Bluesfest Wanted Kanye West In 2014

In a live twitter Q&A with fans of the festival yesterday afternoon, Byron Bay Bluesfest co-founder and director (and recent recipient of the Rolling Stone Award) Peter Noble has revealed a few secrets about the booking of his event in 2014 as well as some of the issues he has faced in the past.

The event celebrates 25 years of existence in 2014 and over the past quarter of a century has become one of the most renowned cultural events in Australia - it picked up silver in at last week's Australian Tourism Awards - and one of the world's finest music festival.

Perhaps the most revealing comment from Noble's Q&A came early on when he admitted he had wanted to book hip hop star Kanye West for the 2014 event, as well as constantly requested acts Tom Petty and the great Stevie Wonder.

@nattybegood - i was thinking about @kanyewest @StevieWonder @tompetty Van Morrison! Logistics seemed to have prevented them from coming.
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

He also said that Bluesfest ask Eric Clapton to perform at the event every single year, prompting Noble to say the only thing that needed to get Clapton on the Bluesfest bill is for him to say yes.

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@TheBluesRoomNZ - we ask him every year! So what it will take is a YES from him @EricClaptonNews
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

Another artist on the festival's wishlist is Jack White. Noble says he has heard rumours that White has hesitations playing Bluesfest, but assures him that the festival is well and truly up to scratch production-wise to handle his show.

@TrackMarksMusic @jackwhite he is always on our wish list & i would say there is no more appropriate festival for him to play...
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@TrackMarksMusic We heard he has some reservations about playing fest, however ur production values will easily met or surpass his needs
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

While Noble expresses interest in bringing over more jam bands in the vein of – and related to – the Grateful Dead, he says the difference in the bands' level of popularity can be an issue.

@bigpapapun09 i will be meeting with their agent next week in Nashville! @furthurband is HUGE in the USA & there are bands like them such as
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@bigpapapun09 ....@phish that are hard to bring here because they are more popular there.
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

The Singaporean event Rock & Roots will not be taking place in 2014 due to Noble's partners in the event Timbre Music deciding not to stage it this year, though Noble assures it will be back.

@ishkaban my partners in Singapore @timbremusic decided to have fallow year, we intent to be back, all guns firing!
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

Though getting British ska legends Madness back might be a struggle.

@deryvision @madness it will take alot. Their agent confirmed thru their manager to perform & then later the band said NO!
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@deryvision @MadnessNews Til they figure out who is the captain of the ship, i won't be getting onboard.
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

As far as Tom Waits goes? It's not likely he will ever return to Australia, let alone Bluesfest.

@VincentAlvaro - Tom Waits is the hardest artists in the world to get to play a theatre show, let alone a festival.....
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@VincentAlvaro - i have a friend in the UK, who promotes Tom. He told me last time, Tom came over to play London ( Only), Tom asked him....
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@VincentAlvaro how many shows he should play. He told Tom 20, Tom said put 6 on sale. They sold out in minutes. If you ever get a chance...
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

@VincentAlvaro to see Tom Waits, anywhere in the world. TAKE IT! It's very unlikely he will ever visit Oz.
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014

Wondering why your band didn't get a spot on Bluesfest this year? Knowing that around 2,000 artists applied might make you feel a little better.

@AlienLane we had 1400 direct artists this year + many hundreds thou agents & managers on top. It is THE hardest year EVER ....
— Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) February 12, 2014