Fans get the blues after beloved festival calls it a day

When the organisers of Bluesfest Byron Bay announced it would be calling it a day, the industry and live music fans alike went into mourning.

Countless music fans have made the pilgrimage to Bluesfest since its launch in 1990. Picture: Facebook

When the organisers of Bluesfest Byron Bay – one of Australia’s best-loved and longest-running music festivals – announced it would be calling it a day, the industry and live music fans alike went into mourning.

Next year’s Bluesfest, the 36th iteration of the sun-soaked, mud-splattered blues and roots pilgrimage, will be its last. Festival director Peter Noble announced on Wednesday morning, with much regret, that “it’s time to close this chapter”.

“Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community, and the resilient spirit of our fans,” said Noble, who has helmed the event since 1994.

Following the news that Bluesfest would be hanging up the banjo, tributes and reflections poured in from artists who had graced the festival’s stage over the years.

ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Kasey Chambers, who debuted her defining anthem Not Pretty Enough at Bluesfest, expressed mixed emotions. “On one hand, there’s sadness, of course, to see such an important part of Australian music come to an end, but I also feel so much heartfelt gratitude to have been a part of their legacy over the years. My heart is full of the beautiful memories it has given me,” said Chambers, 48.

Blues artist Ash Grunwald, 47, shared that some of his most memorable musical experiences — “on and off the stage” — were at Bluesfest. “I get that times have changed, but I will mourn the passing of this iconic centre point of Australian blues and roots.”

Australian singer, songwriter and author Kate Ceberano, 57, reflected on the festival’s impact: “I could feel the power of the brand all over the place when I was there.”

“A universal power chord to you and all that sailed with you.”

The blues and roots band 19-Twenty likened the news of Bluesfest’s final chapter to saying goodbye to an old friend, “one who has been there for all the highs and lows, the celebrations, and moments of quiet reflection.”

“Bluesfest has been the heart and soul of Australia’s music scene – an institution that not only brought the world’s greatest artists to our shores but also showcased the very best of our homegrown talent. It’s where legends have played, where first-­timers have found their rhythm,” the band wrote on social media.

The festival’s coming cancellation deals a severe blow to an already beleaguered live music sector. This year alone has seen the cancellation of several major music festivals, including fellow Byron Bay event Splendour in the Grass, Dark Mofo in Tasmania, Harvest Rock in Adelaide, and the regional touring festivals Groovin’ the Moo and Spilt Milk – casualties of declining ticket sales and soaring operational costs.

Falls Festival paused its 2023 event to “rest, recover, and recalibrate” while FOMO, Stereosonic, Soundwave, Mountain Sounds, Future, and Big Day Out have all shut down in the past decade.

With the cost-of-living crisis, escalating artist fees, unpredictable ticket sales, a weakening Australian dollar and extreme weather events, profitability has eluded many organisers. At the Variety Live Biz Breakfast event in Sydney on June 13, Noble sounded the alarm for the sector, warning of an “extinction event” facing music festivals. Bluesfest, struggling to regain its footing in the post-pandemic era, saw its 2020 event cancelled because of mass gathering restrictions, and its 2021 return thwarted a day before opening after a Covid case was detected nearby.

The festival re-emerged triumphantly in 2022 with a line-up featuring Jimmy Barnes, Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, The Teskey Brothers, The Cat Empire, and Crowded House, drawing a combined audience of 105,000 over five days. That success proved fleeting; the 2023 and 2024 editions failed to sell out, with this year’s attendance slumping to a mere 60,000.

The multiple-award-winning festival – first staged in the Byron Bay area in 1990 to a crowd of 6000 – has hosted some of the most legendary names in blues and roots music. International stars to appear over the years include Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Kendrick Lamar, Tom Jones, BB King and Jethro Tull.

The first artist announcements for Bluesfest 2025 will be unveiled next week, with Noble promising the final iteration will be “the most unforgettable experience yet”.

“If you’ve been thinking about it, now is your last chance to ­experience our beloved festival.”