West Coast Blues 'N' Roots Celebrates Ten Years

They've been bringing some of the finest acts who hit the country around Easter time over to the west for ten years now, ensuring those who live in this most isolated area don't have to miss out ofn the great blues and roots talent that the east coast gets to bask in every year. So what better whay to celebarte ten years of the West Coast Blues 'N' Roots Festival that with a line up this good.

Robert Plant presents Sensational Space Shifters, Iggy & The Stooges, Ben Harper, Santana, Steve Miller Band, Wilco, Chris Isaak, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Kiwanuka, Status Quo, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Fred Wesley and the New JB's, Newton Faulkner, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Grace Potter, Mama Kin, Ash Grunwald, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Blue Shaddy.

ROBERT PLANT:

Frontman of the band who are considered by many to be the ultimate heavy metal band, Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant could have given up decades ago and still retained an incredible legacy in the world of contemporary music. But he continued to perform, continued to reinvent himself and continued to kick arse with pretty much every musical endeavour. But if recent setlists are anything to go by it is Zeppelin that we will be celebrating at Easter, with the artist giving us the promise that we will hear plenty of tracks from the band who took the blues, cranked it up, made it all fucked up and inspired millions and millions of dudes and chicks to start rock bands. Perth is going to get blown away as we all bow at the altar of one of the greatest singers that ever was as he presents his band Sensational Space Shifters.

BEN HARPER:

Ben Harper was practically a nobody when he first came to Australia in the mid-1990s, but he soon made the country and its music scene his own; dominating performances at festivals and in enormous venues all across the country. We still aren't entirely sure what he will be bringing to Australia next year (he's currently in the country playing shows in soslo mode) but we reckon it'll be more than okay.

SANTANA:

No doubt a real coup for the festival, Carlos Santana and his band have been to Australia a number of times before but have never played this event – that is, until now. There are few guitarists more revered, few musicians more versatile and few names that command as much respect. He has dominated the pop, Latin, jazz, blues and rock'n'roll worlds since his earliest musical forays back in the late 1960s and West Coast Blues 'N' Roots will be all the richer having felt his presence.

IGGY & THE STOOGES:

What can be said about Iggy & The Stooges that has already been preached a hundred times over? One of the original punk rock bands, with a couple of the most enduring, well loved rock'n'roll records of all time, this is a band that you need to see before it's too late. And it's going to be too late soon, as this is going to be the last ever tour of Australia that Iggy & The Stooges embark on. The past two visits have both been absolutely incredible – we're not just saying that – and we have no reason to believe that it will be any different this time around; shame on anyone who misses this inimitable rock band for the last time.

STEVE MILLER BAND:

Another massive coup, no doubt, seeing as the Steve Miller Band haven't been to Australia in what must be decades. While everyone knows the hits, the band has really earned a reputation for their live performances in their native United States over the years, regularly packing out massive venues and dominating festival main stages at some of the country's most prestigious events. Whether you're a longtime devotee, a casual fan or a newcomer to the work of the Steve Miller Band, this is a very exciting addition to the bill.

WILCO:

Ask anyone who knows and they'll happily tell you that Wilco are one of the world's best live bands right now. Yes, their records are almost completely unflappable from right across their 18 year career, but in the live environment they offer something that is just completely mind boggling and utterly amazing. Tight, loose, musical, noisy, loud, intricate, brash… just see them. For Christ's sake just see them. Their latest record The Whole Love was one of last year's truly fine records and we can't wait to see them performing songs from it in the live environment.

CHRIS ISAAK:

Australia has always been fertile ground for the very smooth Chris Isaak and it's about time we witnessed him doing what he does best once again.. You can't deny how slick this guy is but at the heart of it there are some great songs and great performances when you look back at his quarter of a century in the game.

BONNIE RAITT:

As far as female blues singers and guitarists go, Bonnie Raitt has to be one of the best that's ever been around. Her Slipstream record of earlier this year was very good indeed and we just know she's going to have a band packed with some of the world's best players when she makes her return to Australia in 2013.

JIMMY CLIFF:

He is one of those artists that you can't do justice to with mere words; Jimmy Cliff is a legend, it really is as simple as that. There are no reggae artists in the world today who can even come close to putting on the kind of show that he does and, with his latest record Rebirth (which was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong), he has proved that he is still more than relevant in 2012. If you've seen him before, you'll be overjoyed at the chance of seeing him again. If you haven't, we recommend getting excited.

FRED WESLEY & THE NEW JB'S:

Funk fans rejoice! Fred Wesley is one of funk's most important musicians; he was a very important part of James Brown's backing band (The J.B.s) through the 1960s and '70s, before he went on to join the Parliament-Funkadelic crew in 1976. Fred Wesley & The New JBs is the latest ensemble that Wesley has put together, playing nasty funk just the way the godfather would have wanted it. The band are set to be hot as hell and the dancing just won't stop from the moment these guys launch into their first groove til they've well and truly left the stage.

STATUS QUO:

Forget the ad, remember the boogie. Status Quo were responsible for some of the truly great bluesy rock'n'roll songs of the 1970s to cross over into the mainstream; Rockin' All Over The World, Caroline, Whatever You Want and, yes, Down Down. The band have had over 60 tracks chart in their native UK and most of the songs from throughout their 50 year career still pack the same punch they did way back when. Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt lead the band out to Australia for a big tour that will now incorporate this mighty event.

MICHAEL KIWANUKA:

He blew us away at Splendour this year and this event is going to be the perfect environment for young singer Michael Kiwanuka to show off his gorgeous brand of new folk that has won the hearts of so many people in his native Great Britain. It was a support slot with Adele that shot him into the spotlight, but the quality of his music, his performance and that of his band ought to speak far louder than any other association. His debut record Home Again dropped in January and rocketed into the number four spot on the UK Album Charts and sold quite handsomely in other European territories and deservedly so. It's such a gorgeously considered, beautifully layered and diverse soul record that showcases Kiwanuka's rich, warm voice and features some incredible musical arrangements. He'll win many new fans.

NEWTON FAULKNER:

In his native UK, Newton Faulkner is a bona fide superstar, his latest record Write It On Your Skin rocketed to the number one position on the UK album charts upon its release, his second of three records to do so. He's done pretty good business in Australia too, with his 2007 debut record Hand Built By Robots achieving platinum sales status.

TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND:

Boy wonder Derek Trucks had played with Buddy Guy and gone on the road with The Allman Brothers by the time he was 13-years-old. Twenty years on he is considered to be one of the world's finest guitar players and it's hard to argue with that when you see him in action. His missus Susan Tedeschi is no slouch with the six string in her hand and has a pretty wonderful voice as well; together as the Tedeschi Trucks Band they are unstoppable and, if nothing else, they add a good dose of typical blues to this first announcement.

GRACE POTTER:

The fourth album from Grace Potter & the Nocturnals is called The Lion the Beast the Beat and it sees them embracing a wider palette of sound than ever before; getting somewhat more experimental than the folk rock that has been their specialty over the years. Potter is heading to Australia to show why American media have been falling over themselves in response to her voice, her songs and her general star power.