Wailers announce three-night Byron Bay residency for 50-year celebration

The Wailers revealed a special three-night residency at Byron Bay Bluesfest 2026 as part of a broader 50 Years of Positive Vibrations tour marking the half-century of Rastaman Vibration. The residency will present a different themed set each night, celebrating chapters of the band’s legacy and giving fans an album-focused way to skank through the catalog.

Organizers said each night will center on a different era or release from the Wailers’ history, with set concepts built around albums including Natural Mystic, Legend, and Rastaman Vibration. The exact night-by-night programme will be announced later, allowing listeners and collectors to plan which era they most want to hear in full or highlighted form.

Festival director and Wailers spokespeople emphasized the responsibility of carrying Bob Marley’s music forward authentically, framing the residency as both a celebration and a stewardship of roots and message. That framing underlines why this residency matters: it’s not just a string of headline shows but a curated retrospective that aims to respect the songs’ original power while presenting them in a live context for new and old audiences alike.

The tour will include additional Australian dates in Melbourne and Sydney, expanding the opportunity for fans across the country to catch this milestone run. Tickets for the tour were scheduled to go on sale with presales and general sale windows announced alongside the residency details; interested fans should monitor the Wailers’ official channels and the Bluesfest ticketing pages for the exact presale codes and on-sale timings.

For local reggae communities this is a notable moment. Album-themed shows create room for deep cuts, extended jams, and rarities alongside the crowd-pleasing hits, and a three-night residency at a major festival concentrates that potential into a single destination weekend. Musicians, DJs, and sound-system crews can expect renewed interest in older pressings, remasters, and live arrangements as listeners revisit the material in advance of the shows.

Logistics matter: Byron Bay Bluesfest is a destination draw, so plan travel and accommodation early if you want to attend multiple nights. Keep an eye out for the nightly programme announcement to map the run to your wishlist; a single night might focus on the hits while another digs into the roots-heavy album work, so aligning plans to the announced themes will be key.

What this means practically is a rare, respectful deep dive into the Wailers’ catalogue on Australian soil, and a chance to hear a half-century of Positive Vibrations presented with intent. Expect more details on exact set lists and ticket windows soon, and get ready to lock in plans once presales open.