Bluesfest 2024, Photograph by Roger Cotgreave
Bluesfest Byron Bay director Peter Noble has declared the festival’s 2024 edition a “triumph” and said Bluesfest will “125 million per-cent” be back in 2025.
In a statement released following the conclusion of Bluesfest’s 35th year, Noble acknowledged the elephant in the room. “We all know that the music industry is facing challenges right now,” he said. “The interest rate rises, intended to curb the disposable dollar spending, have influenced all aspects of the industry except for superstars touring, such as Taylor Swift.”
But despite the economic pressures, Noble said Bluesfest 2024 had “at least the same” attendance as in 2023. Last year, it was reported that approximately 70,000 people attended the five-day event, down from around 100,000 in 2022.
“We have held our position, and as much as we would like to see more people come, it’s not going to happen until the interest rates drop,” said Noble. “We do ask our government to support our industry until then.”
Bluesfest ran from Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just north of Byron Bay, NSW. International headliners included Jack Johnson, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals and Portugal. The Man, as well as local acts Matt Corby, Jimmy Barnes, The Cruel Sea and more.
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