theMusic Presents: Another Raft Of Bluesfest Sideshows

With the announcement of more Bluesfest acts, which we were given just over a week ago, comes the announcement of more Bluesfest sideshows and blues lovers will be very stoked about some of the bills that are in store for clubs, predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne, next Easter.

Robben Ford & Walter Trout

Thursday 17 April ­– The Factory, Sydney
Friday 18 April – The Corner, Melbourne

If you're into blues guitar, then you need to be at this show. Two of the true great guitar players of our time will be playing sets in intimate environs, giving fans a chance to marvel at their supreme proficiency and musicality.

Robben Ford (pictured) has been one of the great jazz, rock and fusion guitarists on the scene for decades now, playing with everyone from Miles Davis to Joni Mitchell to KISS over the years. Walter Trout, on the other hand, is blues through and through and plays scintillating, gritty guitar jams that'll have your jaw on the floor.

North Mississippi Allstars

Tuesday 15 April – Recital Centre, Melbourne
Wednesday 16 April – The Basement, Sydney

Finally back in the country after wowing crowds ten years back with their brand of modern boogie blues, the North Mississippi Allstars bring tracks from their excellent, gritty new LP World Boogie Is Coming to clubs in Sydney and Melbourne. It'll be all kinds of dirty in the best possible way.

Booker T. Jones & Valerie June

Friday 25 April – The Corner, Melbourne
Saturday 26 April – The Factory, Sydney

The great Booker T. Jones is responsible for so much of what made those brilliant Stax Records recordings back in the day sound so damn good. He's also responsible for a few soul bangers himself, along his band the M.G.s and recently he has dropped a couple of brilliant records under his own name, with this year's Sound The Alarm one of his best to date – no joke.

Up and coming star Valerie June is there in support; she's recently released the record she made with Dan Auerbach and is just becoming bigger and bigger every day. See her before she explodes.

Suzanne Vega

Friday 11 April – Astor Theatre, Perth
Sunday 13 April – Cairns Civic Theatre, Cairns
Saturday 19 April – Recital Centre, Melbourne
Sunday 20 April – The Factory, Sydney (with Seth Lakeman)

Her songs Luka and Tom's Diner are both bona-fide 90s classics and they're the kinda tunes that stack up so well after so many years. Suzanne Vega is an artist that many are no doubt excited to catch up with again and by the time she is out in Australia for Bluesfest and these four sideshows, she'll have a brand new record to show off.

The Soul Rebels

Tuesday 15 April – Recital Centre, Melbourne
Wednesday 16 April – The Basement, Sydney

If you dig brass bands and you don't completely hate having fun, then you need to lace up your most comfortable dancing shoes and head along to see The Soul Rebels when they make their way to Australia. They get tunes that they hear and love on the radio and turn them into big, brassy affairs in a New Orleans style. So much fun.