The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival today finished unveiling an incredible array of headliners for its must-see 2018 edition this September, including one of the hottest bands in music today, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, who’ll appear on Friday night in the Moose Light Blues Tent. The incredible assemblage of bucket-list-caliber stars features the legendary Mavis Staples, southern rock party band Blackberry Smoke, beloved hardcore troubadour Steve Earle & The Dukes back by overwhelming demand, Rich Robinson’s post-Black Crowes’ project The Magpie Salute, Saskatoon blues-rockers, The Sheepdogs, southern gospel’s famous sons the Blind Boys of Alabama, L.A.-based indie-folk rockers Dawes, the beguiling jazz chanteuse Holly Cole, Newfoundland’s musical treasure Alan Doyle, and the return of one of Harvest’s biggest discoveries, The Record Company from L.A.
“Harvest is extremely proud that we’ve been able to bring this incredible array of talent to play for us right here on the streets our historic downtown,” said Brent Staeben, Harvest’s Music Programmer. “Jumping off last year’s unbelievably successful event, this is our most impressive group of A-listers yet and they’re joined by a massive gathering of talent that will deliver a week full of Harvest’s trademark magical moments and one that once again firmly secures New Brunswick as a top tier destination on the North American festival circuit.”
The latest offering of Harvest’s perennial “big gets,” Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will bring a hard-swinging, house-rocking performance steeped in vintage R&B, soul and proto rock n’ roll. Front man Nathaniel Rateliff’s soulful vocals and poignant lyrics pair brilliantly with his big band — complete with a swaggering horn section — for a live show that is tailor made for Harvest. Rateliff’s latest album Tearing at the Seams and its first big hit, “You Worry Me”, follow the unbelievable international success of his eponymously titled album which featured the smash hits “S.O.B”, “Wasting Time” and “I Need Never Get Old”.
The full list of acts as of today also includes: Turkuaz, Rose Cousins, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Anders Osborne, Elliott Brood, Rich Aucoin, The Legendary Downchild Blues Band, Five Alarm Funk, Southern Avenue, Dwayne Gretzky Plays The Tragically Hip, MonkeyJunk, The Roots of Music Big Band from New Orleans, Ross Neilsen Band, Cécile Doo-Kingué, Grand Theft Bus, Stephen Lewis, Downtown Blues Band, Theresa Malenfant & The Instigators, John Campbelljohn w/ Matt Sobbs, The Hypochondriacs, Ian Janes, David Vest, Aquakultre, Amanda Jackson Band, SG & the Tone Kings, Shrimp Daddy & The Sharpshooters, Kendra Gale Band, Buck Tingley, The Crossroad Devils, Motherhood, Joyful Noise, and Sorrey. This year’s Ultimate Passholders’ show will feature a special project out of Moncton called The Midnight Ramblers who will be celebrating that legendary era of the Rolling Stone’s catalogue from Beggars Banquet to Exile on Main Street.
Also special this year, for the first time Harvest will have an Artist at Large – Brandon “Taz” Niederauer. The unbelievable 14-year-old guitarist from Brooklyn has appeared at the last two festivals with his band but this time around will exclusively be surprise “guesting” with musical friends old and new throughout the weekend.
Learn more about Harvest’s 2018 Headliners, and check out footage of their live performances, on our Facebook page.