# Bluesfest-2012: meh!!!!



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Preliminary lineup announced last night ( Ottawa Bluesfest - Home ). Nothing I'd pay money for or line up for, with the possible exception of Tangerine Dream, who come on early the first night. As always, though, there are cancellations and last-minute additions that can make it more interesting as the festival date approaches.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I'd pay to see Grace Potter belt out some tunes. Otherwise I agree. Meh


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2012)

Yea, there wasn't much on that list that really made me want to separate myself from my money.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

It would be cool to see Billy Bragg, but yeah, that's not really much of a lineup. Also, Tiesto...at Bluesfest??? *shakes head*


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

What? No Cheap Trick this year??
Scanning through the entire schedule I could probably cobble together one day of bands I'd like to see.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

A six hour drive for Billy Brag, Grace Potter? Maybe.

Peace, Mooh.


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## geezer (Apr 30, 2008)

The Melvins are great....and the only ones I know about.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

Very happy to see The Love Machine on the line-up. My old band played with them at NXNE last year and I was floored. Great band. Phenomenal live.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2012)

Mooh said:


> A six hour drive for Billy Brag, Grace Potter? Maybe.


If you get lucky and they're on the same day.

Usually the stuff I want to see is spread out over the two weeks and there's no way I'm buying a pass to watch only a few acts.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

iaresee said:


> If you get lucky and they're on the same day.
> 
> Usually the stuff I want to see is spread out over the two weeks and there's no way I'm buying a pass to watch only a few acts.


I know what you mean. I have a kid in Ottawa so maybe a visit to.

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I sent a note to the festival organizers about 5 years ago, suggesting a "guilty pleasures" evening on a Saturday night, hosted by NRBQ, who could play just about anything. Performers available that evening could come and play a cover tune they secretly love, with NRBQ to back them up. Sadly, with drummer Tom Ardolino's passing earlier this year, there is no NRBQ any more. A work colleague suggested that a reasonable substitute might be The Roots, who also seem capable of playing and backing up just about anything. I mean, wouldn't you love to hear Lauren Hill try and cover Aretha Franklin's "Since You Been Gone", or Emily Haines sing the Peggy Lee nugget "Fever", or K'Naan sing (Tom Petty tune) "Refugee"? Something more explicitly festival-like, rather than the sort of Costco bulk-purchase of concerts it has turned into. Now THAT would be cool.


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## hummingway (Aug 4, 2011)

Why is it called a blues fest? Billy Bragg and Fishbone? Good acts but not the blues. I checked out Tiesto and it's techno something or other and isn't Tangerine Dream a synth band from the 80's? Why call it a blues fest?


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

hummingway said:


> Why is it called a blues fest? Billy Bragg and Fishbone? Good acts but not the blues. I checked out Tiesto and it's techno something or other and isn't Tangerine Dream a synth band from the 80's? Why call it a blues fest?


Very good point. While there's a great variety of acts there and a few that I'd like to see it's far from a Blues festival.
If you want a BluesFest that is more true to the genre check out this year's Kitchener/Waterloo Bluesfest.
Not only that... it's free!!
Canada's Largest Free Blues Festival | Kitchener Blues Festival


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

The Ottawa Bluesfest used to be the highlight of my summer. One yr it was my vacation, and I was rewarded w/ stellar performances by Rory Block, Jimmie Vaughn, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater, George Thorogood, Ana Popovic, Robert Cray & a kick-ass zydeco band.

Last yr I went to Ottawa to see Buddy Guy and he was playing on a side stage. A friggin' SIDE STAGE for a living legend?!? No, I'm not an old fart or a stick in the mud purist, but stop calling it a blues festival if you no longer invite any blues artists or fail to show any respect for the few that you do. All in all, the lineup is not solid enough to justify the trek to Ottawa, hotel, meals etc. for a week. 

Quebec City isn't looking that great either (sorry Aerosmith, I love Toys etc., but you were done 20 yrs ago). Too bad, last yr was incredible, even if Ben Harper blew his load 2 nights earlier at the Sound Academy.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

Hamstrung said:


> Very good point. While there's a great variety of acts there and a few that I'd like to see it's far from a Blues festival.
> If you want a BluesFest that is more true to the genre check out this year's Kitchener/Waterloo Bluesfest.
> Not only that... it's free!!
> Canada's Largest Free Blues Festival | Kitchener Blues Festival



+1 for the Sunday line up in KW. Go early and catch James Anthony. He's a local guy who can play circles around anybody but doesn't have the ego to match. I can hear the Bloomfield in his playing, which makes me very happy.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

hummingway said:


> Why is it called a blues fest? Billy Bragg and Fishbone? Good acts but not the blues. I checked out Tiesto and it's techno something or other and isn't Tangerine Dream a synth band from the 80's? Why call it a blues fest?


Once upon a time it WAS a blues festival of all forms of blues-derived music. There was always a "gospel tent" with a series of acts that would melt your heart, and wads of Crescent City music. Blues acts were the headliners.

As the festival grew in size, the organizers began to bring in big name pop/rock acts that would attract a big enough crowd to help defray expenses for booking the other acts. But bit by bit, it started to turn into a showcase for indie bands (many Canadian ones) with a blues-related act here and there. The gospel tent is no more, and blues acts rarely, if ever, make it to the main stage.

I've seen some great non-blues acts there: Adrian Belew, Richard Thompson, Kaki King, David Lindley, Bill Frisell, Steely Dan (though they disappointed), and some more blues-derived acts like Harry Manx, Jeff Beck, John Hiatt, and Booker T & the MGs. Both Dylan and Van Morrison played there in recent years. But the links between "blues" and the programme have become progressively weaker, and the original goal of celebrating bues and exposing younger audiences to a great tradition has fallen by the wayside, as it becomes replaced with the goal of simply making a festival that size economically feasible. Now, it's about tourism and subsidies.

I will just add that *all* the various festivals in town have blurred their boundaries considerably. Last year's folk festival had Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth, and this year's "jazz" festival has Steve Martin as a headliner. Martin's a terrific musician, "jazz" is an expansive canvas these days, and Bela Fleck has amply demonstrated that banjo is a legitimate jazz voice, but Martin plays _bluegrass_. I'm just waiting for the Chamberfest to have One Direction, and a reformed FM (with Nash the Slash) as headliners. AFAIC, they should just rebrand them as Festivals 1, 2, and 3, based on their order.


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## captainbrew (Feb 5, 2010)

I agree Mark. Barely a blues/r&b/funk/Gospel band during the entire festival this year. Pretty sad if you ask me.




mhammer said:


> Once upon a time it WAS a blues festival of all forms of blues-derived music. There was always a "gospel tent" with a series of acts that would melt your heart, and wads of Crescent City music. Blues acts were the headliners.
> 
> As the festival grew in size, the organizers began to bring in big name pop/rock acts that would attract a big enough crowd to help defray expenses for booking the other acts. But bit by bit, it started to turn into a showcase for indie bands (many Canadian ones) with a blues-related act here and there. The gospel tent is no more, and blues acts rarely, if ever, make it to the main stage.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2012)

Looks like BluesFest Insider advanced pricing for full-festival passes will be $250 and on April 28th it goes up to $375.

That's about what? $100 more than last years full-festival pass, no?


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I agree with others here, and, well, I take in a few festivals every year, and even our little local blues festival had more blues. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

There not a bluesband in the whole list!

CT.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

No, there are a few: Tedeschi-Trucks, Monkeyjunk, Marcia Ball, Downchild, Bettye Lavette, Shemekia Copeland, and there will likely be some last-minute additions, but certainly not enough to legitimately call it a Blues Festival.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2012)

CocoTone said:


> There not a bluesband in the whole list!


The Downchild Blues Band plays on the 8th on the Black Sheep stage.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

I read a funny comment somewhere (hopefully it wasn't on here!~) that Iron Maiden will work some harmonica into their set, to fit in.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

They should rename this the Monahan Booze Fest which is basically what it has become-a festival owned by a bar owner.

And for those of you who don't live around here, the big issue now is whether smoking should be banned!!-I strongly believe Ottawa should have only one festival featuring RRSP's,condo values, and healthy eating . They can hold it in a parking lot of a mall and everyone can bring their own smart phones,so they don't have to hire musicians.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

rollingdam said:


> I strongly believe Ottawa should have only one festival featuring RRSP's,condo values, and healthy eating.


They already have that. It's called "Vancouver".


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Tedeschi-Trucks I would make the trip for. I was kinda disappointed with Downchild last time, even if their appearance was for our tornado relief event.

Peace, Mooh.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

I still remember going to Bluesfest in 1995-Buddy Guy was the headliner and the late Luther Allison played before him and really stepped up to the plate. I remember the great Australian slide player Dave Hole,Savoy Brown with the original member Kim Simmonds with some band members he found here and there. John Mayall was a real jerk signing autographs, and one remarkable non blues performer was John Hiatt.

There were a lot of blues acts that year and the festival lived up to its name.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

mhammer said:


> No, there are a few: Tedeschi-Trucks, Monkeyjunk, Marcia Ball, Downchild, Bettye Lavette, Shemekia Copeland, and there will likely be some last-minute additions, but certainly not enough to legitimately call it a Blues Festival.


Monkeyjunk is a great band, and Betty Lavette is someone you must see.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Did I read that they have a D.J. doing the festival? Whats going on with this festival.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There's several, actually.


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## Macki (Jun 14, 2010)

I would love to see Tedeschi-Trucks , though I am not sure what a days pass would cost - Derek Trucks is a incredible slide player in my opinion. Other than that nothing else really interested me


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2012)

Macki said:


> I would love to see Tedeschi-Trucks , though I am not sure what a days pass would cost - Derek Trucks is a incredible slide player in my opinion. Other than that nothing else really interested me


I think it's $40 or so for a day pass.


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## hummingway (Aug 4, 2011)

mhammer said:


> No, there are a few: Tedeschi-Trucks, Monkeyjunk, Marcia Ball, Downchild, Bettye Lavette, Shemekia Copeland, and there will likely be some last-minute additions, but certainly not enough to legitimately call it a Blues Festival.


That would be a fabulous evening. If Shemekia has the same guitarist as when I saw her he is very good and Marcia is definitely worth seeing (again a tasteful guitarist when I saw her) and Tedeschi-Trucks, well 'nuff said .


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

From one who has been on the front lines since '98, I've seen the changes as well. I guess it comes down to vision. I know that Mark has visited several other prominent and successful festivals on the continent and has borrowed some of their ideas. Coachella is definitely one which comes to mind and is a highly successful festival in it's own right. 
Mark has always been willing to take risks and really, who can blame him? At least we all pay attention to what he's up to every year...like it or not.
The other festivals have not always been great alternatives either. Ottawa Jazz fest seems incapable of growing with the city Tulip fest is basically a insolvent mess and Folk fest was going the way of the dodo had the Bluesfest organization not bailed them out. Now we have the Hoedown which seems to be a travelling circus with dubious connections and owing piles of money to local services.
It might not be perfect but it does try to accomodate as many as possible. As for the name, yes there is definitely an argument for renaming but it's now a brand and branding is a very powerful thing in this day and age.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Fair points. I guess there are a lot of die-hard blues/gospel/r&B fans that were thrilled to have a blues festival that did not require travelling 1000 miles and resent watching it slip away. If it had been an amorphous pop/rock/blues/alternative festival from the get-go, the resistance would not have been as great. You cvan't miss what you never had, right?

Perhaps eventually we might see all those festivals (with the exception of the Chamberfest...maybe) merge into one big event lasting 3 weeks, where a person could wander from a jazz stage over to an alt-country stage to a gospel tent to a main stadium-rock stage.


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## hummingway (Aug 4, 2011)

One potential problem with not changing the name is that a legitimate blues fest can't operate in the same territory as easily.


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