Shakespeare was uncannily right about a plethora of things, but not this.
Come 16-19 May 2019, it won't be rough winds shaking these darling buds of May. It'll be the Blues On Broadbeach festival, which is returning for its 18th anniversary next year.
Set against the backdrop of one of the Gold Coast's most exquisite beaches, the festival is a complete destination experience. Attendees are blessed with a diverse bunch of blues artists, refined restaurants, and dreamy surroundings.
According to Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, “Blues On Broadbeach has evolved to take top billing on the national blues calendar... an event not to be missed.”
The festival recently won the silver award for Major Festivals and Events 2018 at the Queensland Tourism Awards, and running on that high they've announced the festival's 2019 preliminary line-up featuring both international and national talent.
“What amazes me is the ability for the event to attract the world’s best musicians while still retaining its earthy, raw feel. Even more impressive is that the entire weekend is free,” Tom says.
It is this earthy, rawness that informs the festival line-up. Artists added to the bill include US legends Canned Heat and Eric Bibb as well as Aussie stalwarts Harts, The Bamboos and The Lachy Doley Group, plus New Zealand's Tami Neilson. Bingo!
Festival Director Mark Duckworth says they aimed for a “wide scope of blues, soul and funk performers for the 2019 programme reaching from home soil to New Zealand and the UK to the US.
“This year’s festival is so varied and unique, be prepared for a lot of brass and a lot smiles.”
American band Canned Heat will be returning to the festival to perform for the second time. A fixture globally since the '60s, Canned Heat have achieved legendary status in blues music circles. The band is notable for its country-blues style that mashes blues with roots, rock and boogie, with hit songs 'Going Up The Country' and 'On The Road Again'.
According to Larry and Fito (band members), “It’s great to be ‘On The Road Again’ and returning to Blues On Broadbeach. We really love Australia and look forward to playing for that great audience. Come and boogie with Canned Heat.”
Fan favourite Eric Bibb was nominated for a 2018 Grammy Award for his swirling blues style that emphasises the best of pre-war blues music. Additionally, the singer is an activist who places heavy emphasis on the '60s civil rights movement. His music is his means of entertaining, educating and motivating audiences.
Feel-good Melbourne band The Bamboos are getting up in the thick of it too. The band has recently released their eighth studio album, 'Night Time People', on top of receiving five ARIA nominations and three APRA Songwriting Award nominations. The Bamboos' powerhouse vocals, piano solos and basslines are guaranteed to get you grooving.
Another name from Melbourne is Harts, who has been judged to be of the same ilk as all-time music legends Jimi Hendrix, Prince and Lenny Kravitz. Like them, Harts has his own mind-melding, genre-bending style: a little bit of funk and jazz, a little blues, and a whole lot of psychedelic rock.
The young musician will be returning to Blues On Broadbeach after his failed 2017 attempt. Harts' show had to be cancelled due to the rain, and he is eager to make up for it.
Canadian-born Kiwi, Tami Neilson will be stepping up to represent New Zealand. Her soulful voice has won her a legion of fans all around the world, with Nick Bolinger of NZ National Radio calling her a “red-hot honky-tonker, somewhere between Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson with perhaps just a little bit of Peggy Lee sophistication”.
The songstress won the Tui Award for each of her past four albums and the APRA Silver Scroll Award in 2014.
And joining them will be seasoned Melbourne band The Lachy Doley Group. The crowd favourite are guaranteed to give the audience a rollicking good time. Glen Hughes (of Deep Purple) calls Lachy: “The greatest living keyboard player in the world today.”
For more information about the 2019 festival, click here.
2019 Blues On Broadbeach First Line-up
Canned HeatEric Bibb
Harts
The Bamboos
Tami Neilson
The Lachy Doley Group
Blue Shaddy
Chris Cain
Z-Star Trinity
Eric Steckel Band
The Bad Dad Orchestra
Kings And Associates
The Kate Lush Band
Kallidad
Cherry Divine
Slips & The Flamin’ Whippersnappers
Piano Wizard Andrew Farrell
+ more to be announced
