Promoters Cancel Langerado

[Davey Boy 2.0]

custies will undoubtably be reigning in their expenditures on the needless lot purchases... food tshirts cedar incense glass jengas crystals...

the 2 day sketchy hangover is going to have to be souvenir enough i guess

[Northern Wish]

the 2 day sketchy hangover is going to have to be souvenir enough i guess

Wow, a DB gem to be sure!

[Davey Boy 2.0]

Sing us a song, you're the piano men. And make sure it's a familiar song or else Ottawa fans might have a heart attack-ack-ack.

When Elton John and Billy Joel bring their Face 2 Face concert package to Scotiabank Place June 1, fans should expect a retrospective of their greatest hits -- mostly songs from the 1970s that are as warm and familiar as dad's favourite crockpot.

"The great thing about performing with Elton is that he is such a good piano player and that makes me have to dig deep to keep up with him, not to mention I've got the best seat in the house -- only one piano away from Elton John!" said Joel in a press release.

"I love touring with Billy. I have the greatest respect for him and we're such good friends," John said.

Concert details were released at a press conference yesterday. While Live Nation promoters last week hinted that up to four other concerts might be announced, no other shows were confirmed. But other major artists might still be coming here in 2009, said Riley O'Connor, chair of Live Nation Canada. If AC/DC adds another leg to their tour this fall, "Ottawa's got a good chance of seeing a date," he said, although we probably will not see U2, Bruce Springsteen or Paul McCartney this year. U2 is considering a stadium excursion, but it is unlikely to stop in Ottawa, Springsteen has no comprehensive tour planned as yet, and Paul McCartney is not expected to tour until later in the year or early in 2010, O'Connor said. (However, McCartney will be one of the headliners at this year's Coachella Festival in California in April.)

If big acts do become available to come to Ottawa, Lansdowne Park could be used, said Mayor Larry O'Brien at the press conference. The Lansdowne southside stands were demolished last year because they were a safety hazard, but temporary stands could be installed, said Coun. Maria McRae.

Promoters say 17,000 tickets are available for the Elton John/Billy Joel show at Scotiabank Place, one of two Canadian cities the pair have included on their tour. Both Toronto concerts, on May 26 and 30, are sold out. A second show for Ottawa is a possibility, O'Connor said, depending on ticket sales.

John, who turns 62 in March, and Joel, who hits 60 in May, first performed together in 1994, when they sold out venues as large as the 79,000-seat Giants Stadium in New Jersey. They duo also did a series of shows in 2003.

John and Joel, besides having surnames that are first names, also occupy the same ground artistically -- that soggy middle-of-the-road spot between rock and pop. Their shows in the mid-1990s were Springsteenian in length -- nearly four hours -- and showcased few new or recent songs.

The 2009 concerts will follow the same format as the 1990s shows, opening with John and Joel on stage together. Next, John and his band will play a set, followed by Joel and his band. For the encore, both musicians and their bands will appear together.

Each pianist will pay tribute to the other in their own set. In the 1990s shows, John performed Joel's New York State of Mind and Joel did a driving version of John's Goodby Yellow Brick Road.

This approach was not always successful. Some critics said at the time that Joel's voice lacked the depth to carry off John's I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, and that John's version of You May Be Right was too wimpy.

Over the years, John has toned down his extravagant stage shows, which once featured outlandish costumes and special effects. In the first Face 2 Face concerts, he seldom left his piano bench. By comparison, Joel prowled the stage, twirled microphone stands and even did a somersault off the drum riser. But that was 15 years ago. He may be far less frisky in Face 2 Face, Part 3.

The encore at the Bank may be particularly noteworthy. In the past, they closed the show with duets on raging uptempo numbers they loved as kids in the 1950s: Little Richard's Lucille and Jerry Lee Lewis' Great Balls of Fire. That was followed by John's bathetic Candle In The Wind, a reflection on Marilyn Monroe's death and by Joel's Piano Man.

When the first leg of the shows begin in March, John and Joel may encore with their own material. On websites, fans are posting their dream set lists. One fan list suggested an encore of John's Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting and Joel's It's Still Rock and Roll To Me, followed by John's Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King and Joel's Lullaby (Good Night My Angel).

Tickets in Ottawa range from $90 to $225.50.

[phishtaper]

did, like, a 12 year old, like, girl totally, like, write that?

John and Joel, besides having surnames that are first names ...

[Booche]

Event pricing will most likely come back into line especially for the larger ticket shows, customer service will be of utmost importance and events like this past Friday on LiveNation will no longer take place, and that bands/ promoters negotiating 110% guarantees will have to reconsider those deals.

Looks to me like someones already experiencing the 2 day sketchy hangover.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

did, like, a 12 year old, like, girl totally, like, write that?

John and Joel, besides having surnames that are first names ...

BYLINE: Bruce Ward and Lynn Saxberg

SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen

[phorbesie]

sorry (schwa) i didn't know that you were serious. i didn't know that there was festival burnout going on. i do remember seeing soooo many advertised in recent years, but didn't go to any of them.

[Schwa.]

Back in the "good ole days" (the 90's) there were only a handful (Vibes, moe.down, phish's annual, telluride and High Sierra...even Hookahville) now there are literally dozens per week for the whole summer...twas my only point

Like having too many teams in the NHL, the talent gets watered down, so to speak.

[Jakis]

That bonnaroo lineup isn't watered down one bit, maybe some are but their are still gonna be festival's with great lineups. Just go to those ones!

[Schwa.]

Bonerroo is too big, busy and hot for this guy. I've never even considered it.

[SaggyBalls]

bonerroo...ha

Up until this year I never really thought about Bonnaroo, but part of that to me now would be the trip down/back. I haven't been to the southeast USA and there's undoubtedly a lot of potential for a big trip like that.

I'm thinking about the camping down and back (if it's a 2, 3, or 5 day journey), and maybe even spending a day or 2 with family in the area, as I have relatives in Tennesee. It would be great to get into the mountains for even a day around there, and who knows...maybe an atlantic sunrise/mountain sunset day in there somewhere.

Of course it's a huge stinky, sketchy festival but in the coming months, there's a lot of potential to make some amazing plans. Catch shows or cities along the way?

The East is an amazing place and we'll only see the summer tours flesh out as time goes on.

Ever think about going down but opting out of the festival? I bet you could carpool to help pay some gas on a great summer vacation and go to some smaller events.

[MarcO]

CAVERN!!!

[The Chameleon]

Well see but this could be a sign of the times. With Bonnaroo being so big and Phish back on tour, perhaps people do not have the dough to support all these festivals like once before.

We will see. Too bad.