“Everybody has a right to be forgiven and to show who they can be ... and this man is attempting to do that,so that’s why he’s on Bluesfest,” Noble told this masthead on Wednesday afternoon.
“Our community is one of inclusiveness ... and this man deserves an opportunity. Give him a chance. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
The Sydney indie rock band was announced as a new addition to the line-up on Wednesday morning,with Noble heralding them the “bad boys of Australian music”. But the announcement was met with criticism from many in the music industry,including artists Jaguar Jonze and Sarah Thompson fromCamp Cope – both of whom have repeatedly spoken out about how difficult the Australian music scene can be for women and people from minority backgrounds.
The former said she was “disgusted and sickened” to see the way the group had been glamorised,and the latter called Bluesfest “the most tone-deaf promoters in the country”. Both were approached for further comment,but either declined or did not respond by deadline.
Despite pushback on social media,Noble said people he’d spoken to were “over the moon” about the decision to add Sticky Fingers to the Bluesfest line-up.