# Pisses Me Off



## bluebayou (May 25, 2015)

The annual Ottawa music festival gets underway tonight. Do NOT call it a blues festival even though the organizers still do. To start off the "blues" festival is electronic dj and dance music night. Arrrrggggh! But the reason I am posting this is the cost to get in. On Friday, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown play a one hour show. Yes, the festival limits the set to one hour! Including or no encores. Now, because Kanye fucking West is the festival headliner that night it will cost me $70 plus taxes to see the only artist I am interested in seeing! For one hour. I just cannot justify that. Deeply disappointing.
for less, I can get a three day pass to the annual Calabogie (just outside of Ottawa) for a REAL blues festival. And Keb Mo is the Saturday headliner.


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2015)

DJs can feel sad too, dontchaknow? 

I've contended for a while that Ottawa blows its load on this two week thing every year so you'd best be saving your pennies for BluesFest passes because most acts avoid The Valley the rest of the year. I suggest you roam the grounds -- my favourite memories of BluesFest generally involve discovering a new artist who was hitherto unknown to me. That's kind of something they try to promote with the way they run it.

Also, Keb Mo is the fucking bomb. And Kayne West...well...mom told me if you don't have anything nice to say...


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Kanye's not my cup of meat, but he's interesting, and puts on as visually provocative a show as Lady Gaga.

Yes, those of us who like our more traditional blues and blues-rock, are let down by the lineup more and more each year, and especially by how thinly-seeded the lineup is, such that maybe one act in a day appeals to us. With the exception of using my older son's pass to go see Cheap Trick (for all of 4 songs until the house blew down), I haven't gone since Jeff Beck played Bluesfest. If I was 25, and viewed Bluesfest as an opportunity to be exposed to new things, it might hold some appeal. But I know what I like, and don't have nearly enough time to listen to it, so wandering around in the scorching sun for 5 hrs to justify buying a pass holds no appeal.


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

I'm with you on that. Call it the Music Fest cause Blues acts are few and far between. Line up at Calabogie looks good, worth the one hour drive.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

The Kitchener Blues Fest is blues (for the most part) and best of all, free! (for the most part)

http://www.kitchenerbluesfestival.c.../2014/04/KBFF2045_PocketGuide_FINAL_loREZ.pdf


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Kanye Worst is headlnng a blues festival?!?!

The promoters should be shot and pissed on.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Milkman said:


> Kanye Worst is headlnng a blues festival?!?!
> 
> The promoters should be shot and pissed on.


you got that backwards it should be pissed on then shot.


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## Guest (Jul 9, 2015)

Milkman said:


> Kanye Worst is headlnng a blues festival?!?!


It's not as egregious as it sounds. It's just one night. The festival runs like 11 days or something like that. 

They use the festival as a chance to lure big acts off the 401 corridor to Ottawa by promising everyone in one place at one time so it's worth they're while. It's totally screwed over the concert scene in Ottawa the rest of the year.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Milkman said:


> Kanye Worst is headlnng a blues festival?!?!
> 
> The promoters should be shot and pissed on.





fredyfreeloader said:


> you got that backwards it should be pissed on then shot.


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

That's disappointing news for me. 

When end I was in the Army, I spent some time in petewawa. During my weekends off I liked to troll the byward. 
I really liked the blues fest. This was circa 1997(ish)


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Keb Mo would be cool.
The rest--yeah disappointing to say the very least.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

iaresee said:


> It's not as egregious as it sounds. It's just one night. The festival runs like 11 days or something like that.
> 
> They use the festival as a chance to lure big acts off the 401 corridor to Ottawa by promising everyone in one place at one time so it's worth they're while. It's totally screwed over the concert scene in Ottawa the rest of the year.



Just one night is still a farce in my opinion. Why not Justin Bieber, Metalica, "insert latest _country pop star here"?


_Blues is a pretty broad genre and having an act like West as a headliner does serious damage to such a festivals reputation.

It may have short term benefits, but there are going to be blues fans who avoid the event because of it.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

Milkman said:


> Just one night is still a farce in my opinion. Why not Justin Bieber, Metalica, "insert latest _country pop star here"?
> 
> 
> _Blues is a pretty broad genre and having an act like West as a headliner does serious damage to such a festivals reputation.
> ...


I would avoid any event with KW and his ilk.


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

But then you would also miss blues legend 'Weird Al' Yankovic who is playing a few nights later.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

They get in a broad variety of acts, and some, like Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, and Monkeyjunk, make it a kind of standing agenda item to play there every year.

I do regret the substitution of country and DJ acts for the gospel and New Orleans tents they used to have, but I've seen some fantastic acts there over the years, and inserting a big name act once in a while so as to draw a younger crowd is fine with me.

I had sent the Bluesfest management a suggested name change that our younger son came up with: Yowza

Why Yowza?

1) YOW is the international Ottawa air transit code
2) Several other major festivals also end with a "za"
3) It does not suggest a particular genre of music (hence does not disappoint or frustrate)
4) It is an expression of excitement and enthusiasm

They passed it around and thought it was interesting, but I suspect that their sponsor has decided to stick with the existing brand.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

Thread brings up a question: is there electronic blues out there? Chiptune blues? Or is it all new jack swing, snap and trap?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

It's most likely still called "Ottawa Bluesfest" because that's how it started and rebranding can be a total nightmare. Just wanted to point that out.

My mom didn't think to buy me a ticket the year alexisonfire played - I was pretty annoyed when I found out. I also missed Iron Maiden!


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

well, i say maybe look at it from this angle. i saw savoy brown open for johnny winter while he was still alive, right down at the sound academy. i was blown away more by kim simmonds than anyone else. although i was pretty impressed with rick derringer too. but man, how much longer will kim be able to keep doin what he's doin? when i saw him, he bounced around the stage like a maniac, and i think he's in his late 60's. i'm not kiddin he had more energy than alot of younger folks i've seen. how long can he keep that up at his age? he's one of the greats, there's only so many shows left in anyone


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

I remember playing Bad To The Bone at Bluesfest around 2000. Good times!

But yeah, it needs a name change. I thought Yowza sounded decent.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

GWN! said:


> But then you would also miss blues legend 'Weird Al' Yankovic who is playing a few nights later.


Was your thumbs down an accident or ..... Just curious.


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Milkman said:


> Was your thumbs down an accident or ..... Just curious.



.???? What are you talking about.

edit: OK I get it now. No that was in error sorry. Didn't even realise I had done it. Hazard of using a small tablet.


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## bluebayou (May 25, 2015)

iaresee said:


> DJs can feel sad too, dontchaknow?
> 
> I've contended for a while that Ottawa blows its load on this two week thing every year so you'd best be saving your pennies for BluesFest passes because most acts avoid The Valley the rest of the year. I suggest you roam the grounds -- my favourite memories of BluesFest generally involve discovering a new artist who was hitherto unknown to me. That's kind of something they try to promote with the way they run it.
> 
> Also, Keb Mo is the fucking bomb. And Kayne West...well...mom told me if you don't have anything nice to say...


Actually, i am now a regular at Calabogie now. Great talent and local acts get decent exposure to a blues audience. Shameka Copeland and an allstar jam on Friday and Keb Mo on Saturday night.
a new festival this year is in Kemtpville July 24-26 this year. Sunday has a killer line up - Valdy, Murray McLachlan and Lynn Miles. Saturday has the Road Hammers, Silver Creek, Steve Hill (who alone would be worth the cost of a one day admission). Others for Sat and Friday escape me right now. Checj it out at Kemptville live. Lots of space, parking, etc. small town Canada. And if all the music inspires you, drop in to Class Axe just down the road from the festival!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

GWN! said:


> .???? What are you talking about.


Post # 12. You gave it a thumbs down. Obviously a mistake?


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Milkman said:


> Post # 12. You gave it a thumbs down. Obviously a mistake?


Yes, a mistake. I would not use the dislike button for a post. I would actually post a reply. I wish there was a way to remove those buttons in settings.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

GWN! said:


> Yes, a mistake. I would not use the dislike button for a post. I would actually post a reply. I wish there was a way to remove those buttons in settings.


No problem. I've done the same more than once. I just like to know if it's on purpose or an accident.

No harm, no foul.

Thanks,

Mike


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2015)

Tangent: I owe my love of The Kinks to Weird Al 'cause I never would have been curious to hear Lola if I hadn't heard Yoda first as a kid and wondered what the parody version of that song sounded like.

Also: Yowza would be a cool re-brand for the festival.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

something seems kinda sell-out-ish about getting Kanye as a headliner...


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Diablo said:


> something seems kinda sell-out-ish about getting Kanye as a headliner...


Aww, give kanye a break. His father in law is now his mother in law and his wife takes up 3 seats on a plane.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

I actually surprised my wife with "Bluesfest" tickets the night Jason Aldean was playing. I'm not a country fan (I only recognized one song...a cover of "Won't Back Down", lol) but my wife absolutely loves it so I took one for the team for her birthday.

The price tag was pretty steep considering we got there shortly before he took the stage. Had we been able to get there earlier to take in another act or two then maybe I wouldn't have felt the same way.

But having not been to Bluesfest in a long, long time (moved to Edmonton more than 15 years ago) I was very shocked to see some of the names headlining this year. Rather odd if you ask me.


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