Neil Young, Santana, Doobies For Bluesfest

Neil Young, Santana and the Doobie Brothers have joined the Bluesfest Byron Bay April 13-17. Young is joined by Promise of The Real, featuring Willie Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah, who played Bluesfest this year. 

Photo: Scott Legato / RockStarProPhotography.com
DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich.

Said festival director Peter Noble, “They’re still talking about Santana’s legendary last performance at Bluesfest in 2013, and The Doobie Brothers blitzed when they last played Bluesfest, they are simply a brilliant live band. Bluesfest is serious about 2017 being its best line up yet.”

Among acts previously announced were the Zac Brown Band, Patti Smith Group performing the Horses album, Bonnie Raitt, Mary J. Blige, Buddy Guy, Rickie Lee Jones, The Lumineers, Mavis Staples, Jethro Tull, and Michael Kiwanuka.

According to an independent report by Lawrence Consulting, Bluesfest was responsible for 2.5 percent of Byron Shire’s total GRP (Gross Regional Product) with a contribution of A$10.8 million ($8.2 million) and injecting A$32.8 million ($25.1 million) to NSW’s state economy. As a result, Bluesfest recently won the 2016 Best Regional Event at the Australian Event Awards in Sydney, and is nominee for the NSW Tourism Awards on Nov. 24.