Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
Duo together at last in stunning show
Pianist Jon Kimura Parker and violinist James Ehnes perform in one of finest concerts of the yearJohn Terauds, The Star
Serious music usually takes a summertime break in Toronto. But that didn’t stop an upstart downtown festival from giving us one of the finest concerts of the year Tuesday night.
It took 15 years for two Canadian stars – pianist Jon Kimura Parker and violinist James Ehnes – to co-ordinate their performing schedules. Given the spectacular results at the Carlu (the once-legendary Eaton Auditorium), one can only hope that this was the beginning of a long and frequent collaboration.
The duo opened the fourth annual Toronto Summer Music Academy & Festival, which runs to Aug. 13.
Parker and Ehnes repeat their stunning program at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival on Saturday (details at chamberfest.com).
Full article on thestar.com website:
Government of Canada Supports Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
OTTAWA, ONTARIO — 07/22/09 — On behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orleans, today announced the Government of Canada’s investment of more than $210 000 to support the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival (Chamberfest ‘09).”Today’s announcement is exciting news to all involved in Chamberfest ‘09,” said Mr. Galipeau. “The funding from the Marquee Tourism Events Program highlights our government’s recognition of the real impact the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival has on the local economy.”
“The federal government is showing great support for the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival by providing this funding through its Marquee Tourism Events Program,” said Ottawa Chamber Music Society Executive Director Glenn Hodgins. “Now in its 16th year, Chamberfest has consistently presented impressive lineups of world-class musicians that have attracted tourists from around the globe. This funding will help to make this year’s festival even more memorable for both residents and visitors to Ottawa.”
Chamberfest ‘09 presents audiences with chamber music concerts, exhibitions and educational forums on chamber music. The Marquee Tourism Events Program funding will make it possible to increase marketing and promotional efforts aimed at attracting audiences from out-of-province and out-of-country, specifically targeting major cities in the U.S., England and other European centres. Chamberfest ‘09 will also be introducing new programming at the recently renovated Saint Brigid’s performance space near the ByWard Market.
Full Story on the Earth Times website: Government of Canada Supports Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
Ottawa Bluesfest Featuring Girl Talk, the Dead Weather, Steve Earl, the National
Striving to become Canada’s largest music festival, the 2009 Ottawa Bluesfest began its urban sprawl into Ottawa’s Byward Market, featuring five days of outdoor performances from George Clinton, Arrested Development, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Broken Social Scene and Serena Ryder,
Full Story on Exclaime website: Ottawa Bluesfest Featuring Girl Talk, the Dead Weather, Steve Earl, the National
Growing A Greener Festival
The Ottawa Folk Festival has established itself as a leader in reducing environmental impact, creating environmental awareness and setting a positive example in the community. This year’s Festival (August 21 to 23 at Britannia Park) builds on previous initiatives in a number of ways. This year, the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) awarded the organization a grant to strengthen and expand its environmental initiatives. Areas of particular focus include eliminating plastic water bottles, providing “hydration stations” for refillable containers, raising awareness about the importance of the public water supply, enhancing the EnviroDish reusable dish program, offering displays and discussions in the CUPE EnviroTent, organizing group cycling trips to the festival, and adding a substantial new theme with a focus on Gardening.
The Folk Festival continues to take positive strides and build partnerships as one of the most environmentally friendly festivals in Canada. In collaboration with Ottawa Riverkeeper, Council of Canadians, Life Without Plastic, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and CUPE 503, the Ottawa Folk Festival will be the first festival in Ottawa, and only the second in Canada, to go completely Plastic Water Bottle Free. In an effort to reduce waste and encourage people to drink City water, no plastic water bottles will be sold or distributed on site. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles or purchase a stainless-steel water bottle, available on site and to fill up at the Festival’s Hydration Stations.
As mentioned, the EnviroDish Program will be enhanced this year thanks in part to the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, with 2,500 sets of reusable cutlery being added to the existing plate and dish supply. This program drastically cuts down the amount of waste created during the Festival and saves over 20,000 disposable dishes and over 25,000 pieces of plastic cutlery from ending up in landfill sites. The reusable plates and cutlery are washed on site by a dedicated group of volunteer crew members. This Dishwashing Area is equipped with solar panels provided by Isolara Energy Services (www.isolara.com) that heat the water, and a composting area to process food scraps. “The Reusable Dish Program is a wonderful way to reduce waste and energy consumption, while simultaneously inspiring the public, volunteers, and artists to consider alternatives to a ‘disposable lifestyle’. ” says Julia Adam, the Festival’s Volunteer and Outreach Manager, “And the EnviroDish Volunteer Crew keeps the whole operation rolling right behind the Main Stage….it’s amazing. Come check it out!”
The CUPE EnviroTent has been running since 2002 and is one of the longest running initiatives at the festival. Thanks to CUPE, Arbour Environmental Shoppe, and area coordinator Steph Hummel, the EnviroTent will feature fascinating demonstrations, displays and discussions on topics related to health, social justice and “green” ideas. This year’s discussion topics include human powered vehicles, bicycle-powered sound systems, home greening techniques, solar hot water systems, and worm composting.
This 16th edition of the Ottawa Folk Festival will also showcase one of this year’s major themes – Gardening – by inviting attendees to “Dig Their Roots” through a plethora of garden-related activities, discussions and musically-themed events. Longtime Ottawa Folk Festival performer and Gardening Coordinator Ana Miura, will coordinate a cross-community gardening project and patchwork garden. In addition Ed Lawrence, CBC Radio’s horticultural expert, will be on hand to host several gardening seminars.
Many of the performers at this year’s Festival will also participate in the Gardening theme with an emphasis on becoming more environmentally friendly. Interestingly, a number of artists have names that fit perfectly with this theme, including The Arrogant Worms, Tall Trees, Stewed Roots, DiggingRoots and Charlotte Cornfield! Another act on the bill is Junkyard Symphony, a local Ottawa troupe that turns everyday “junk” into musical instruments. Their performances involve numerous items salvaged from junkyards and waste facilities… everything including the kitchen sink!
Mr. Something Something, an eco-conscious band takes audience participation to a new level with its SoundCycle, Canada’s first bicycle-powered sound system. They will be performing on various stages and hosting a workshop in the EnviroTent.
The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation is a national organization that funds local projects which are dedicated to preserving the environment. Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $47 million to support over 17,500 grassroots environmental projects in communities across Canada. In addition to the funds raised by the TD FEF, every year TD Bank Financial Group contributes an additional $1 million to the foundation. The greatest part about TD FEF is that all money raised is put back into those communities in which it was donated.
The Ottawa Folk Festival takes place at Britannia Park from August 21 to August 23, 2009 and features over 50 acts including: Bruce Cockburn, Steven Page, The Sadies, Amy Millan, Joel Plaskett, and Kinnie Starr. Some of the major themes at this year’s Festival include Gardening, Sound Healing, Instrument Building, Cross-Cultural Interaction, and Audience Participation. The Festival features a Dance Tent, environmental and gardening displays and discussions, “build-your-own-ukulele” workshops, Cajun, Swing and Latin dance lessons, and yoga instruction.
For more information, please contact
Richard Bue
Marketing & Publicity Coordinator
graphics@ottawafolk.org
Office: 613-230-8234
Chris White
Artistic Director
cdwhite@sympatico.ca
Cell: 613-327-9621
DIG YOUR ROOTS AT THE OTTAWA FOLK FESTIVAL
Ottawa Folk Festival website: www.ottawafolk.org
The Ottawa Folk Festival, a non-profit charitable organization, gratefully acknowledges the support of the many community businesses, individual donors and volunteers who provide generous support for this community event.
Ludacris Photos from Ottawa Bluesfest!
We had the opportunity to head to one of Canada’s best kept secrets this weekend. Bluesfest happens in Ottawa once a year and the bands booked are some of the biggest and best touring artists this summer.What started as a festival celebrating blues music and culture has turned into one of Canada’s premiere concert events. Artists like Ice Cube, Luda, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, The Dead Weather, Stone Temple Pilots, Gym Class Heroes were on the lineup this year.
More on the Much Music Blog: Ludacris Photos from Ottawa Bluesfest!
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ludacris pump up a festival frenzy
Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa CitizenA reasonable facsimile of the legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd rocked Bluesfest’s main stage on Saturday so convincingly you could almost smell the whiskey and gunpowder.
In some parts of the world, a Saturday night festival bill shared by Southern rockers and a rapper might be the catalyst for racial tension in the crowd. But at Bluesfest, it was simply another facet of the party.
Georgia-based hip-hop star Ludacris arrived on stage late, but just by 20 minutes, and immediately got down to the business of entertaining the crowd.
Full review at Ottawa Citizen online: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ludacris pump up a festival frenzy
Guitarist branches out with new trio at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009
Cheryl Brink, Kanata Kourier-Standard
While still doing cover shows to make ends meet, Peter Voith is on his third band in five years and playing with some of the best musicians he said he’s ever worked with.
The Kanata guitarist now fronts the Peter Voith Trio, backed by Ryan MacIntyre on drums and bassist Dan Joseph, who Voith said are both phenomenal with their instruments.
He will be playing at Bluesfest on Friday, July 17, for the fourth year – but the first time with his new bandmates.
Full story on yourKanata.com: Guitarist branches out with new trio at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009
‘Good things will happen’ if you follow your dreams
Jim Donnelly, Ottawa Business Journal Staff
It’s a good thing he did, if you’re a Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest fan at least. Mr. Isfan, himself a guitar player and perennial concertgoer, has designed a social video platform (called the Bluesfest ViewTube and accessible via the festival’s webpage) that’s now running in conjunction with the popular downtown Ottawa stomping ground. It allows rabid fans to interact via a Facebook application, see videos of lesser-known or blockbuster acts, and even devise their own personal show-going calendars.It’s an initiative that’s clearly taken off, and Bluesfest organizers say they couldn’t be more pleased with how FaveQuest has driven traffic to their site and those of this year’s lineup of acts.
“Live events have always been social, and they’ve always been about word of mouth,” says Mr. Isfan. “But because people are on social networks now … those platforms can be tapped from the outside, and it makes absolute sense to carry on this word of mouth by creating tools people can use to interact with their friends.”
Full article on OBJ’s website: ‘Good things will happen’ if you follow your dreams
Gowan adds Canuck twist to Styx as band gets set to rock Ottawa Bluesfest
Sue Bailey, CPThe reconstituted band has travelled the world blasting audiences with its blend of power pop sweetened with “Come Sail Away” keyboard melodies. Styx heads north to Ottawa’s Bluesfest for a Thursday night concert, joining a roster that’s as eclectic as it is blues-based.
Gowan spends part of each year at his Toronto home and couldn’t be happier to be back on Canadian soil.
He grew up in nearby Scarborough and formed a teenaged band out of school before launching a solo career highlighted by some enduring tunes, like “(You’re a) Strange Animal” and “All the Lovers in the World.”
His fans in Ottawa may get to hear him perform a Styx-ified rendition of his hit “A Criminal Mind.”
“I’ll throw in just a couple of blues notes to make it legit,” Gowan, now 52, said with a laugh that punctuates much of his easy banter.
Full story from The Canadian Press via Google: Gowan adds Canuck twist to Styx as band gets set to rock Ottawa Bluesfest
STP plugs into the power of the ’90s
Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa CitizenThe chanting started before the band played a note. “STP, STP,” demanded the crowd, showing a fantastic level of anticipation for Stone Temple Pilots, one of the biggest bands of the 1990s. Close to 20,000 fans turned out for the return of their beloved grunge survivors.
After a long hiatus, the U.S. rockers have reunited and embarked on a summer tour that stopped at Bluesfest on Monday. In a blast of blinding lights and rock thunder, STP singer Scott Weiland appeared, practically glowing in a white suit and red fedora. Flanked by his bandmates, Robert and Dean DeLeo, and drummer Erik Kretz, they tore into Silvergun Superman, and quickly followed it with Wicked Garden and the grunge hit, Vasoline.
Full review on the Ottawa Citizen website: STP plugs into the power of the ’90s
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