The success of the inaugural Byron Guitar Festival last year has provoked its return this year, with a dizzyingly diverse lineup hitting Byron Brewery over early October. British India, Dallas Franca and Ash Grunwald lead the pack of the 29 performances, while last year’s crowd favourite former Wiggle Murray Cook returns. Cook took to the stage last year for a blistering jam with DZ Deathrays, so keep your eye out for the untethered Wiggle again.
Beyond the headliners, prodigious nine-year-old guitarist Taj Farrant will set the shredding standard for the adults, including The Fumes, Jeff Martin, Hussy Hicks, The Jimi Hendrix Show with Steven Symonds and Opal Ocean.
On Sunday, a buzzing guitar marketplace will go down paired with plenty of setting appropriate craft beer and delicious food stalls. This year’s festival also marks a focus on the guitar virtuosity of women, something festival director Nick Sergi says is woefully unrecognised.
‘Guitar has traditionally been seen as a man’s instrument,” said Sergi. “If you Google “100 Best guitarists of all time”, I think there’s only two women on the list, which is ridiculous.
“If our festival can be a platform, however small, to help shift that perception and change the conversation a bit, then I’m very happy to do that.”
Byron Bay Guitar Festival 2018
British India
Ash Grunwald
Dallas Frasca
The Fumes
Jeff Martin
Hussy Hicks
Lloyd Spiegel
Opal Ocean
Jimi Hendrix Show w. Steve Edmonds Band
The Soul Movers
Murray Cook
Southern River Band
Flying Machine
Joel McDonald
Frankie’s House Band
Andy Jans Brown & Cozmic
Tullara
Malcura
Legs Electric
Dan Hannaford
Jerome Williams
Martin Lartigau
Shai Shiriki
Nathan Kaye
El Dorado
When Hawk Met Sparrow
Jordan McRobbie
Taj Farrant
Byron High School Students
Byron BayGuitar Festival will go down at Byron Brewery on Saturday October 6 and Sunday October 7. Tickets are available here via Eventbrite- $50 for one day, or $90 for both.