West Coast Blues & Roots
Multi Award Winning Home Grown Festival
Western Australia : 2004 - 2019
Sunset Events evolved from Sunset cinemas success in Kings Park with concerts and festivals in its sights for this new entity. Concerts at the Pioneer Woman’s Memorial started first in 2003, and Sunset events pioneered the use of this now iconic concert space with acts like Pete Murray, Alex Lloyd, Xavier Rudd and The Cat Empires first WA shows, and soon attracted internationals like Michael Franti & Spearhead. Off the back of this pioneering success of concerts at The Kinds spark Botanic gardens premier space the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival was born in 2004 with none other than James Brown headlining the inaugural year. It only took one year for the festivals concept to outgrow Kings park, and the festival moved to The Esplanade Park in Fremantle which could hold up to 15,000 people.
For many years WCBRF thrives at The Fremantle Esplanade until acts like jack Johnson amongst others meant capacity beams an issue again. The festival moved to Fremantle park which could host over 20,000 people and the festival then started attracting acts like Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Crowded House, Ben Harper, Joh Mayer, Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews band, Iggy Pop & the stooges, Credence Clearwater revival, Robert Plant, and an endless top tier international list.
The ‘music’ tent at WCBRF hosted the true Blues & Roots acts over the years including The Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Bo Diddleys last Australian show, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Little, The Pogues, Don McClean, Violent Femmes, and an endless list of true live music talent in their genres.
The festival peaked with 2 day festivals, 40,000 people attending across the weekend , and 3 stages per day, before the partnership with the Byron Bay Blues & Roots festival dissolved after the 2019 festival due to changes in that festivals ownership and decision making. Susnet Events partners were also shifting their focus towards the beer brand Otherside, and venues to activate brand excpericnes such as Freo Social around the brand values and philosophy.