Bluefest organisers have today announced that ‘the Mozart of Rock’ Brian Wilson will be performing at next year’s festival.
Wilson will take to the stage on Easter Monday to perform the album, Pet Sounds, regarded as one of the most influential albums of all time.
The album includes the hits ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’, ‘Sloop John B’, & ‘God Only Knows’.
He will be joined by an 11piece band including original Beach Boys member Al Jardine and long-term member Blondie Chaplin plus an eight piece string section.
The multiple Grammy award winneris a Rock’n’Roll, Songwriters & UK Music Hall of Famer and has been cited as inspiration for performers such as Sir Paul McCartney, who acknowledged that Pet Sounds “was the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded ‘Pepper’”.
Brian Wilson stopped being a performing member of The Beach Boys in late 1964 and apart from some rare appearances together, he went into the studio and almost singlehandedly produced The Beach Boys recordings while the band toured.
Since that time Brian has continued his association with The Beach Boys on a recording basis as well as the odd reunion tour including the 50th Anniversary tour in 2012.
He released his first solo album in 1988, his latest solo release No Pier Pressure released by Capitol records in 2015 proves his talents continue all these years later.
The album features his former Beach Boys band mates Al Jardine, David Marks and Blondie Chaplin, among other special guests and session all-stars.
Bluesfest organisers have also announced that the legendary Blues and Roots musician Taj Mahal has also been added to the line-up.
He will be performing solo and unplugged for the first time in Australia since 1994.
Also featured on the latest announce is the avant-garde American collective The Residents presenting Shadowland on their 40th Anniversary tour.
The Residents have been regarded as icons in the world of experimental music and performance art for over forty years. They will be performing at Bluesfest as part of their first trip to Australia in a decade.
Soul sensations Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats also make their Bluesfest debut in 2016.
Originally a solo singer-songwriter, Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff formed the seven-piece soul band Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats in 2013.
Their debut self-titled album was released to widespread acclaim on the iconic Stax Records in 2015 and peaked at #17 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.
Scotland’s Shooglenifty will also be making their Bluesfest debut in March 2016. Shooglenifty has been credited for being the originators of ‘Acid Croft’, a fiery and infectious blend of Celtic traditional music and dance grooves, a unique sound that has seen them perform across the globe since 1990.
Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble said he was excited about the latest announcement.
‘It is with pride we announce Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, the album that changed the course of music upon its release in 1966, in its entirety at Bluesfest, as well as a number of the hits he wrote and produced whilst a member of the Beach Boys and in his solo career,’ Mr Noble said.
‘Pet Sounds has been listed by Rolling Stone as the second greatest album of all time, after The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and has only been performed a handful of times before, and not for a decade.
‘Brian Wilson HAS achieved greatness, he IS the architect of the California sound, a multi Grammy award winner and is regarded as a musical genius.
‘His songs typically played at his concerts include ‘California Girls’, ‘Little Deuce Coupe’, ‘I Get Around’, ‘In My Room’, ‘Surfer Girl’, ‘Don’t Worry Baby’, ‘Help Me Rhonda’, ‘Surfin’ USA’, ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ and ‘Love & Mercy’, which is also the title of the acclaimed movie about his life released this year.
Some of the brilliant songs from Pet Sounds played include ‘God Only Knows’, and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’.
‘This is shaping up to be one of our best years – and there’s more to come yet. So what are you waiting for, rush out and buy your Bluesfest tickets today – whilst you still can,’ he said.
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