More than 35 Australian and International Blues acts have been added to the already impressive 2017 Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival line-up, which will feature UK superstar Bonnie Tyler, Australian legend Ian Moss and rockabilly king Slim Jim Phantom Trio.
Now in its 16th year, multi award winning Blues on Broadbeach is one of the largest free music festivals in Australia, entertaining locals and visitors with almost 70 acts on 20 stages. Situated on the picturesque Gold Coast, the event draws more than 160,000 visitors over its four days, with numbers growing every year.
JIMI HOCKING’s BLUES MACHINE, HARTS, LOUIE SHELTON BLUESLAND, 19 TWENTY and AARON WEST & THE CUSTODIANS are just some of the exciting Blues names that fans can expect to see when Blues on Broadbeach rolls around May 18-21.
Click play to see the highlights of the Blues on Broadbeach lineup.
Broadbeach Alliance Chief Executive Officer Jan McCormick says the team are ecstatic with how this year’s Festival is shaping up, and are looking forward to making a few more announcements as the Festival gets closer.
“We are extremely proud of this brilliant line-up. We have international stars performing, local home-grown talent, and I’m confident to say that when you come into the Festival, you will be absolutely blown away with the artists on offer,” McCormick said.
“Visitation numbers are increasing every year and we are expecting this trend to continue, with thousands of people already travelling from interstate and overseas for the event,” she continued.
Queensland Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the calibre of performers will be a huge drawcard for visitors.
“The Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival is a highlight on Queensland’s calendar of events,” Ms Jones said.
“Last year’s event delivered an economic boost of around $20 million into the Gold Coast economy and this year is set to be even bigger.”
“I congratulate Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), Broadbeach Alliance and the event partners for bringing this highly successful festival to the Gold Coast.”
Jimi Hocking, an incredible home-grown blues artist, began his affinity with the guitar as a child, when his father presented him with his first acoustic guitar for Christmas. Since then Jimi has rarely put a guitar down, especially in his time as the lead guitarist for the Screaming Jets in the mid-90s. After much success, Jimi released his first blues album, ‘Blue Guitar’ which sells as well today as it did in 1999. Having played festivals around the world and won countless awards, Jimi will bring his incredible talent to Blues on Broadbeach in 2017.
The late and great Prince saw something special in Darren Hart, known asHarts. The music icon flew Harts out to his Studios in Minneapolis to play with him, saying, “He reminds me of how I was at that age”. The Melbourne musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and music producer is often labelled as ‘a one-man music-making machine’ – he creates all his music single-handedly in his bedroom studio. Harts has become known for his Jimi Hendrix-like guitar playing and unique blend of funk, pop, rock and soul music, which has earned him praise worldwide.
Locally based, US musician Louie Shelton Bluesland will bring his wealth of experience to the 2017 Festival. An inductee into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, Louie has worked with the likes of The Monkees, Marvin Gaye, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Neil Diamond, John Lennon and Barbara Streisand. He also played the guitar solo on Lionel Richie’s hit ‘Hello’. Don’t miss Louie Shelton Bluesland.
Also joining the line-up and bringing his electrifying show to Broadbeach is multi-award winning, Darren Jack Band. Adding a touch of magic and millions of YouTube hits to the Festival will be musical virtuoso, Juzzie Smith, best known for his amazing ability to play guitar, harmonica and percussion at the same time. Riff and groove based blues band 19-Twenty will whip the crowd into a frenzy, while the incredible Aaron West & the Custodians and Benny D Williams will showcase what the locals have to offer.
Rounding out the second announcement for the 2017 line-up are Mojo Webb Band, Asa Broomhall, Nick Charles, Phil Barlow and the Wolf, Matt Stillert, Devils Kiosk, Tomcat Playground, Johnson Stompers, West Texas Crude, Byron Short and The Sunset Junkies, Wards Xpress, Mitch King, Bag O’Nails, BB Factory, Kenny Slide, Richie Langford, Pop Standen and Dave Hoffman, Captain Dreamboat, The James Street Preachers, River City Aces, Tim Griffin, The Wet Fish, Johnny Devilseed, Kniki and Mike Beale, The Jacky Howellers, Mescalito Blues, Jason Delphin Music, Brad Palmer Blues Sessions and Wilson and White.
JIMI HOCKING’S BLUES MACHINE
HARTS
DARREN JACK BAND
LOUIE SHELTON BLUESLAND – JUZZIE SMITH
19 TWENTY – AARON WEST & THE CUSTODIANS
ASA BROOMHALL– NICK CHARLES – PHIL BARLOW AND THE WOLF – MATT STILLERT – DEVILS KIOSK – TOMCAT PLAYGROUND – JOHNSON STOMPERS – WEST TEXAS CRUDE – BYRON SHORT AND THE SUNSET JUNKIES – WARDS XPRESS – MITCH KING – BAG O’NAILS – BB FACTORY – KENNY SLIDE – RICHIE LANGFORD – POP STANDEN AND DAVE HOFFMAN – CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT – THE JAMES STREET PREACHERS – RIVER CITY ACES – TIM GRIFFIN – THE WET FISH – JOHNNY DEVILSEED – KNIKI AND MIKE BEALE – THE JACKY HOWELLERS – MESCALITO BLUES – JASON DELPHIN MUSIC – BRAD PALMER BLUES SESSIONS
And more still to be announced.
To join:
BONNIE TYLER
IAN MOSS
SLIM JIM PHANTOM TRIO
KEVIN BORICH – RAY BEADLE
CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS –
SHANE PACEY TRIO – CHEAP FAKES
LACHY DOLEY AND THE HORNS OF CONVICTION – PHIL MANNING – HUSSY HICKS – CLAUDE HAY –THE TURNER BROWN BAND
THE VIBROLATORS FEATURING MISS PETA LEE – THE FLAMING MUDCATS
BLUES ARCADIA – EZRA LEE – AUSTIN WALKIN’ CANE – LITTLE BILLY
The Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through TEQ’s It’s Live! In Queensland major events calendar and will present four massive days and nights of Australian and International Blues acts from May 18-21 this year.