Welcome to the first edition!

Greetings ##firstname##,

Welcome you all, to the first edition of the Bluesfest E News.
It's all about staying in touch and keeping you up to date with everything that happens at Bluesfest Byron Bay. There are now over 100,000 members in the Bluesfest world.

However, this is not just about our news.....we would also like you to get you involved!

We are going to print all the Blues News which is inspiring and invite you to send in your stories and pictures of any Bluesfest you have been to. We also welcome your own live or CD reviews.

Just bring it on everyone....we will put all the good stuff in future issues and when the next Blues E news comes out, you might just read your own review or find your picture in there.

Please send to helenw@bluesfest.com.au.

For a start, we just have to share two incredible reviews with you. For those of you who did not attend this year, you can get a feeling what our beloved Festival was like.

Just click the attachments on left hand side of this page. Take some time out and enjoy the read.

Pre-Early Bird Tickets

Available now for our members only. Tickets will be released to the public very soon and a price rise is also just around the corner. Grab your tickets now, as this opportunity will not last!

All 5 day, 3 day and camping tickets are for sale NOW.

Festival Ticket Prices:

Camping Ticket Prices:

Coming soon...

First Artist Announcement:

We are working on it and are gobsmacked by the artists who are asking to play 2012....mouth watering they are, that's for sure!

In the meantime, please let us know who you would like to see – our Bluesfest forum/message board is a great place to do this.

Merchandise:

Our on line shop for collectibles will be opening very soon.

A Note from Peter Noble, Festival director:

I would like to start by thanking you for becoming a member, which means you have bought a ticket to Bluesfest over the past few years - WOW - 100,000 of you. I hope you enjoy reading the articles by Rolling Stone Magazine and UK Blues Matters Mag as much I did. Can't help but saying: They made me proud!

We are now at a size where most of the artists who performed do not even get reviewed.

Some of these such as:

• Public Opinion Afro Orchestra
• Melbourne Ska Orchestra
• Raul Malo
• John Legend
• Rodrigo y Gabriela
• Fishbone

They were absolutely incredible and deserved reams of newsprint for each of their fine performances.

Ben Harper reformed the Innocent Criminals for a one off appearance - that seems to have gone under the radar of a lot of the media - and he ALSO presented Relentless7 - what a night - we literally had to kick them out of the dressing room at around 4am - they were just so thrilled with their performance - and the laughter resonated around the back stage for hours.

In my opinion Germany's BB & The Blues Shack again proved why they are simply "The continent's Best Blues Band" - just incredible, and what fun they have on stage - acrobatics - playing in the audience. These guys are the real deal and should be Blues superstars in the future

I know some of you were disappointed with BB King - he is not doing the fiery shows he once did - However, he IS STILL the King of the blues - and for those of you who heard him for the first time - you did get to experience one of the all time greats.

Bluesfest 2011 was by all accounts a major success but we ALWAYS learn of more things we can do better every year, by also listening to you all. A big talking point this year concerned the number of fold up chairs being brought into the Festival. An issue we definitely need to address for next year. Plus we are working on better weather proofing our site. We are taking it all on board to deliver you a better Festival every year.

A very positive announcement is that we are going to relinquish the ban on cameras and from now on all still cameras of any kind are going to be allowed into Bluesfest. Great news!

I have just arrived back in Australia after travelling since the Sunday after Bluesfest - and believe me when I tell you this - I have every intention of presenting an equally fine line-up next year as I did for Bluesfest 2011.

In fact - at this time - there is an incredible array of musicians wanting to play Bluesfest 2012.

I look forward to keeping you updated on what is happening in Bluesfest world plus receiving your stories and reviews.

Peter Noble - Bluesfest director.