Sampa The Great Withdraws From Bluesfest Over Sticky Fingers Addition - Noise11.com
Sampa The Great at Glastonbury photo by Noise11

Sampa The Great at Glastonbury photo by Noise11

Sampa The Great Withdraws From Bluesfest Over Sticky Fingers Addition

by Paul Cashmere on February 22, 2023

in News

Sampa The Great is the second artist to withdrawn from Bluesfest, just a day after King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard quit following the addition of Sticky Fingers.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard removed themselves from the 2023 line-up stating “As a band and as human beings, we stand against misogyny, racism, transphobia and violence. Surprised and saddened to see Bluesfest commit to presenting content that is in complete opposition to these values”.

Sampa The Great told Double J “We are deeply disappointed to be in this position but sometimes you need to be willing to make sacrifices to stand up for your values.”

In a statement, Bluesfest boss Peter Noble justified the Sticky Fingers inclusion saying in a statement, “That whole situation happened 7 years ago and the lead singer of Sticky Fingers has been extremely apologetic and open about his bipolar schizophrenia and substance abuse during that time and is also Māori. They’ve done the work to try and make amends and took a long hiatus to fix things.”
The Sticky Fingers problems did start seven years ago when singer Dylan Frost was accused of abusing Thelma Plum and her boyfriend outside a Sydney venue.

However in July 2022, Frost had another abusive breakdown when he lost control at a gig and stormed off stage because of a faulty microphone.

Bluesfest 2023 is on April 6 to 10 in Byron Bay.

Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings performing live with acoustic guitars during their Australian tour
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Announce Australian Tour Leg For 2026

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will return to Australia in February and March 2026 for a second run of their Woodland tour following a completely sold-out stretch earlier this year. After packing the Sydney Opera House across three nights and filling Hamer Hall in Melbourne across five performances, the Americana folk icons will once again bring their acclaimed two-guitar, two-voice format to Australian audiences.

November 11, 2025
Eddie Izzard performing one-person Hamlet live on stage
Eddie Izzard To Stage One-Person Hamlet Across Australia In 2026

Eddie Izzard will return to Australia in June 2026 to present a daring one-person staging of The Tragedy Of Hamlet, an ambitious theatrical feat that sees the Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated performer embody all 23 characters in Shakespeare's most enduring drama. The production arrives following sold-out runs across the United States and United Kingdom and a wave of acclaim for Izzard's transformation of the classic tragedy into a modern, intimate showcase of performance craft.

November 7, 2025
Sofi Tukker announce 2026 Australian tour
Sofi Tukker Announce First Australian Tour In Four Years For 2026

Grammy-nominated New York duo Sofi Tukker will return to Australia in 2026 for their first headline tour in four years, bringing their colourful, high-energy live show to Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane.

October 23, 2025
Wu-Tang Clan performing live during their Final Chamber Tour farewell
Wu-Tang Clan To Say Farewell To Australia With ‘Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour’ In 2026

Wu-Tang Clan, the world's most influential hip-hop collective, will return to Australia for the last time in March 2026 with Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour. The shows will mark the end of an era for fans who have followed the Clan's groundbreaking 30-year journey from the streets of Staten Island to the global stage.

October 21, 2025
Cameron Whitcomb performing live on stage
Cameron Whitcomb To Bring The Hard Way Tour To Australia And New Zealand In May 2026

Canadian country singer-songwriter Cameron Whitcomb will make his long-awaited debut in Australia and New Zealand in May 2026 with his Hard Way Tour. The five-date run will take Whitcomb's explosive live show to Auckland, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, marking his first performances down under.

October 16, 2025
Akaash Singh To Tour Australia and New Zealand With Generational Triumph
Akaash Singh To Bring Generational Triumph Tour To Australia and New Zealand

Akaash Singh, one of the sharpest voices in modern American comedy, will make his Australian and New Zealand debut early next year with his Generational Triumph Tour, bringing his fearless brand of humour to stages in Auckland, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney.

October 7, 2025
Teddy Swims performing at the 2025 NRL Grand Final in Sydney wearing a leopard print coat.
Teddy Swims Divides Fans with Bold NRL Grand Final Performance

When American soul-pop star Teddy Swims took to the pre-game stage at Sydney's Accor Stadium for the 2025 NRL Grand Final, it wasn't just the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm gearing up for battle, it was also the American singer's moment to prove himself to an Australian audience who, until that night, largely knew him only as “the guy who sings Lose Control.”

October 6, 2025