More Bluesfest Sideshows Bring Legends To Southern Cities

You can't argue with the incredible amount of blues that is already on the line up for the 25th anniversary of Bluesfest, which hits Tyagarah next Easter, and now those who can't make it up to Northern New South Wales for the event are able to get a pretty decent taste of it as well.

An enormous blues sideshow will hit Melbourne on the Easter Monday, featuring the brilliant Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy in the headline position, with blues royalty in The James Cotton Band taking main support and long-standing Bluesfest favourite (he even played the first ever festival) Charlie Musselwhite getting things started.

This could well be one of the last chances Australia gets to see Buddy Guy as he looks to wind down his international touring commitments and it's the first chance we get to see James Cotton. If you're a blues fan, you'll want to see this.

They play Melbourne's The Palais on Monday 21 April.

That's not all Bluesfest have in store for us this morning though, as another mammoth triple bill (and a sneaky little possible Bluesfest announcement) has also been confirmed.

As a member of the Allman Brothers, Gregg Allman was one of the progenitors of classic Southern rock. He has also been lucky enough over the past few years to have a monumentally successful solo career and word is his live performances are out of this world.

Joining him in Sydney and Melbourne will be the not-announced-for-Bluesfest Gov't Mule, who we haven't seen in this country in 14 years, when they last played the Byron event. The Warren Haynes led band are on a roll after the release of their latest LP Shout!, which sees them performing with all manner of great artists and you can bet the southern rock jam band are excited to get back. Opening things on this bill will be Devon Allman, Gregg's son, who has just released his first solo record after blowing our minds with his band Royal Southern Brotherhood earlier this year.

These three great southern acts will get cookin' at the following dates:

Monday 21 April – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Wednesday 23 April – The Forum, Melbourne

While we're on the topic of Bluefest sideshows, they have added one further date to the run of dates Suzanne Vega is to undertake, with the artist set to play a show at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Monday 14 April, joined by Seth Lakeman in support.