Sticky Fingers Officially Removed From Bluesfest Line-Up Following Backlash

Bluesfest have officially dropped Sticky Fingers from their 2023 line up following significant backlash from fans and other bands included in the festival’s line up.

Following the announcement of the band’s inclusion, a number of other bands opted to drop-out of the line-up including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Sampa the Great.

Bluesfest organisers defended their decision to include the band in their line-up saying they don’t believe the band “deserve to be cancelled” over previous indiscretions.

"The narrative that they continue to deserve to be cancelled, as well as anyone who publicly supports them, is difficult to accept, wherein a portion of society and media passes eternal judgment toward those, in this case, a diagnosed mentally ill person whom we feel doesn't deserve the continued public scrutiny he's being given," they said.

Organisers went on to reference lead singer Dylan Frost’s mental health diagnosis.

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"We thank everyone who has contacted us and advised their support in this matter, especially those suffering from a mental illness who feel they cannot have their illness supported in a manner whereby they feel included in society."

The band have been the subject of much scrutiny after Frost allegedly threatened Indigenous musician Thelma Plum and her partner in 2016.

Frost later apologised for his behaviour saying that “violence against woman is never okay.”

The Sticky Fingers front man was later diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia.

Bluesfest organisers remained steadfast in their defence of the band even when announcing they will no longer be including Sticky Fingers in their line-up.

"Bluesfest cannot, sadly, continue to support Sticky Fingers by having them play our 2023 edition, and we apologise to those artists, sponsors and any others we involved in this matter through our mistaken belief that forgiveness and redemption are the rock on which our society is built,” they said.

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