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Ben Harper reforms the Innocent Criminals at Byron Bay's Bluesfest

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By Max Easton
22 April 2011

Ben Harper reforms the Innocent Criminals at Byron Bay's Bluesfest

(Photo: Lachlan Douglas)

Related Festivals

Bluesfest (2011)

Announced to play with Relentless 7 - the band that has kept him occupied for the last three years - Ben Harper shocked the 22nd Annual Bluesfest with a surprise reformation of The Innocent Criminals.

After releasing the hallmark debut records Pleasure and Pain and Welcome to The Real World, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals fast became one of the spearheads of the late 90's Blues & Roots movement. Exceedingly successful follow-up’s in Fight For Your Mind, The Will to Live and Diamonds on The Inside propagated the band throughout the last decade, eventually coming to an end with a tumultuous split to precede Harper’s new blues-rock project, Relentless 7.

With Relentless 7 occupying Harper’s time for the past three years resulting in their billing as Bluesfest’s Thursday night headliner, the modest gathering at the festival’s Mojo Tent was expecting little more than tracks from the R7 debut, White Lies For Dark Times and the upcoming Give It Til It's Gone. What was featured though, was the first appearance of the complete and original Innocent Criminals line-up for the first time since the band’s split in 2008. Playing tracks featured throughout their early discography, the surprise reformation of the band marked a unique moment for a festival that has embraced Ben Harper so readily throughout his career.

Bluesfest continues for the next five days, with Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and B.B. King topping the bill for the remainder of the festival. Day tickets for the Tuesday are still available at www.bluesfest.com.au

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