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Have you rebooted it?

I just can't accept seeing groups make claims like this and imposing what they want and citing studies and outcomes that have no bearing whatsoever on a music festival

Perhaps that can be the mission statement for the music festival you organize.

If Bluesfest banned law chairs, and someone somehow brought in a lawn chair, Bluesfest could eject them from the site. They could probably rip up the ticket too. They'd likely just firmly ask the patron to check the chair at coat check in the museum for the rest of the day and not bring it tomorrow. For smokers, same thing - they can eject the patron and likely take away the ticket, but I think that's a bit heavy-handed for the first year unless it's a repeat offender or the person's being a dick about it.

Are cigarettes any different than lawn chairs?

They're easier to smoke.

And The Specials

Björk added!!! Awesome.

It would have nothing to so with the bylaw since, as you write,

It's not city land. My non-lawyer opinion on this would be it's their site for the duration, ticket holders agree to abide by certain rules, etc etc...

De La Soul is a headliner?

I bet they fondly remember their Ottawa show at Massey Park where 7 people paid to see them. What a disaster that was. They played the show though.

Apparently another headliner will be announced after 4:30 on All In A Day.

Paper tickets for an extra $55. Worth it, if not planning to go every day?

Also, Camp Radio is my fav local band so glad they are on the bill. Always a good show.

So far Amadou & Miriam are at the top of my list. Haven't seen Neko Case in a while either. I really like the Killer Mike album but live hip-hop is so hit and miss that I'm not getting my hopes up.

Where's the quote from?

I'm underwhelmed with the announcement but at least the price is low.

It might be an early bird ticket war between jazzfest and Bluesfest.

Regarding PJ - all they gotta do to go back on that is say something about overwhelming demand, love for the fans, etc. I'm sure London is sold out so nobody would care if they played ottawa too. Although they might have been telling the truth too. I wouldn't be surprised either way.

I'd love PJ too but not sure if it'll happen as they've stated that the London show is their only Canadian show of the year. Of course there are many easy ways to go back on that statement with little harm. But they still said that.

I'd believe the Taylor Swift thing, especially in light of her headlining that cancelled Hoedown here last year. Great PR and a huge "get" for both her and Bluesfest.

To start, it's tomorrow not today.

A few details in the Citizen story copied below. Looks like headliners will be announced, maybe not full lineup though?

OTTAWA — In what is one the earliest looks at the lineup for Bluesfest, organizers have called a media conference for Wednesday morning to provide some details on the headliners, on-sale details and “other news.â€

The announcement comes at least a month earlier than usual. The Ottawa International Jazz Festival released its full lineup Friday, which includes Willie Nelson, Aretha Franklin, Macy Gray and David Byrne.

This year, Bluesfest organizers plan to reach out to fans with what artistic and executive director Mark Monahan calls a “rebalancing†of the July 4-14 festival at LeBreton Flats.

Bluesfest 2013 will feature more blues and fewer electronic acts. B.B. King is already announced as the closing act. There will be no dedicated stage for electronic music, as there was last year.

Monahan said in an earlier interview with the Citizen that “it isn’t just a case of getting the boomers back,†and the perception that Bluesfest had gone electronic was in part due to last year’s “Electro-fied†theme, which was meant to signal a retro vibe but backfired. (Twenty-five of the 200 acts were electronic.)

But audience surveys and a slump in beer sales during the unrelenting heat of last year’s festival suggest that some faithful festivalgoers felt left out.

“We want to reach out to those who are saying, ‘We used to go but aren’t going anymore,’ †said Monahan. “Although you might have the same number, or more people (coming to the festival) you never want a segment who feels they have been replaced.

“We brought in a lot of younger people,†he added, “but there was a certain segment of the population that didn’t like the lineup. I hear that. I’m the artistic director. I have to hear what people are telling me. “

Attendance last year — around 300,000 visits — and revenue were more or less static from 2011. While beer sales were down, Monahan says sales of soft drinks were up.

“There are certain acts who will sell more beer,†said Monahan, “but you have to look at it overall.â€

The electronic and hip-hop music brought the average age of the audience down by four to five years, with the average age now around 33 years old.

“Younger people are less critical of things they don’t like,†said Monahan. “On the nights we had John Mellencamp or Blue Rodeo — acts that appeal to an older demographic — we didn’t get a lot of feedback from young people saying, ‘That was awful.’ But when it came to the electronic acts, we got negative feedback from the older demographic.

“What I’m trying to do is come up with a balance so everyone has enough reason to go.â€

Although some acts are still being finalized, Monahan says he’s able to announce the lineup earlier than usual because booking acts has been easier.

“Things have come together more quickly this year,†he said. “Agents and acts have been more proactive about getting festival bookings this year and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s an uncertainty in the concert business and a solidifying of the festival culture. Festivals are a priority, which is great.â€

Not so great is the conundrum festival managers are facing over complaints about last year’s move from multiple transferable ticket packages to non-transferable electronic wristbands.

Monahan said he was loathe to return to paper tickets, which he says have cost the festival “hundreds of thousands of dollars†to the black market but is struggling with how to appease corporate and individual pass buyers who were happy having a wad of tickets they could share.

The festival is currently soliciting opinion from festivalgoers around the wristband issue and admission prices.

“We are in the thick of that right now,†said Monahan. “We will address it in some way. People overwhelmingly felt the wristband technology worked in terms of getting in and out — ease of access. It simplified things but people didn’t have the 10 or 12 tickets to hand around.

“So we’re trying to weigh these legitimate concerns — perhaps for a small premium you get extra wristbands — but we’re trying to do that without creating a huge amount of extra work.†Monahan wants to see Bluesfest eventually evolve into a cashless event where customers pay electronically to get in and for everything they buy on site.

“The old Ticketmaster paper ticket is not going to be a reality five years from now,†he said. “There is a lot of speculation that it will all be done through your phone or some mobile application. It won’t be a wristband. To say we’re going to stay with tickets and ride it out ... I’m not sure it’s the most progressive thing to do.â€

They've said they are adding new acts each Monday.

According to the artistic director of the festival (Monahan), yes. He posted that on Twitter this morning.

Lineup to be released Wednesday.

Belle and Sebastian confirmed for Bluesfest on their website.

One of the beat writers wrote that Michalek was also hurt last night, but didn't provide any details / prognosis.

They're saving many more people from enduring those bands.

I'm completely smitten with the Beau's WinterBrewed Coffee-Amber. I don't like coffee and I usually don't like ambers / porters, but this is so good and I can't explain why I like it so much. One of the best beers I've had in a long time.

Yeah, it's a boneheaded move by the ticket staff. Anyone can buy a ticket and cheer for whoever they want. If I buy a ticket, I can re-sell it to whoever I want (assuming I'm not scalping, etc). So dumb.

Although they are attracting a lot of free PR, so maybe not totally dumb......

there's more than one? Halifax LEGEND Dave Marsh. Drummer extraordinary.

While he has drummed with so many awesome bands (super friendz, emergency, etc), he also has a pretty great solo record that I'd recommend too.