Consequence of Sound » Ottawa Bluesfest

Ottawa Bluesfest 2012 taps Skrillex, Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd

CoS Staff — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:56:47 +0000

Ottawa Bluesfest (or the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest as it’s known in the corporate world) returns June 4-15th at the city’s LeBreton Flats Park. The rather unbluesy lineup is topped by Tiësto, Skrillex, Snoop Dogg, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Seal, Lauryn Hill, Norah Jones, The Weeknd, and Deltron 3030 (!).

Also playing are Conor Oberst, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Tangerine Dream, Billy Bragg, Beirut, Metric, Mastodon, Dirty Projectors, Thievery Corporation, Paul Oakenfold, MSTKRFT, Chromeo, The Hold Steady, Young the Giant, Grimes, Youth Lagoon, Melvins, Handsome Furs, !!!, Zeus, Blitzen Trapper, Freelance Whales, Akron/Family, and Chali 2na.

Ticket information and other event details are available via the festival’s website.

Ottawa Bluesfest stage collapses

Alex Young — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:33:12 +0000

A scary scene at the Ottawa Bluefest earlier today as a severe storm caused the festival’s main stage to collapse. According to the Toronto Sun, and as you can see in the video posted above, a strong gust of wind blew the stage backwards some 20 minutes into Cheap Trick’s set. The festival grounds were quickly evacuated and the remaining events, including Death Cab For Cutie’s headlining performance, were canceled.

Update: According to CTV, one person was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, while another suffered “severe injuries.”

Festivals in Brief: Ottawa Bluesfest, Voodoo Experience, Hopscotch

Jennifer Hayward — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:29:44 +0000

Consequence of Sound‘s Festival Outlook is an online database featuring the latest news, rumors, and ticket information for the world’s many music festivals. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to keep up with everything. So, this is where our “Festivals in Brief” feature comes in.

This week brings a whole slew of lineup news, including Voodoo Experience, Ottawa Bluesfest, Bumbershoot, Hopscotch Music Festival, Hop Farm Fest, Life is Good Fest, Escape to New York and more. Below, you can find all the pertinent information.

And while we have your attention, please be sure to bookmark Festival Outlook and follow us on Twitter. That way, you’ll get more timely updates! And if you see something missing from one of the thousand pages listed on Festival Outlook, please drop us a line and we’ll fix it asap. Of course, tips are also welcome!

BUMBERSHOOT

When/Where: September 3-5 at the Seattle Center in Seattle, WA

What’s New: Big Boi, Eisley, Dom, Kendrick Lamar, Motopony, and Fly Moon Royalty

Who Else is Playing: Hall & Oates, Wiz Khalifa, Broken Social Scene, Ray LaMontagne, Mavis Staples, Leon Russell, The Kills, Warpaint, STRFKR, The Lonely Forest, Toro Y Moi, Urge Overkill, and Minus the Bear.

Tickets: $29 single-day tickets and $75 three-day tickets are available via the festival’s website.

ESCAPE TO NEW YORK

When/Where: August 5-7 at Shinnecock Reservation Land in Southampton, NY

What’s New: of Montreal, Mates of State, Reptar, The Jolly Boys, and Savoir Adore

Who Else is Playing: Patti Smith, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Best Coast, The Vaccines, and Au Revoir Simone

Tickets: $275 weekend passes and $100 single-day passes are available via seetickets.com.

HOP FARM FEST

When/Where: July 1-3 at Hop Farm Country Park in Kent, England

What’s New: Eliza Doolittle, The Go! Team, Hot Chip (DJ set), Fenech-Soler, and Aloe Blacc

Who Else is Playing: Prince, Morrissey, The Eagles, Lou Reed, Death Cab For Cutie, Brandon Flowers, Iggy & the Stooges, Patti Smith, Bryan Ferry, Gang of Four, The Duke Spirit, The Head and the Heart, and The Walkmen

Tickets: £141 weekend passes and £75.70 day tickets are available via seetickets.com

HOPSCOTCH MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: September 8-10 in Raleigh, NC

What’s New: Titus Andronicus, Times New Viking, Vivian Girls, Bass Drum of Death, Pepper Rabbit, Xray Eyeballs, Diamond Rings, and Xray Eyeballs

Who Else is Playing: The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, Superchunk, Swans, The Dodos, Toro Y Moi, Twin Shadow, Yelawolf, Black Lips, Cold Cave, Japandroids, Liturgy, John Vanderslice, Ford & Lopatin, Lower Dens, Beach Fossils, and Beans.

Tickets: Multiple ticketing options are available via the festival’s website.

LIFE IS GOOD FESTIVAL

When/Where: September 24-25 at Prowse Farm in Canton, MA

Who’s Playing: The Avett Brothers, The Levon Helm Band, Ray LaMontagne, The Hold Steady, Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlile, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Raphael Saadiq, and Zee Avi

Tickets: $120 two-day ticket and $65 single-day tickets are available via the festival’s website.

MUSICFEST NW

When/Where: September 8-11 in Portland, OR

What’s New: Marketa Irglova, OFF!, Sallie Ford & the Sound, Dan Mangan, Loch Lomond, Fool’s Gold, Emancipator, Young Buffalo, and Purity Ring

Who Else is Playing: Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, Explosions in the Sky, The Kills, Butthole Surfers, Archers of Loaf, Sebadoh, Handsome Furs, Tennis, Sharon Van Etten, YACHT, The Vaccines, The Thermals, Ted Leo, Phantogram, The Joy Formidale, Little Dragon, and Blitzen Trapper.

Tickets: $115 all-show wristbands, $70 GA wristbands, and $250 VIP wristbands are available via the festival’s website.

OTTAWA BLUESFEST

When/Where: July 5-17 at Lebreton Flats Park in Ottawa, Ontario

What’s New: Jane’s Addiction, Lupe Fiasco, Protest The Hero, Stephen Marley, and Classified.

Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden, The Flaming Lips, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, A Perfect Circle, Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, Ben Harper, Erykah Badu, The Roots, The Tragically Hip, Death From Above 1979, Tegan and Sara, Ra Ra Riot, M. Ward, Cheap Trick, and Wanda Jackson

Tickets: $260 festival passports and $40-$55 single-day passes are available via the festival’s website.

ROCK THE BELLS

When/Where: San Bernardino, CA (8/20), Mountain View, CA (8/27), New York, NY (9/3), and Boston, MA (9/10)

What’s New: Erykah Badu performing Baduizm, Common performing Be, Killah Priest performing Heavy Metal, and DOOM

Who Else is Playing: Lauryn Hill performing The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Nas performing Illmatic, The GZA performing Liquid Swords, Cypress Hill performing Black Sunday, Immortal Technique, Mobb Deep performing The Infamous, and Slaughterhouse

Tickets: Ticketing options vary on location. Visit the festival’s website for more information.

SUNSET STRIP MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: August 18-20 in Hollywood, CA

Who’s Playing: Mötley Crüe, Bush, Public Enemy, Matt & Him, dredg, and Felix Cartal

Tickets: Multiple packages are available via the festival’s website.

TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL

When/Where: October 15-16 at Treasure Island in San Francisco, CA

Who’s Expected: Friendly Fires and Warpaint

Tickets: TBA

VOODOO EXPERIENCE

When/Where: October 28-30 at City Park in New Orleans, LA

What’s New: My Chemical Romance, Portugal. the Man, X, Ozomatli, Soul Rebel’s Brass Band, and City and Colour

Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden and Girl Talk, with more acts to be announced in the weeks ahead

Tickets: $150 GA and $450 VIP passes are available via the festival’s website.

The Tragically Hip announce 2011 tour dates

Megan Caffery — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:40:46 +0000

Canadian rock icons The Tragically Hip have been strongly representing their beloved country for the past 28 years, and show no signs of slowing down. The Kingston, ON-based quintet will be hitting the road for an 11-date trek that sees them primarily in Canada for its duration. The tour’s initial stop is Watertown, NY on June 24th, the first of only two U.S. dates (the other is in Buffalo on July 30th). One week later, Gordon Downie and company will be tearing up the stage with an epic festival performance for Canada Day on July, alongside Weezer and fellow Canuck rockers Hey Rosetta!, Buck 65, and Broken Social Scene. The Hip have also scheduled appearances at Ottawa Bluesfest, and a number of other stops before winding down with a set at Osheaga Festival in Montreal on July 31st.

Peep the full list of tour dates below. Be sure to check out The Tragically Hip Web site for futher ticketing information.

The Tragically Hip 2011 Tour Dates:
06/24 – Watertown, NY @ Watertown Fairgrounds Baseball Diamond *
06/25 – Bobcaygeon, ON @ Bobcaygeon *
07/01 – Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park (Canada Day) ~ # &
07/02 – Windsor, ON @ Colossum at Caesars Windsor
07/07 – Winnipeg, MB @ Shaw Park ~ &
07/09 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/10 – Sarnia, ON @ Centennial Park @ $
07/14 – Edmonton, AB @ Northlands Festival Site ~ &
07/15 – Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park &
07/30 – Buffalo, NY @ Erie Canal Harbor @
07/31 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival

* = w/ the Trews
^ = w/ Sam Roberts Band
~ = w/ Broken Social Scene
# = w/ Weezer and Buck 65
& = w/ Hey Rosetta!
@ = w/ Arkells
$ = w/ Joe Plaskett

Today on Cluster 1: Titus Andronicus, The Donkeys, Peter Bjorn and John, and more (4/29)

Ted Maider — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:01:36 +0000

Animation:

I Am a Bear, Etc. - An animated video interpretation of comedian Mike Birbiglia’s “I’m a Bear” skit.

Documentaries:

The Archive - What if you owned the world’s largest record collection, but had to let it go? This revealing documentary depicts a man who devoted his entire life to his love of music, the store that allowed him to share his love with others, and the sacrifices he makes to press onward in life.

Peter, Bjorn and John: Digging Deeper – Directors Jamie Margolin and Dezi Catarino follow the group on the first few shows of their tour, as we learn the secrets and methods they used to construct their most recent “back-to-basics” album.

Music Videos:

Holy Ghost! – “Wait and See” - A day in the life of the band…as portrayed by their fathers.

Titus Andronicus – “No Future Part 3: Escape From No Future” - New Jersey is not just all about your Snookis and JWowws. Titus Andronicus shows us what the real New Jersey is like in this fantastically shot video. A special someone introduces the video, too.

The Donkeys – “Don’t Know Who We Are” - This video goes on to prove piñatas come in far too many shapes and sizes.

News:

Cluster 1 News with Sami Jarroush - Updates on the Lollapalooza festival, Kanrocksas festival, Ottawa Bluesfest and Quebec City summer festival.

Don’t Forget…

– Want a constant stream of musical goodness? Check out our Channel, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation.

- Social networking is a way of life, so follow us at @cluster1tv and on Facebook

Cluster 1 News Update: Lollapalooza, Kanrocksas, Ottawa Bluesfest, and Quebec City Summer Festival

Alex Young — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:18:46 +0000

Updates on the Lollapalooza festival, Kanrocksas festival, Ottawa Bluesfest and Quebec City summer festival.

Hosted & edited by: Sami Jarroush

Read the stories here:

Soundgarden, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket head Ottawa Bluesfest 2011

Alex Young — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 01:38:06 +0000

Ottawa Bluesfest is Canada’s equivalent to Summerfest, a 13-day, all-out music extravaganza featuring more acts than the total population of Delaware. This year’s edition, set for July 5-17 on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum, is topped by the reunited Soundgarden, My Morning Jacket, Death Cab For Cutie, A Perfect Circle, The Black Keys, Erykah Badu, The Tragically Hip, Death From Above 1979, The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, and Ben Harper.

Other notables include The Roots, Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Buddy Guy, Steve Miller, Huey Lewis and the News, Jennifer Hudson, Leon Russell, Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys, Tegan & Sara, M. Ward, Bootsy Collins, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Cage the Elephant.

Rounding out the lineup are Cheap Trick, Wanda Jackson, Shpongle, Infected Mushroom, John Butler Trio, Gomez, Josh Ritter, Galactic, Dawes, The Greenhorns, Neon Indian, Nicole Atkins, Ra Ra Riot, The Dirtbombs, Mother Mother, and Diamond Rings.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 am EST on April 30st.

Festivals in Brief: Lollapalooza, Splendour in the Grass, Oya Festival

CoS Staff — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:27:44 +0000

Consequence of Sound‘s Festival Outlook is an online database featuring the latest news, rumors, and ticket information for the world’s many music festivals. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to keep up with everything, especially on a day like today. So, this is where our “Festivals in Brief” feature comes in.

Today brings a whole slew of lineup news, from North American heavyweights like Lollapalooza and Ottawa Bluesfest to such foreign favorites as Splendour in the Grass and Rock Werchter. Below, you can find all the pertinent information.

80/35

When/Where: July 2-3 at Western Gateway Park in Des Moines, IA

Who’s Playing: Girl Talk, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Titus Andronicus, Galactic, Bear Hands, and Jessica Lea Mayfield

Tickets: 2-day passes are priced at $45.00 and are on sale via MidwestTIX.

ATP’s I’ll Be Your Mirror UK

When/Where: July 23-24 at Alexandra Palace in London, UK

What’s New: Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Alan Moore & Stephen O’Malley

Who Else is Playing: Portishead, PJ Harvey, Grinderman, Swans Beach House, Caribou, and The Books

Tickets: 2-day passes are priced at £107.00 and are on sale via Seetickets.

Hove Festival

When/Where: June 29 – July 1 at Tromøy in Arendal, Norway

What’s New: Deadmau5, Big Boi, The Mars Volta, Odd Future, and Toro Y Moi

Who Else is Playing: Linkin Park, Kasabian, Bright Eyes, Brandon Flowers, Robyn, Magnetic Man, and Jenny & Johnny.

Tickets: GA passes are priced at 2250.00 NOK and are on sale via the festival’s website.

Lollapalooza

When/Where: August 5-7 at Grant Park in Chicago, IL

Expected Acts: Eminem, Foo Fighters, Muse, Girl Talk, Cee-Lo, Lykke Li, Crystal Castles, Best Coast, Titus Andronicus, Tennis, G. Love, Fences, Wax, Electric Touch, Crash Kings, Civil Twilight, and Anberlin

Rumored: Jane’s Addiction, The Decemberists, Bright Eyes, A Perfect Circle, Sleigh Bells, Eels, 30 Seconds to Mars, Portugal. the Man, Fitz & the Tantrums, Phantogram, and The Glitch Mob

Tickets: 3-day passes are priced at $215.00 and are available via the festival’s website.

Northside Festival

When/Where: June 16-19 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

What’s New: Guided By Voices and Wavves

Who Else is Playing: Beirut, Twin Sister, Deer Tick, Javelin, Sharon Van Etten, Javelin, and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, with 250+ acts still to be announced

Tickets: Advanced GA passes are priced at $70.00 and are available via Ticketfly.

Ottawa Bluesfest

When/Where: July 5-17 at LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa, Ontario

Expected Acts: The Black Keys, Girl Talk, Cage the Elephant, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Downhere, John Butler Trio, and Honey Island Swamp Band

Rumored: My Morning Jacket, Mumford & Sons, Steve Miller Band, and Skrillex,

Tickets: TBA

Oya Festival

When/Where: August 9-13 at Medieval Park in Oslo, Norway

What’s New: Kanye West, Janelle Monae, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, and James Blake

Who Else is Playing: Pulp, Fleet Foxes, Explosions in the Sky, The Avett Brothers, Lykke Li, OFF!, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Warpaint

Tickets: 4-day passes are priced at 1995.00 NOK and are on sale via Billettservice.no.

Rock Werchter

When/Where: July 30 – July 3 in Werchter, Belgium

What’s New: The Hives, Odd Future, and James Blake

Who Else is Playing: Coldplay, Kings of Leon, PJ Harvey, Portishead, Arctic Monkeys, Brandon Flowers, The National, TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes, Grinderman, and Underworld

Tickets: GA passes are priced at €195 and are on sale via the festival’s website.

Splendour in the Grass

When/Where: July 29-31 in Woodford, Australia

Expected Acts: The Kills, The Vaccines, and Cornershop

Rumored: Coldplay, Kanye West, Pulp, Elbow, and Noah and the Whale

Tickets: TBA

Festivals in Brief: Pitchfork, Glastonbury, Beale Street

Jennifer Hayward — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:50:56 +0000

Beads weren’t the only things given out to deserving crowds of festival fanatics this week. With many important announcements made (and no self-exposure required!) these prizes were even more rewarding. Exciting news of returns for Langerado, Outside Lands, and Northside Festivals left fans cheering in Florida, San Francisco, and Brooklyn, respectively.

Brits can rejoice as well this week, with major additions made to the Glastonbury, Hop Farm, End of the Road, ATP Curated by Animal Collective, Lovebox, and Creamfields lineups. It looks like New Orleans won’t be the only city rocking the south this spring as Memphis’s Beale Street Festival gears up with some big-name additions. And as always, South by Southwest is busy making some last-minute preparations while still tagging acts to their undercard. Mardi Gras might be over, but the festival party’s just getting started.

Remember, by bookmarking Festival Outlook and/or following us on Twitter you never have to miss a beat when it comes to the latest festival news. After all, Wednesday only comes once a week.

NEWS:

– Glastonbury Festival confirmed a number of 2011 acts, including Chemical Brothers, Fleet Foxes, BB King, Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons, Janelle Monáe, Big Boi, Crystal Castles and more. Although all 200,000 tickets have already been claimed, there is still hope in the form of an April re-sale. Stay tuned to Festival Outlook for more details on the re-sale, and lineup updates.

– Animal Collective, TV on the Radio, and Fleet Foxes are set to head the Pitchfork Music Festival 2011. The event will take place July 15-17 in Chicago’s Union Park, and also include Kylesa, Yuck, Destroyer, Das Racist, and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti. Tickets are on sale here; three-day passes are already sold out, so be sure to snatch up the remaining single-day tickets ASAP.

– The Beale Street Festival has announced yet another impressive and diverse bill for its 2011 edition. The Flaming Lips, Wilco, and MGMT are set as headliners, while Ziggy Marley, Mumford & Sons, Gregg Allman, Cee-Lo Green, Jason Mraz, Macy Gray, Ludicris, and Slightly Stoopid are among the notable acts. Tickets are on-sale now at the wonderfully low price of $69 for the three-day pass, so be sure to grab yours soon via Ticketmaster. VIP packages and more info about Memphis in May celebrations can be found at memphisinmay.org.

– Hey festival fans! Corporate sponsorship and tiered pricing got you down? Sick of all the big festivals selling-out, branding, and abusing your bank account? Then search no further, for the Hop Farm Music Festival touts a “return to the basics” that’s not only appealing but refreshingly egalitarian. Held on the first two days of July, the lineup includes Lou Reed, Morrissey, Patti Smith, Iggy & The Stooges, The Eagles, Deathcab for Cutie, and Brandon Flowers. Head over to Seetickets.com for single-day and weekend passes.

– The Do LaB’s Lightning in a Bottle will return this May will a lineup featuring DJ sets from Thievery Corporation and Bonobo, as well as performances from Pretty Lights, Lucent Dossier Experience, Beats Antique, MiM0SA, and many more. There will also be informative green-living workshops to promote environmentally-sustainable practices, as well as yoga, dance classes, and art installations, in addition to the three stages of music. Tickets are available now in one-day, two-day, and three-day packages via the festival’s website.

– San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival will return August 12-14th. “Eager beaver” tickets go on sale this Friday at 12pm PST.

– The Nateva Music and Camping Festival will return August 5-7. STS9, Thievery Corporation, Gregg Allman Band, John Butler Trio, Bob Weir, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Guster, and Ghostland Observatory are among the notables confirmed for the festival’s sophomore edition. Tickets, along with layaway, RV and VIP remixes, are now available through the festival’s website.

– After a two-year hiatus, Langerado is set to make a triumphant return this summer. The Florida-based festival’s second coming is the product of seasoned veterans C3 presents (the people who bring you Lollapalooza and ACL promoters) and Boros Entertainment, and will take place October 8-9 in Sunrise, FL. Early bird tickets are available as of 11am EST today (March 9th) and limited, additional passes will go on sale (for double the price) the same day the lineup announcement is made on June 1st.

– The first of four music festivals to held by the Dave Matthews Band this summer is set to take place in Atlantic City, NJ this June 24-26. DMB will headline all three days with the help of Thievery Corporation, Flaming Lips, Ray LaMontagne, Bassnectar, Dr. Dogg, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, O.A.R., Delta Spirit, David Gray, Warren Haynes Band, and Michael Franti & Spearhead among others. Ticket requests can be submitted this Monday (March 14th) at 10am EST, and actual tickets can be purchased for the three-day event on March 25th. Details are still forthcoming about the Midwest stop, as well as the other two destinations.

LINEUP ADDITIONS:

– South By Southwest: Foo Fighters (Expected); Added Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Cee-Lo, Eisley, Funeral Party, Lupe Fiasco, Matt & Kim, Odd Future, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Wiz Khalifa

– Sasquatch! Music Festival: Added Wavves, Biffy Clyro, J. Mascis, and The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show

– Lollapalooza: Titus Andronicus (Expected)

– Pitchfork Music Festival: Official lineup includes Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio as headliners as well as Cut Copy, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Deerhunter, Destroyer, and The Dismemberment Plan

– Beale Street Music Festival: Official lineup includes John Mellencamp, Ke$ha, Wilco, B.o.B., Gregg Allman, MGMT, Mumford & Sons, The Flaming Lips, and Stone Temple Pilots

– Ultra Music Festival: Added Baby Anne, Classixx, Rabbit, Zeds Dead, Proxxy and Lantern, Shit Robot, and Porter Robinson

– Wakarusa Music Festival: Added Minus the Bear

– Electric Forest: Added Galactic and the Ragbirds

– Nateva Music & Camping Festival: Official lineup includes Thievery Corporation, STS9, Gregg Allman Band, John Butler Trio, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and a solo acoustic set by Bob Weir

– Dave Matthews Band Caravan in Atlantic City: Official Lineup includes The Flaming Lips, Thievery Corporation, O.A.R., Michael Franti & Spearhead, David Gray, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Dr. Dogg, Bassnectar, and Dave Matthews Band

– Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada): The Black Keys (Expected), and Cage the Elephant (Expected)

– Glastonbury Festival (UK): Elbow (Expected), Biffy Clyro (Expected), Eels (Expected); added Everything Everyting

– Oxegen Festival (Ireland): Official lineup includes headliners The Strokes, Black Eyed Peas, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, and The Script. Also performing are The National, Two Door Cinema Club, Bruno Mars, Paolo Nutini, DeadMau5, Brandon Flowers, Plan B, Bright Eyes and My Chemical Romance

– Electric Picnic (Ireland): Official lineup includes Arcade Fire, Pulp, Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey, and The Go! Team

– Creamfields (UK): Official lineup includes The Chemical Brothers, Tiesto, Kaskade, Swedish House Mafia, Paul Oakenfold, and Boys Noize

– ATP Curated by Animal Collective (UK): Added Kurt Vile and the Violators, Tony Conrad, Oneohtrix Point Never, Actress, and Grouper

– End of the Road Festival (UK): Added Wild Nothing Mogwai, The Fresh & Onlys, Health, White Denim, and Tinariwen

– Rock Werchter (Belgium): Added Bruno Mars, Everything Everything, Digitalism, Tame Impala, TV on the Radio, The Vaccines

– Hop Farm Fest (UK): Added Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Morrissey, Iggy & The Stooges

– SonarSound Tokyo (Japan): Lineup announced, includes Flying Lotus, Battles, DJ Krush, Sabi, and Open Reel Ensemble

– Arenal Sound (Spain): Added Delorean, Vive La Fete, Dos Bandas Y Un Destino, and Russian Red

– Motel Mozaique (Netherlands): Architecture in Helsinki, James Blake, Battles, and Fenech-Solder

– Les Eurockeennes (France): Added Beady Eye and Beth Ditto

– The Lovebox Festival (UK): Lineup is official, includes Robyn, Scissor Sisters, Lykke Li, and Blondie

– Main Square Festival (France): Added Moby, Fleet Foxes, Cold War Kids, Limp Bizkit, Tame Impala, and Underworld

– Open’er Festival: Added The National, Big Boi, Deadmau5, and Two Door Cinema Club

– Lightning in a Bottle: Official lineup includes Pretty Lights, Beats Antique and a Thievery Corporation DJ set

– Summerfest: Added Def Leppard, Heart, Jason Aldean

– Harmony Festival: Official lineup includes The Flaming Lips, Primus, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, and Ghostland Observatory

– High Sierra Music Festival: Official lineup includes My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, Ween, Dr. Dog, and Yonder Mountain String Band

– Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival: Official lineup includes Modeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, Soulive, Lettuce, Beats Antique, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, The Funky Meters, John Scofield & Piety Street

– The Fest: Official lineup includes Less Than Jake, Bouncing Souls, and Against Me!

– Sunfest: Schedule is up

Festivals in Brief: South By Southwest, B.O.M.B Fest, Electric Forest

Jennifer Hayward — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:25:12 +0000

It would appear that March isn’t the only thing said to “come in like a lion” in the old adage. This week, festival rumors and news flew in with the ferocity of late winter winds, befitting the importance of the king of the jungle himself. For those of us who thought — if only for a second — that there were no more surprises, no more stops to be pulled out from South By Southwest, we must again to our chagrin, admit our mistake (which is, coincidentally, a word often associated with the latest rumored lineup addition).

With new festivals, new locations, new amenities, and new lineup additions, everything seems to be getting bigger and better this year. A festival arms race is at hand, causing new outfits like Electric Forest to set the bar high in their inaugural year with over 50 acts, the B.O.M.B. Fest to undergo a humongous expansion, along with some legally enforced moves (ahem Electric Daisy Carnival). Whatever the impetus, there’s many changes to be excited about in the upcoming year.

Check out this week’s edition of Festivals in Brief; for while there was no leap year to be had, there was no shortage of news and additions made.

And don’t forget to bookmark Festival Outlook and/or follow us on Twitter in order to get your daily festival fix. After all, Wednesday only comes once a week!

News:

– The Electric Daisy Carnival announced that the annual rave has found a new home in Las Vegas this year. Last year’s event caused much controversy when a 16-year-old died of an ecstasy overdose, sparking not only an investigation, but a temporary moratorium on all LA raves. The organizers’ cited the festival’s projected turnout as the reason for relocating the event so far in advance, as opposed to waiting and hoping for the ban to be lifted. EDC is also planning day raves in Dallas, Denver and Puerto Rico this summer. Additional details are forthcoming.

– The Pitchfork Music Festival will take place the weekend of July 15th-17th in Chicago’s Union Park. Both single-day and three-day passes go on sale this Friday, March 4th, although the lineup is still TBA.

– It looks as though the sophomore installment of the DeLuna Festival will be making some baller changes. This year’s Pensacola, FL fest tiered packages will include various rooms at the nearby Hilton and Holiday Inn, as well as six beach stages, and late-night, indoor stages at the hotels. The lineup will include a more refined, less-mainstream list and expected to be loaded with jam-bands who reflect the laid-back beach vibe. Resort packages go on sale March 15th at 10am via the festival’s website.

– Bassnectar, Infected Mushroom, Lotus, EOTO, Rabbit, and Daedelus will headline along with the 40+ bands that are set to perform at the 13th annual Starscape Music Festival. The Baltimore rave will span sixteen straight hours (2pm-6am), and is full of acts that will fuel dancing through the night. General Admission and VIP tickets are now available through the festival’s website.

– The initial lineup has been announced for the inaugural Electric Forest. Curators and headliners String Cheese Incident have confirmed over 50 acts for the festival on 4th of July weekend. Joining them will be DJ Tiësto, Pretty Lights, and REO Speedwagon as headliners, with an impressive undercard plus other amenities at the Rothbury, MI Double JJ Resort. Weekend passes go on sale this Saturday with a limited number of discounted tickets will be available, as well as VIP packages. For all ticket options see the festival’s website.

– The Summer Sonic Festival announced Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, and The Mars Volta will head the premiere Japanese festival this August. With an already-outstanding lineup, and more to be announced, Japan hasn’t rocked this hard since Godzilla showed up. The only problem will be choosing between the Tokyo and Osaka stages which have a varying lineup. Tickets are now available via the festival’s website.

– The Strokes will be headlining at this year’s edition of the Sweetlife Festival. Helping the restaurateur organizers promote their values of sustainable food and live music in D.C. metro area this April 30th, additional information is forthcoming, so be sure to stay tuned. For now, you can hit up the festival’s website to sign up for a special pre-sale code.

– The fourth annual Roots Picnic will take place at Penn’s Landing on June 4th. The Roots have employed Nas, Esperenza Spalding, The Dismemberment Plan, Ariel Pink, Wiz Khalifa, among others to help rock their hometown. Tickets are on sale this Saturday at 10am, and can be purchased at LiveNation. No word yet on whether Jimmy Fallon will be in attendance, or with his guitar skills, supporting them for a change.

– The B.O.M.B. Festival must’ve been taking some performance-enhancing drugs in the off-season. With headliners Snoop Dogg and Weezer leading a long list of all-stars this Memorial Day weekend, this is sure to be the biggest thing to hit Connecticut since being named “home of the world’s smallest natural waterfall”. All proceeds will be benefiting Bring Our Music Back, Inc., and initiatives for the formation of an Emerging Artists Scholarship Fund for Western Connecticut State University. Pre-sale tickets are available now, get them before two more possible price jumps once they go on sale to the public this Friday at 6am.

– Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival returns for its sophomore effort this year, expanding the art forms on display at Massachusetts’s Museum of Contemporary art with some killer acts and collaborations. Feature Thurston Moore, The Levon Helm Band, Liam Finn, and loads of Wilco-related collabos, the festival will take place June 24-26th. Passes are now available at Front Gate Tickets.

Lineup Additions:

– South By Southwest: Kanye West (Rumored); Added Moby (DJ set), Odd Future, Little Dragon, Acrylics, Big Sean, Bun B, Immortal Technique, Meat Puppets with Roky Erickson, Semi Precious Weapons, The Airborne Toxic Event, White Denim, and Willie Nile

– Bonnaroo: Shpongle DJ set (Expected)

– Lollapalooza: Anberlin (Expected), Civil Twilight (Expected), Crash Kings (Expected)

– Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada): Big Sam’s Funky Nation (Expected)

– B.O.M.B. Fest: Lineup announced, includes Weezer, Snoop Dogg, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Wiz Khalifa, Coheed & Cambria, Neon Trees, George Clinton & The Parliament/Funkadelic, and The New Pornographers

– Pitchfork Music Festival: Yuck (Expected), Os Mutantes (Expected)

– Mountain Jam: Added Umphrey’s McGee, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Charlie Hunter, and Big Gigantic

– Movement: Paxahau Electronic Music Festival: Lineup announced, includes Ana Sia, Green Velvet, Soul Clap, Art Department, Scuba, Kerri Chandler, Goldie, and Marcel Deltman

– Starscape Festival: Lineup announced, includes Bassnectar, Lotus, Daedelus, Mayhem, Hot Pink Delorean, and Infected Mushroom.

– Electric Forest: Initial lineup announcement includes three shows by The String Cheese Incident, Tiësto, REO Speedwagon, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Stephen Marley, Kaskade, The New Deal and many more

– Glastonbury Festival (UK): Added Yuck

– Summer Sonic (Japan): Lineup announced, includes Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, and a special guest (from the UK), The Mars Volta, Panic! At The Disco, House of Pain, Deerhunter, Neon Trees, Friendly Fires, Two Door Cinema Club, Simple Plan, and more

– Summerfest: Added Florence and the Machine, The Black Keys, and Cage the Elephant

– Roots Picnic: Lineup announced, includes The Roots, Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Ariel pink, Esperanza Spalding, The Dismemberment Plan, and Little Dragon

– Harmony Festival: Initial lineup announced, includes The Flaming Lips, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Railroad Earth, Krishna Das, Lost at Last Tribe, Will Durst, James Twyman, and Brooke Medicine Eagle

– Sweetlife Festival: The Strokes confirmed to headline

– Solid Sound Festival: Wilco to play 2 headlining sets; other acts include Thurston Moore, Levon Helm Band, Liam Finn, Sic Alps, and The Autumn Defense, among others

– Fuji Rock Festival (Japan): Lineup announced, includes Coldplay, The Chemical Brothers, Arctic Monkeys, Incubus, Cake, and Wilco, among others

– Exit Festival (Serbia): Added Pulp, Magnetic Man, DJ Sneak, and Carl Craig

– T in the Park (Scotland): Added Kids in Glass Houses and Villagers

– Rock Ness Festival (Scotland): Added The Cribs, Magnetic Man, Frightened Rabbit, Glasvegas, and Simian Mobile Disco

– Sonar Festival (Spain): Added M.I.A., Cut Copy, Boys Noize, and Die Antwoord

– Sonisphere UK: Added Sum 41, House of Pain, and You Me At Six

– V Festival (UK): Lineup announced, includes Eminem and Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Duran Duran, Razorlight, Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding, and Buno Mars, among others

– Rock Werchter (Belgium): Added Linkin Park

– Roskilde Festival (Denmark): Added Mastodon and Parkway Drive

– Wireless Festival (UK): Added Bruno Mars, The Streets, David Guetta, and Far East Movement

– ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas (UK): Caribou, Battles, and Les Savy Fav confirmed to curate

– Camp Bestival (UK): Added Laura Marling

Festivals in Brief: South by Southwest, All Good, T in the Park

Jennifer Hayward — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:00:53 +0000

While this past weekend may have meant a free Monday off from work (thanks George Washington), this was not the case for festival planners around the world. As the first signs of spring triumph over the winter freeze, we crawl closer to the festivals we’ve been waiting for all year. In the spirit of the current season, South by Southwest continues to snowball, collecting premier acts faster than momentum, and ensuring it as a force to be reckoned with.

However, a somewhat quiet yet formidable resistance has been forming among the European ranks. With major lineup announcements/additions/rumors spreading through the continent, courtesy of Glastonbury, T in the Park, and Field Day Festial, the EU seems to be fortifying its music diplomacy. Regardless of the latitude and longitude, there’s plenty of news this week. From newly conceived festivals announcing their inaugural dates and lineups to the staples celebrating milestone anniversaries, there’s lots to be excited about for any festival fanatic.

For a full recap of all the latest festival news and rumors, scroll down and check out this week’s edition of Festivals in Brief.

P.S. Don’t forget to bookmark Festival Outlook and/or follow us on Twitter. That way you won’t have to wait until Wednesday before getting your festival fix.

News:

– Vanderbilt University’s Rites of Spring Festival (aka the college college music event ever) will return this April with a lineup featuring Matt & Kim, The National, and Public Enemy. Tickets for the general public go on sale Thursday at 10 am CST

– Q Magazine reports that U2 will close out Friday night of this year’s Glastonbury Music Festival. If true, they’ll join the already confirmed likes of Coldplay and Beyonce.

– This summer, New York City will once again attempt to host a music festival. Set for June 18th, the inaugural edition of Governor’s Ball will feature Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, Big Boi, and Neon Indian, among others. For those of you interested in fleeing the city in a ferry to an island dance refuge, tickets will go on sale this Thursday at 10am EST.

– Furthur, moe., and Umphrey’s McGee will be among the country’s premier jam bands making the pilgrimage to West Virginia to help celebrate All Good’s 15th anniversary this July. They’re heading a solid lineup that also includes Pretty Lights, Primus, John Butler Trio, and Yonder String Band. Three-day, four-day and VIP packages are available now through the festival’s website.

– Looks like the lineup for the T in the Park Festival just beat out the Loch Ness Monster for the number one reason to visit Scotland. With Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, and Bright Eyes all making appearances, expect steep competition for the remaining tickets when they go on sale this Saturday at 9am GMT via the festival’s website. Your move, Nessie.

– South by Southwest insists on competing with… itself. Although just mere weeks away, the Austin, TX-based extravaganza continues to make A-list additions that are causing all us non-ticketholders to develop a bad case of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). This week’s round of additions includes a free show by none other than The Strokes, and performances by Duran Duran, Wu-Tang Clan, Trentemøller, and Talib Kweli.

Lineup Additions:

– South by Southwest: Added The Strokes, Talib Kweli, Wu-Tang Clan, Asher Roth & Nottz Are Rawth, Tinie Tempah, Daedelus, The Secret Sisters, Glasser, Mister Heavenly, Odd Future, The Knux, The New Mastersounds, Trentemøller, Twin Atlantic, Yelawolf, Zechs Marquise

– Beale Street Music Festival: The Avett Brothers (Expected), The Lee Boys (Expected), Betty Lavette (Expected), Hubert Sumlin (Expected),

– Beyond Wonderland: Added Joker & MC Nomad, Bad Boy Bill, Congorock, Donald Glaude, Kill The Noise, Porter Robinson

– All Good: Initial lineup announced, includes Furthur featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir, Primus, Pretty Lights, moe., Umphrye’s McGee, John Butler Trio, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Galactic, Toots and the Maytals, and JJ Grey & Mofro

–Rites of Spring Festival: Initial lineup announced, includes The National, Public Enemy, Kid Cudi, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Matt & Kim and Sara Bareilles

– Governor’s Ball: Lineup announced for the inaugural year; Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, and Empire of the Sun to head. Other notables include Big Boi, Neon Indian, People Under The Stairs, Miami Horror, Outasight, Reptar, Mac Miller, and a DJ set by Passion Pit

– Quebec City Summer Festival (Canada): The Black Keys and Girl Talk confirmed

– Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada): Big Sam’s Funky Nation (Expected), Mumford & Sons (Rumored)

– Glastonbury Festival (UK): U2 (Expected), Elbow (Expected),

– Rock Werchter (Belgium): Added Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, Hurts, Lissie, Magnetic Man, Underworld

– T in the Park (Scotland): 40 acts announced, including Coldplay, Bright Eyes, Brandon Flowers, Arctic Monkeys, Weezer, Blondie, Crystal Castles, Deadmau5, Diplo, Jimmy Eat World, and The Streets

– Donaufestival (Austria): Added James Blake, Ladytron, Liturgy, and Gold Panda

– Hop Farm Fest (UK): Initial lineup announced, includes The Eagles, Death Cab for Cutie, Brandon Flowers, Bryan Ferry, and 10CC

– Wireless Festival (UK): Added TV On The Radio, Foals, The Horrors, and Metronomy

– Camp Bestival (UK): Initial lineup announced, includes Blondie, Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., House of Pain, ABC, Clare Maguire, Katy B, and Eliza Doolittle

– Download Festival (UK): Added Def Leppard, Twisted Sister, Duff McKagan’s Loaded, Down, Trash Talk

– Highfield Festival (Germany): Initial lineup announcement includes Foo Fighters, The National, Interpol, 30 Seconds to Mars, Dropkick Murphys, The Bouncing Souls, and No Use For A Name

– Benicassim Festival (Spain): Added The Morning Benders, Paolo Nutini, Pendulum, and The Stranglers

– Open’er Festival (Poland): Added Cut Copy, M.I.A.

– EXIT Festival (Serbia): Added Pulp

– Roskilde Festival (Denmark): Added Mastodon, Parkway Drive

– Field Day Festival (UK): Initial lineup announced, includes Ariel Pink, Willy Mason, Ducktails, Twin Shadow, Matthew Dear, Gruff Rhys, The Horrors, Actress, Cocknbullkid, Electrelane, Factory Floor, Hype Williams, Jamie Woon, John Cale, Konono No. 1, Mark Kozelek, Mount Kimbie, Omar Souleyman, Oneohtrix Point Never, Pearson Sound, Roska, Sun Ra Arkestra, Tortoise, Trophy Wife, and Wild Beasts

– Bisco Inferno: Lineup announced, includes Disco Biscuits, Big Boi, Emancipator, Rusko, and Boombox

– MoogFest: 2011 dates announced

– Lollapalooza Chile: Daily Schedule is in! Check it out here.

Festivals in Brief: A.C.E. (After Coachella Edict)

Jennifer Hayward — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:10:44 +0000

Were any of us foolish enough to believe this week would be all quiet on the Festivals news front? In the wake of Coachella’s 2011 lineup announcement countless other premium festivals, both domestic and abroad, proved that they were not ready to go gentle into that good night. The New Orleans Jazz Fest dropped a formidable, genre-spanning bill, while Spain’s Bilbao BBK Live proved that Amy Winehouse is not only alive, but still capable of being booked.

We’d also be remiss not to note last night’s surprising, yet totally kick ass bombshell. Reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum and UK trip-hop icons Portishead will headline All Tomorrow’s Parties “I’ll Be Your Mirror” festival, set to run from September 30 – October 2nd in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

And all this is addition to the always-churning festival rumor mill, which has led to a slew of recent updates for Bonnaroo, Sasquatch!, Lollapalooza, and even Austin City Limits.

For a complete report on all the latest rumors and news, get ready for your weekly allowance of Festivals in Brief; and to keep up with it all, remember to bookmark Festival Outlook and follow us on Twitter . After all, Wednesday only comes once a week.

News:

– The inaugural Snowball Festival will take place in Vail Valley, CO the first week of March. Pretty Lights, Bassnectar and The Flaming Lips are set to headline the three-day snowboard/ski/music extravaganza. While lift-ticket/music passes are already sold-out, there is still hope as music-only passes are available now.

– The New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival is planning for another triumphed year with a bill that includes Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Wilco. The Festival will take place over two weekends, first April 29th-May 1st, and the following May 5-8th. Weekend and VIP passes now on sale.

– Who cares if it’s in Jersey; you’ll want to hit ATP’s latest edition of “I’ll Be Your Mirror”.

Lineup Additions:

– Bonnaroo Music Festival: The Decemberists (Rumored), Black Star (Expected), Willie Nelson (Rumored), Kylesa (Expected), Fitz and the Tantrums (Rumored), Girl Talk (Rumored), Scissor Sisters (Expected),

– Sasquatch! Music Festival: Fitz and the Tantrums (Expected), Neon Indian (Expected), Sleigh Bells (Expected)

– Lollapalooza: Fitz and the Tantrums (Rumored), Sleigh Bells (Rumored)

– ATP “I’ll Be Your Mirror” New Jersey: Initial lineup announced, including Jeff Magnum, Portishead, Shellac, The Autumn Leaf, Chavez, and Cults

– New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival: Official lineup announced, including Arcade Fire, The Strokes, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, The Decemberists, Bon Jovi, Lupe Fiasco, and more

– Glastonbury Festival: Jimmy Cliff (Expected)

– Austin City Limits Music Festival: Fitz and the Tantrums (Expected)

– Wanee Music Festival: Official lineup announced, including Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Steve Miller Band, Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy, and more

– Summerfest: Katy Perry confirmed as headliner

– Snowball Festival: Added The Flaming Lips, Brother Ali, EOTO, and Twin Shadow

– Beale Street Music Festival: B.O.B. (Expected), Cee-Lo (Expected), Jimmy Vaughn (Expected)

– Hangout Music Festival: The Flaming Lips (Expected)

– Summer Camp: Added Slightly Stoopid, Van Ghost, Keys N Krates

– Bilbao BBK Live (Spain): Added Amy Winehouse, Chemical Brothers, The Black Crowes, Jack Johnson, and Crystal Castles

– Reading and Leeds Music Festival (UK): Pulp (Rumored)

– Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada): Downhere (Expected)

– Edgefest (Canada): Official lineup announced including, A Perfect Circle, Rise Against, and Tokyo Police Club

– Download Festival (UK): Gaslight Anthem, Thin Lizzy, Korn, GWAR and Alice Cooper are among the twenty bands added to the official lineup, which already includes headliners System of a Down, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold and Rob Zombie

– Lollapalooza Chile: Cold War Kids (Expected), Ghostland Observatory (Expected)

– Exit Festival (Serbia): Added Portishead

– Rock Werchter (Belgium): Added Robyn, PJ Harvey, Portishead, Arctic Monkeys, Elbow, The Gaslight Anthem, and Two Door Cinema Club

– Melt! Festival (Germany): Pulp to headline, other first confirmations include Robyn, Cut Copy and The Streets

– Vans Warped Tour: Initial lineup announced, including Simple Plan, The Aggrolites, Lucero, I Set My Friends On Fire, Mc Lars with Weerd Science, Foxy Shazam, The Dance Party, and Abandon All Ships

– Mayhem Festival: Official lineup announced, including Disturbed, Megadeth, Godsmack, and Machine Head

– Hard Miami: Weekend lineup announced, including Tiga, Diplo, and Tinie Tempah

– Arenal Sound (Spain): Added Delorean, Vive La Fete, El Guincho

– iTunes Festival (UK): Added White Lies

– Open’er Festival (Poland): Added Caribou, Fat Freddy’s Drop

– Benicàssim Festival (Spain): Added Mumford & Sons and The Streets

– The Great Escape (UK): Initial lineup announced, including Friendly Fires, Katy B., and Warpaint

– Lightning in a Bottle: Ticket pricing info announced

Where’s the Blues?: CoS at Ottawa Bluesfest ’10

Gilles LeBlanc — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:01:01 +0000

For months now, I have been telling anyone who would listen that I was going to Ottawa Bluesfest and how psyched I was about it. “Oh yeah?” people would ask, oftentimes feigning interest. “A blues festival in Ottawa, huh? That should be fun. Who’s playing?”

I would proceed to excitedly tell them that before we even get there, one of the nicest cities in Canada to visit will have already seen headlining performances by Iron Maiden, Furthur featuring Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir in their only Canadian appearance, The B-52s, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Flaming Lips, Rush, Arcade Fire, Santana, and Crowded House. To which I would frequently hear the reply, “Um, those aren’t very bluesy bands.”

Can’t argue with that logic. Bluesfest has done a lot of growing up since 5,000 people came out to see E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons at a downtown Ottawa park in 1994. It’s now unarguably one of the largest music events in North America, with more than 230 acts spread out over 12 days at LeBreton Flats as well as other locations throughout the city like the world-famous ByWard Market (where President Obama stopped for cookies in 2009). While blues are still an integral part of the yearly lineup, there have been so many other music genres that have been added to the mix recently to make the festival more commercial that, as much I hate to suggest it, a name change may be in order.

And in 2010, especially during the three days I attended, the indie rock influence was overwhelming, with a number of Canadian bands taking centre stage. It was a kick ass time in Ottawa, and I am honored to be bringing you a recap of the proceedings from my perspective. Now if only my home city of Toronto could get its act together and organize something as wickedly cool as Bluesfest…

Friday, July 16th

The Budos Band
MBNA Stage, 7:00 p.m.

The Budos Band’s funky, jazzed-up instrumental stylings dominated by trumpet and saxophone should have been the perfect way to get anyone’s evening going. Unfortunately, these Staten Islanders’ talents seemed to have been wasted on a crowd clearly waiting to party with popular celtic folk rockers Great Big Sea a few hours later.

Drake
Claridge Homes Stage, 8:15 p.m.

For a great many young adults on Friday, particularly those of the female persuasion, THIS was by far the main event of the entire Bluesfest. The Claridge Homes stage, named after the company developing condos across the street at LeBreton Flats, was looking dangerously overcrowded for the man they affectionately call ‘Drizzy.’ No riots ever did end up breaking out, but I thought I was going to go deaf from all the screaming, which didn’t subside for the length of Drake’s set. While they may believe he’s the best thing since sliced bread, I’m not convinced that the kid from Degrassi has graduated into hip-hop stardom just yet. I certainly didn’t like how he went all auto-tune not even three songs in, and I also didn’t think he had to swear in front of all those kids.

I will give him this, though – Damn is he ever charismatic. Despite the frenzied scene unfolding at the start, I was impressed with how he nonchalantly sang “Forever” standing sideways for a few verses before thrusting himself into the proverbial lion’s den. Is Drake the face of a new musical generation? I don’t know, but it won’t be because his home and native land doesn’t support him.

Stars
Subway Stage, 9:30 p.m.

As I made my way to the far west end of the park, I started to sense something magical in the air. Blonde Redhead had just ended with an awkward whimper, their trance-like brand of dream pop having lulled the several thousand people present into a stupor of sorts. When they came to, instead of a concert stage, they found a setting decorated like we had all been invited to a romantic candlelight dinner, white roses were everywhere, with our dates for the evening being Montreal band Stars.

No tricks or potions were needed to make us fall for them and their music. Between passionate duetting by Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell (Seriously, how cool of a name is that?) as well as some rocking, love-laced synth, we all bore witness to some true Stars being born that night.

First Broken Social Scene, then Metric, and now Stars…Canada’s beginning to cultivate quite the reputation when it comes to producing brilliantly talented indie bands.

Saturday, July 17th

The White Wires
Subway Stage, 2:00 p.m.

Upon returning to the Subway-sponsored stage Saturday afternoon, it was looking as if some ominous dark clouds were going to wreak havoc on Bluesfest…that is until local Ottawa outfit The White Wires saved the day! Once guitarist and singer Ian, bassist Luke and drummer Allie started playing their nifty, fun, and energetic surf rock, the sun came out almost immediately and shone down on everyone. For a good time, hit up their MySpace – I’m pretty sure I saw this address scrawled on a bathroom stall wall at a ’50s sock hop revival not too long ago…

Richie Righteous
Hard Rock Stage, 4:15 p.m.

With the threat of rain having passed, I was all ready to enjoy a little bit of blues courtesy of someone named T.J. Wheeler, but he was being drowned out by what sounded like some pretty aggressive, old school Ice Cube-like rapping coming from the Hard Rock stage to the north. In contrast to its name, the Hard Rock had been where gospel choirs and Christian rock bands had been congregating all day. And now, it was Richie Righteous and his crew’s turn.

I stayed long enough to get the takeaway points from Richie’s presentation. He is one angry dude, he wants to see you dance, and oh yeah, he really, really, and I mean really loves Jesus. Judge R.I.C.H. for yourself at RichieRighteous.net.

The Matt Schofield Trio
Subway Stage, 4:45 p.m.

Hey, what do you know…blues at Ottawa Bluesfest! And Matt Schofield and his band were well worth the wait. This about to turn 33 year-old guitarist from the UK is one cool customer. Very laid back, and very similar to the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan I found in terms of his technique. As I joined my family far away from the stage to watch him jam extensively with his mates, the breeze from the nearby water cooling everybody in the park off just right, I couldn’t help but think to myself that that there was nowhere else in the world I’d rather be.

The Whigs
Subway Stage, 6:15 p.m.

When you go to a festival like Bluesfest, there’s bound to be that one band that surprises you when you least expect it and becomes a new favorite of yours. That band for us may very well have been The Whigs.

With our two young kids rapidly becoming cranky, we decided after five hours that The Whigs would be our last show of the day. I was really hoping to stay for The Hold Steady, who The Whigs are currently on tour with, but was cool with our decision to leave.

To be honest, we couldn’t have gone out on a higher note. While I knew they were a get down and dirty garage rock band from Athens, Georgia, I didn’t realize just how good lead singer and guitarist Parker Gispert, drummer Julian Dorio (with his bush of reddish hair that reminded us of snowboarder Shaun White), and bassist Tim Deaux sounded together.

I think my wife summed it up best during one song of theirs called “Dying”, from their latest album In the Dark. She had two simple yet powerful words to describe how she was feeling about them at that moment – Rhythmically haunting.

Sunday, July 18th

Hollerado
MBNA Stage, 7:00 p.m.

Am I weird in admitting that little-known Hollerado were the band I was probably MOST looking forward to all Bluesfest weekend? Or is that incredibly ‘hipsterish’ of me?

These four fun loving guys from just outside of Ottawa have been busting their butts the last couple of years getting themselves noticed – I first saw them opening for The Dead Weather at a secret Toronto club show in 2009 and bought their CD off of lead singer Menno Versteeg for cool $5 (which came in a Ziplock bag, no less). Their beyond-catchy songs quickly became family favorites and it is so awesome to now see them playing in front of probably their biggest crowd ever at Bluesfest.

And they didn’t let the opportunity for exposure pass them by, pulling out all the stops during their 45-minute set including confetti, wrapped candy, and inflatable beach toys. Kudos to the Bluesfest schedulers – Hollerado’s mischievously rocking nature made them the PERFECT warm-up for the hardcore Weezer fans making up the first dozen or so rows. I simply can’t recommend this band enough to people – Check out their just as playful site here, and do your ears a favour and give songs like “Americanarama”, “Juliette”, and “Fake Drugs” a sample.

Weezer
MBNA Stage, 9:30 p.m.

After 12 days of nonstop concerts, you would think that the good folks of Ottawa may have felt like taking a pass on a band who some critics have insinuated their best days may be behind them.

I think it’s safe to say though, after witnessing them pack in one of the biggest crowds at this year’s Bluesfest (rivaling other, more “time-honored” headliners like Rush and Santana), that Weezer are still pretty darn cool.

It didn’t take long for the dozen or so rows I mentioned earlier to stretch past the soundboard tent, all the way back to the LeBreton Flats park entrance and even further once the first notes of “Hash Pipe” became recognizable. From there it was hit after alt-rock radio hit, each one enthusiastically delivered by the long-time poster child for all things geek chic, Mr. Rivers Cuomo. He even led the charge on more than one occasion of flashing the =w= hand sign, all while looking resplendent in an argyle sweater vest that would have made Mr. Rogers himself jealous, God rest his soul.

One thing that was blatantly apparent with Cuomo the whole show long which was transmitted to the other band members and each and every person in attendance was that he was having FUN. Not only did they play their now-standard “Kids/Poker Face” mash up, complete with Cuomo sporting a Lady Gaga-worthy wig, they even busted out a full on thrash metal cover of Metallica’s “The Four Horsemen”!

Not that Weezer ever needed to prove to their fans that they are back, but on this last night of Bluesfest, they showed the world at large that they can be one of the biggest bands in the world.

The Gories roll out more reunion dates

Alex Young — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:40:28 +0000

After resurrecting last summer, Detroit rock trio The Gories will keep its reunion going through at least this summer. The band has announced plans for at least eight additional North American tour dates, starting on July 15th with an appearance at this year’s Ottawa Bluesfest.

Following Bluesfest, The Gories will then play Toronto and Montreal before heading south for a one date in Hoboken, New Jersey and two in the Big Apple. Then, after a month pause, the band will hit the west coast. Currently, dates for Los Angeles and San Francisco have been announced. They’ll also be appearing alongside Thee Oh Sees at this year’s MusicFest NW on September 10th in Portland.

Tickets for several of the upcoming dates will go on sale starting this weekend. Visit Ticketmaster.com for more info.

The Gories 2010 Tour Dates:
07/15 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/16 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
07/17 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
07/29 – Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
07/30 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
07/31 – New York, NY @ Lincoln Center
09/08 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
09/09 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
09/10 – Portland, OR @ Musicfest NW

Arcade Fire, Flaming Lips, The Gories lead Ottawa Bluesfest 2010

Alex Young — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:38:04 +0000

Ottawa Bluesfest is to Canada as Summerfest is to the United States, an 11 day music event that is more an epic extravaganza than an actual music festival.

This year’s version of the Ottawa Bluesfest, set to take place from July 7-18 at Leberton Flats, provides a perfect example of this notion. Arcade Fire, The Flaming Lips, and the recently reunited Gories highlight what is an impressive indie portion of the bill. Also included are Weezer, The The Hold Steady, Passion Pit, Metric, Andrew Bird, Blonde Redhead, The B-52s, Swell Season, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and Bear In Heaven.

On the non-indie side, Furthur, Rush, Carlos Santana, Iron Maiden, Drake, Jimmy Cliff, Joan Jett, Dream Theater, Crowded House, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, John Hiatt & the Combo, Martin Sexton, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Roger Hodgson, and The Levon Helm Band are all also set to perform.

You can find a full list of confirmed acts here. Tickets will go on sale starting Friday, April 23rd via capitaltickets.ca.

Festivals in Brief: Tooo many to list!

Alex Young — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:30:00 +0000

It’s mid-June, Coachella and Bonnaroo have now come and gone, and a monsoon is about to once again ravage Glastonbury. At first glace, it looks as if the glory days of the 2009 festival season are all but over. But as readers of our FestivalOutlook.com will tell you, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there has been so much festival news of late, that it has gotten a bit overwhelming, meaning, it’s about time we offer up another edition of “Festivals in Brief.”

Ottawa Bluesfest:
Though just weeks away, Ottawa Bluesfest ’09 is still not done adding names to its lineup. In addition to the recent inclusion of The Black Keys and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Ottawa based festival, set to run from July 9-19, has announced the addition of a new stage in the city’s Byward Market where the festival will host free performances from the likes of George Clinton, The Proclaimers, Arrested Development, Matt Mays, Misstress Barbara and others.

Siren Music Festival:
Village Voice‘s Siren Music Festival is just a month away (July 18th). But that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for a few more lineup additions. A Place to Bury Strangers, Thee Oh Sees, Tiny Masters of Today, and Justine D. are among the latest acts scheduled to appear on the Brooklyn festival’s bill, which already included Built to Spill, The Ravonettes, Montonix, and Spank Rock. And the best part? It’s still free to attend!

Osheaga Music Festival:
The Osheaga Music & Arts Festival, aka the Canadian equivalent to All Points West (note the similar headliners), now looks a bit less like All Points West thanks to the likes of the recently added Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Heartless Bastards, Donavon Frankenreiter, Gentlemen Reg, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Miike Snow. Weekend passes can still be had via osheaga.com.

Outside Lands Music Festival:
San Francisco’s Outside Lands made headlines earlier this week by adding even more acts to its ’09 bill. Now set to join the likes of Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, Beastie Boys, and M.I.A. will be Street Sweeper Social Club, Cage The Elephant, Autolux, Alpha Blondy, and Infantree. Not bad, eh? What also isn’t bad is the daily schedule Outside Lands also recently shelled out. Tom Jones, Incubus, and Pearl Jam all on the same day? Talk about the most awesome cluster fuck ever! Get the complete schedule, as well as tickets, via sfoutsidelands.com.

Reading and Leeds:
In the latest example of a European music festival making us all jealous, Faith No More, Deadmau5, Vitalic, MSTRKRFT, Lady Sovereign, and The Crystal Method have been added to the already insanely awesome lineup of Reading & Leeds ’09.

Electric Zoo:
Is it just me, or do all the best electric-oriented music festivals seem to take place on the west coast? Well, come September 5th and 6th, Made Events will look to change this notion when it brings Electric Zoo to New York City’s Randall’s Island. The Labor Day Weekend event currently promises performances by Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Richie Hawtin, Special Disco Version, and Tiga, along with DJ sets by the guys from Hercules & Love Affair and Hot Chip. Two-day passes, currently priced at $100, are available on electriczoo.com.

Musicfest NW:
There aren’t many places better than Portland, Oregon. So, it always excites us when details relating to the Portland-based Musicfest NW begin to pop up. While the official lineup is still forthcoming, so far, Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, The Get Up Kids, The Pain of Being Pure at Heart, Frightened Rabbit, Dillinger Four, The Twilight Sad, and Cymbals Eat Guitar are among the names confirmed. Indie to the max!

Pygamlaion Festival:
Last week saw a new round of additions to the ’09 bill for the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Pygmalion Music Festival. Among those included were Lucero, Wavves, Low, Japandroids, The Horse’s Ha, and BLK JKS. Indie to the max x2! Festival passes are currently available via the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Pop Montreal:
Beginning September 30th, our friends up north will be inundated with another edition of Pop Montreal, one which we learned this week will include Dinosaur Jr., Destroyer, Butthole Surfers, Matt & Kim, Loudon Wainwright III, Fever Ray, and Chairlift. Early bird passes are now available via popmontreal.com.

Riot Fest:
Riot Fest is like the Warped Tour, only it takes place during a five-day stretch (October 7-11) in a single city (Chicago) and is way cooler. Among the names currently scheduled to take part are NOFX, Butthole Surfers, Murder City Devils, Alkaline Trio, The Dead Milkmen, and Screaching Weasel. More names are still forthcoming; five-day passes are currently being sold through Ticketweb.com.

Voodoo Music Experience:
It’s hard to fathom it’s already time to start thinking about Halloween, but if you’re enticed by names like the Beastie Boys, KISS, Widespread Panic, Kings of Leon Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Eagles of Death Metal, The Black Keys, Mute Math, and Metallica (maybe?), then you really ought to. After all, those are the names currently confirmed for this year’s Voodoo Music Experience, which is set to take place between October 30th and November 1st in New Orleans. The complete lineup is still forthcoming, but you don’t have to wait for it to pick up tickets. Get them now via Ticketmaster.

Ottawa Bluesfest pieces together ’09 lineup

Alex Young — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:10:59 +0000

Ottawa Bluesfest is basically Canada’s version of Summerfest: a 10 day music festival featuring an eclectic lineup of rock, alternative, country, and of course, blues. In other words, it’s something for everybody, and well, if one can’t find something one likes, one probably isn’t trying too hard.

After all, just take a look at their recently unveiled 2009 lineup. Jeff Beck, KISS, The Rolling Stones’ Mick Taylor, Stone Temple Pilots, and Jackson Browne head the list of over two hundred acts scheduled to descend on Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats Park from July 9-19…

Ludacris, Joe Cocker, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Cake, Our Lady Peace, Styx, K.D. Lang, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Matisyahu, Los Lonely Boys, Drive-By Truckers, Blue Rodeo, Iron & Wine, The National, Les Claypool, The Yardbirds, Steve Earle, Neko Case, Estelle, and Deer Tick are among the other names of note signed on for this year’s band.

The complete lineup can be found on ottawabluesfest.ca.

Tickets for this year’s festival will go on sale beginning Saturday, April 25th via Capitaltickets.ca. Day passes start at $35. Full passports start at $225 for 12 transferable tickets, one for each day of the festival.