Jason Isbell and Elvis Costello.
Croker is a 40-year veteran of the Australian live music industry whose CV includes directing and co-promoting some of the nation’s biggest tours including Dire Straits’ record-breaking run in 1986 – which sold about 900,000 tickets across 54 dates – as well as overseeing tours by AC/DC, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton and Bette Midler.
In 2007, Melbourne-based Croker took over the lease of the Palais Theatre, and across a decade increased the 3000-seat venue’s number of annual concerts from about 25 to more than 120, including gigs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and John Farnham.
His management of the Palais was where he cemented a close working relationship with Bluesfest director Peter Noble, who had regularly booked the venue for southern sideshows.
“Peter has often thought about doing a ‘city’ festival, as well as the ‘country’ festival he does now, so it fell together quite quickly,” Croker said.
In April, Bluesfest was held after several years of Covid-related cancellations at Byron Events Farm, where Noble and his team welcomed about 100,000 music fans across five days.
Its next NSW event will be held from April 6-10, with acts including Gang of Youths, Tash Sultana, Jackson Browne, Beck and Counting Crows.
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