Bluesfest Will '125 Million Per Cent' Return In 2025

Bluesfest director Peter Noble OAM has issued his annual statement regarding the festival's latest edition, sharing that it will “125 million per cent” return in 2025, with sales of Early Bird tickets already flying out the door.

The Bluesfest team are currently running the numbers, but according to Noble, the attendance rate for 2024 was “at least the same” as last year. “We have held our position, and as much as we would like to see more people come, it's not going to happen until the interest rates drop,” Noble said. “We do ask our government to support our industry until then.”

Noble added, “We all know that the music industry is facing challenges right now. The interest rate rises, intended to curb the disposable dollar spending, have influenced all aspects of the industry except for superstars touring, such as Taylor Swift.

“Bluesfest will be 125 million per cent back in 2025. Our Early Bird tickets for Bluesfest 2025 are already selling well.”

Elsewhere in his statement, Noble mentioned Brad Cox, Taj Farrant, and Yirrmal, Jimmy Barnes’ “inspirational” comeback, Peter Garrett’s “outstanding” set, and the “brilliant” Teskey Brothers. “Australian artists showed time and time again that they could give international artists a real run for their money and, in many cases, better than,” Noble said.

He also gave shout-outs to international legends Tom Jones, Katie Melua, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Drive-By Truckers, and more.

In a live review of Bluesfest 2024’s fourth day for The Music, writer Jess Martyn concluded, “Great music, perfect weather and those addictive peace-and-love festival vibes – could there be any better way to spend a long weekend?”

Meanwhile, in a The Music feature, Are Australian Festivals Heading For A Headliner Drought?, Noble told Christie Eliezer that Bluesfest loyalty contributes to high ticket sales, even in tough times.

“Our crowds are music connoisseurs,” Noble stated. “They tend to be older, with an average audience of 45, although we get a lot of younger ones too.”

He also mentioned that the current interest rate of 4.3 per cent was designed to rein in spending.

The rate “has seen the music industry reeling, as are other industries,” Noble continued, “As these drop, people will speedily have discretionary spending again. But it’s all about getting through those times, and it’s not going to be easy. The government needs to get behind music festivals because we are huge employers, and we simulate our industry.”

The Music attended Bluesfest this year – check out our reviews for days two, three, and four.