I have to doff my cap to the organisers of Bluesfest.
If you are a lover of the various forms of American roots music, the talent headed to Bluesfest next Easter is the best for years, with a sizable list of highly-talented performers on the way. For me, the chance to see all these artists is exciting – Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Rhiannon Giddens, The Decemberists, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Tweedy, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Shakey Graves, St Paul & The Broken Bones, Jackson Browne and the most recent addition Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.
For those not going to Byron Bay for the festival, there’s plenty of side-shows and Melbourne in particular is hosting all the above artists. Perfect you would think?
Well, not quite.
Given the need to nestle side gigs near the Easter festival, there’s many clashes here in Melbourne – both Steve Earle and Tedeschi Trucks are playing in Melbourne on the same night 19 March (although Earle has another show the evening before). Rhiannon Giddens and Sturgill Simpson both play on 23 March and, now that the Jason Isbell tour dates have just been announced, his only Melbourne performance is on the same night as The Decemberists (29 March). Now I’ll be heading to Bendigo so I can catch Jason, two nights later.
Ah well, too much is way better than too little.
Here are the details of the Jason Isbell tour.
Love Police has announced that Jason Isbell, along with his stellar band The 400 Unit, will return to Australia in March and April 2016 to play dates in Melbourne, Bendigo, Sydney and Bluesfest in Byron Bay.
Released in July, his wonderful new album Something More Than Free, has reinforced what a formidable and respected songwriter Isbell is and the new release is a worthy successor to the 2014 award-winning Southeastern.
Isbell, who has toured Australia in the past with Ryan Adams and Justin Townes Earle plus his own headlining tour in 2014, is currently on tour in the United States and recently played four straight sold out shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
His performance at Bluesfest 2014 was terrific and I’ve also seen him perform at The Americana Awards in Nashville. A truly compelling artist to catch, one who is at the top of his game.
JASON ISBELL TOURING MARCH & APRIL 2016
29 March – Recital Hall, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets on Sale Thursday November 5
http://www.melbournerecital.com.au/events/2016/jason-isbell/
31 March – Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo, VIC
Tickets on Sale Friday November 6
3 April – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Tickets on Sale Friday November 6
http://www.enmoretheatre.com.au
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