Byron Bay Bluesfest 2021 cancelled due to COVID-19
One day out from its planned start date, Bluesfest 2021 has been shut down due to a coronavirus scare in the Byron Bay region.
One day out from its planned start date of April 1, Bluesfest 2021 has been cancelled. With up to 16,500 patrons per day expected on site, it was to be the largest multi-day music festival to be held anywhere in Australia in more than a year, having been postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At 4pm AEDT on Wednesday, NSW Health released a statement advising that the health minister Brad Hazzard had signed a public health order cancelling the event.
“This action is being taken to minimise the risk of the highly infectious COVID-19 variant of concern being transmitted in the local area, as well as across states and territories,” said the statement.
“NSW Health acknowledges that the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for ticket holders and event organisers, however while urgent investigations and contact tracing are ongoing, NSW Health is adopting a cautious approach to keep everyone safe.”
Held near the NSW coastal town of Byron Bay, festival organisers had previously had a COVID-safe plan approved by NSW Health on February 17, which was to allow up to 16,500 patrons – about half the usual event capacity – on site each day, to enjoy music by artists including Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Kasey Chambers and The Church in a fully seated outdoor environment.
The official statement: pic.twitter.com/ByOPniadjW
— Chris Reason (@ChrisReason7) March 31, 2021
“NSW Health wishes to acknowledge the outstanding co-operation of Mr Peter Noble and his organising team, who were working hard to ensure Bluesfest would be conducted in a COVID-safe manner,” said the statement.
At 5.15pm AEDT on Wednesday, festival director Peter Noble released a statement.
“This is one of the most difficult statements I have ever had to make,” he said. “We really wanted to be at the forefront of the return of live music at pre-COVID-19 level. We feel deeply for everybody affected, the fans, the artists, and the hardworking Bluesfest team. But in the end, the health of our community must come first.”
“We will be having discussions regarding Bluesfest postponement and will update everybody soon. However, this weekend we will be packing down the event that was cancelled within 24 hours of gates due to open. Please do not come to the festival site.”
“To all ticket buyers and music fans, we are hoping that you will support the festival and hold tickets to the rescheduled event,” said the director. “All patrons will be contacted by Moshtix directly once we have an update on how to proceed.”
Up until recently, it was looking like clear skies ahead for Noble and his team, as well as music fans and the hundreds of music industry workers, artists and service providers who saw Bluesfest as a rare glimmer of light in an otherwise dim year for those who work in the performing arts industry.
Dark clouds arrived earlier this week, however, in the shape of the recent emergence of Covid community transmission in Brisbane, followed by the revelation that some of those infected with coronavirus had unknowingly brought the bug to Byron Bay for a hen’s party.
This perfect storm resulted in grave fears for the annual event, which in 2019 celebrated its 30th anniversary, and those fears were confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.
In a statement, NSW health minister Hazzard said, “While the cancellation of Bluesfest is disappointing for music lovers and the local community, I hope that ticket holders would support Bluesfest and hold on to their tickets as I understand Bluesfest will be working on a new date as soon as possible.”
Music industry organisations were swift to respond to the news, with performing rights association APRA AMCOS writing on Twitter, “This is devastating for Bluesfest and all the artists, crews, managers, promoters and music industry workers who had critical work coming. It highlights the urgency for government to partner with industry on an insurance scheme to help create some certainty for live music.”
The Australian Festival Association wrote on Twitter, “Our thoughts go out to the organisers, suppliers, vendors, staff, crew & fans who will miss out on Bluesfest tomorrow. We support a Business Interruption Fund to protect festivals from cancellations. Output & FTE [full-time equivalent work] was down 86 per cent in 2020... and we haven’t event restarted yet.”
Earlier this week, festival organisers had followed advice from NSW Health to exclude ticketholders affected by the three-day lockdown across Greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redlands from the first day of the festival on Thursday, April 1.
Earlier on Wednesday, NSW health minister Brad Hazzard said, “There is a high level of concern from our public health officials that, with these new cases that have come from Queensland and then the newest case that we have heard about just overnight, that we all need to be on high alert.”
“What I would say is that if it were absolutely safe, then we wouldn’t be making this comment,” Mr Hazzard said.
On Wednesday morning, The Australian spoke with blues singer, songwriter and guitarist Ash Grunwald, who was booked to play on the Thursday and Friday nights with his band, as well as a duo concert on Easter Monday with fellow blues artist Josh Teskey.
“It’s been an absolutely massive part of my career; maybe even the biggest festival for me,” said Grunwald, who has played at Bluesfest eight or nine times before.
“It did make my career, in large part: getting a chance to play my style of music to a massive audience, and then having so many blues and roots heroes there on the same stage.”
Like many artists booked to play at the 2021 event, Grunwald was due to play last year before the event was postponed less than a month out from its planned start date due to COVID-19.
On Wednesday morning, Grunwald said, “It looks like it’s going to be happening; I was out on the site yesterday, and I looked out to see a sea of chairs, which is nothing new.”
He did sound a note of caution, however, while wondering about the news that may come later that day.
“I don’t want to fall into hoping for a situation to be different to what it is, because then it puts all of your hopes on something that’s completely external to you, and you can do nothing about.”
“That’s been my approach through this whole COVID thing,” said the blues musician. “That allowed me to free up a bit of mental space to look for opportunities rather than just commiserate. So I definitely, one hundred per cent want Bluesfest to be on – but if anything happens, I’ll just deal with that as it comes.”
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