Byron Bay Bluesfest 2025

WORDS: Steve & Estelle Hunt PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Usher - www.usherusher.com 0412 910 857

Oh, the conjecture, oh the chatter.

For 12 months all we’ve been hearing is the pending demise of one of the institutions of the Australian music scene, Byron Bay Bluesfest.

Well, we’re happy to report that the reports of its demise are greatly exaggerated.

Australia’s music-lusting tribe turned out in almost record numbers, voting with their feet and flipping the proverbial bird at any suggestion that this institution should follow in the footsteps of another Byron icon, the now extinct Splendour in the Grass, to the fate of history.

Defying the dinosaurs in government who didn’t want to stump up a reported $3 million in funding to keep the event alive, people power – as usual – won the day as an estimated 100,000 people over the Easter weekend proselytised the event’s resurrection.

It sure was a crowded house, with the 2025 event eclipsing the 70,000 that turned up last year as the event hung precipitously on life support and labouring toward a crucifixion.

So, a much needed $300 million was injected into the local economy again. Tick.

And all of us music lovers can probably breathe a sigh of relief that we will undoubtedly see the continuation of Bluesfest for years to come.

We live in hope anyway. After all that’s what Easter is all about isn’t it?

Who could not have been relieved despite having to clamour through the malaise of people for carparks, a seat, a beer, a feed and somewhere to watch an old favourite like Crowded House or many of the little gold nuggets of unknown bands that now occupy our play lists, and which makes Bluesfest that little piece of musical magic.

Enter Tom Morello, the rock guitaring icon of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame who took us back to the roots of the blues and then into a journey of yesteryear which is part of our collective DNA – grunge and rock and, well, just indelible music memories and experiences that we will never forget.

Morello reminded us why he is truly one of the guitaring greats, and why we still secretly love rebellion – he didn’t need to breach any contractual obligations by singing Killing in the Name Of. We all sang it for him.

We lifted the roof off the Mojo tent and reminded the world that we won’t do what it tells us. All he did was lead us like the rock conductor that he is. We did the rest. Someone get me a chiropractor.

And he showed us how much we all miss Chris Cornell as a stage-sized photo of the former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman, who died in 2017, was displayed during a rendition of Like a Stone.

Aaah! The goosebumps.

From the rich, exquisite and prodigious homegrown talent of Ocean Alley, Vance Joy, Taj Farrant, Xavier Rudd, John Butler, Missy Higgins, and Kasey Chambers, to one of our greatest exports Crowded House, Bluesfest once again showed just how good we are at music.

Injected with the ageing international artists Toto, Christopher Cross and George Thorogood and the Destroyers were the contemporary international acts of Rag N’ Bone Man who lifted the spirits with Human and the blues rock fusion of Gary Clark Jr who reminded us just where music’s roots really started.

And finally, the little gold nuggets that make Bluesfest what it is, a journey of discovery. Those who missed the Chicago blues act Melody Angel manifesting her feminine Hendrix will be well advised not to miss her next time.

It’s too difficult to mention the entire line-up, but as I said to someone who would listen over the four exhausting days of musical indulgence, there is not one band on stage not worth seeing.

And if one was dissuaded by the long carpark lines on day three, missing the event’s final act, Hilltop Hoods, would have been a real tragedy as they rocked the roof off.

Often associated with gumboots, mud and rain, this epic four days under balmy sun-drenched days and star-filled nights was almost the perfect metaphor for the future of this event.

See you next year, as tickets are on sale.