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Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Line-up Announced


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Bigger show aimed at drawing more tourists, music fans to city

By Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa CitizenJune 18, 2009

In a move that could pave the way for Bluesfest to take over the city in an even bigger way and join the ranks of other world-class festivals, a newly expanded show will bring free concerts to the ByWard Market next month.

For Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, the initiative announced Wednesday could be the start of an exciting new chapter in its history. Look at Montreal's jazz festival, where free outdoor stages in the downtown area are a huge attraction, or South by Southwest, where the non-stop club offerings entice people to flock to Austin, Texas.

The 16th annual music festival, which runs from July 8-13 at LeBreton Flats Park, is the latest cultural event in Canada to receive a windfall under the federal government's Marquee Tourism Events Program, designed to help stimulate the economy by providing funds for established events to attract more tourists.

As the tourist centre of the city, by day and after dark, the Market is a natural fit for Bluesfest. On a logistical level, it's also one of the few commercial areas not under construction this summer.

Bluesfest organizers are using their $1.5 million in funding earmarked for 2009 to set up a satellite festival in the Market that will run July 9-13 and feature free concerts on a big outdoor stage, as well as ticketed shows with dozens more acts in 10 downtown clubs.

Funk legend George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars, Scottish folk-rockers the Proclaimers, hip-hop veterans Arrested Development and the Harlem Gospel Choir are among the acts booked to perform the free shows in the Market.

With five outdoor stages and attendance approaching 30,000 per day, the festival is already filled to capacity in its current site on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats.

This year's main stage lineup at the Flats includes major acts like KISS, Jeff Beck and Ben Harper, along with more than 200 other artists. Although a couple of slots are still to be filled, including a blockbuster headliner for the final Saturday night, it would have been a challenge to jam another $1.5 million worth of talent into the schedule.

As well, there's already a problem with sound bleed between stages and noise spilling into the neighbourhoods around LeBreton Flats. By increasing the Bluesfest action in a different location, organizers are able to alleviate these concerns, but still take steps toward expansion.

For Bluesfest ByWard, announced by Transport Minister John Baird and Bluesfest executive director Mark Monahan at a press conference on Wednesday, the main stage will be located at the corner of York and William streets. Participating clubs include Zaphod Beeblebrox, the Great Canadian Cabin, the Rainbow and Maverick's.

In addition to programming, some of the federal money will be directed toward marketing Bluesfest in the U.S. and Europe, with an aim to increase the number of international visitors. According to Industry Canada, the economic impact of the tourism industry represents two per cent of the gross domestic product and well over half a million jobs across the country.

Complete lineup and ticket information will be available at www.bluesfestbyward.com next week.

- - -

For All things Bluesfest, check out Festival City in

our Arts Extras section at ottawacitizen.com

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Complete lineup and ticket information will be available at www.bluesfestbyward.com next week.

The website says the lineup will be released June 24, which is stupid because I saw the list yesterday. It's done. Maybe there are some scheduling and ticketing issues to deal with but I saw with my own two eyes a giant list of artists, in a Government of Canada press-release folder.... I imagine everyone who went to the press conference got one, so why hasn't someone released it? Why wait? Increase the hype now. Geez.

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Complete lineup and ticket information will be available at www.bluesfestbyward.com next week.

The website says the lineup will be released June 24' date=' which is stupid because I saw the list yesterday. It's done. Maybe there are some scheduling and ticketing issues to deal with but I saw with my own two eyes a giant list of artists, in a Government of Canada press-release folder.... I imagine everyone who went to the press conference got one, so why hasn't someone released it? Why wait? Increase the hype now. Geez.

[/quote']

yeesh. that's a painful site to look at. 1.5 million and that's the site design that they went with?

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Nope, sorry. Once I stopped looking at the sheet of paper I went back to being in the dark, although with some vague memories of some of the words written on said paper.... I am working on getting the list though... Stay tuned. (No promises)

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he'd be playing the big outdoor stage, from what i surmised. could be wrong though for sure. i don't think the full list was published, as the citizen article i read only showed about 5 artists, while the real list is about 70 bands long

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he'd be playing the big outdoor stage, from what i surmised. could be wrong though for sure. i don't think the full list was published, as the citizen article i read only showed about 5 artists, while the real list is about 70 bands long

$21,500 per band. Sweet!

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Bluesfest has added hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes to its lineup.

Rhymes will perform on the Bank of America Stage on July 16 at 7 p.m.

Also returning is festival favourite Metric, who will perform on the Rogers Stage on July 9 at 8 p.m.

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Bluesfest Byward preliminary confirmed artists:

George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars

The Proclaimers

Arrested Development

United Steelworkers of Montreal

Lee Scratch Perry

Harlem Gospel Choir

Naomi Shelton

Kid Koala

Serena Ryder

a DJ set by Speech of Arrested Development

Curumin

Cooloolush

Mistress Barbara

Juan Maclean

Matt Mays

Mother's Children

Wintersleep

Thunderheist

David Maxwell

Sergent Garcia

DJ Rekha

The Heavy

Five Alarm Funk

The Murder Plans

The Soiree

Daniella Cotton

Born Ruffians

Elliot Brood

RJD2

Sewing with Nancy

David Gogo

CJ Chenier

Mumbo Jumbo Voodoo Combo

The Rough Sea

Peter Voith

Down with Webster

Ad Ver Sary

Peter Murphy

Saint Alvia

The Rough Sea

Young Rival

Polytones

Jokers of the Scene

Creep Show

Carlos Varela

DJ Noah

Mid Way State

Flosstradamus

Videotape

Silver Creek

Sebastien Grainger

The Ethics

Ohbijou

Fiftymen

Alberta Cross

The Grates

Eamon Mcgrath

The Chiselers

Bible Allstars

Think About Life

Basia Bulat

Winter Gloves

Lil Ed and Blues Imperials

Great Lake Swimmers

Tom Fun Orchestra

Gift of Gab

Meligrove Band

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