Review: Rogues exceptional, Robbins acceptable
Chris Cobb, The Ottawa Citizen
REVIEW
Tim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band, Girls With Guitars
Ottawa Bluesfest, Hard Rock stage Thursday, July 14
OTTAWA — Since he began touring with his Rogues Gallery Band last fall, Tim Robbins has taken a lot of stick from critics.
Most have had nothing but good to say about the band but Tim? Well, at 50 some he’s having a midlife crisis or using his movie wealth to dabble in a vanity project — taking months to do what takes others a lifetime of dedication.
It’s a fact that while a few well-established singers have done well in movies, there is plenty of evidence that it doesn’t work both ways.
Kevins Bacon and Costner, both Ottawa Bluesfest alumni, were a yawn and Billy Bob Thornton was a pale pretender. And there are others, similarly forgettable.
The Academy Award winner has some musical credentials, notably from his parents and did okay performing music in the movie Bob Roberts, the 1992 he wrote and directed.
Read more on the Ottawa Citizen website: Review: Rogues exceptional, Robbins acceptable
Video: Announcement from Bluesfest
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest line up and Insider registration announcement.
Review: Brady brings improv to Bluesfest
By Chris Cobb, The Ottawa Citizen
Improv master Wayne Brady delivered the first comedy act in Bluesfest history Tuesday night.
If TV improv guy Wayne Brady goes down in history for little else, he can always claim to be the first headline comedy act to perform at the Ottawa Bluesfest.
And if history is ultra kind, it will record a laugh-a-minute performance of sparking improv that brought the house down.
History would be wrong but given that he stepped into an untried and yet-to-be-perfected forum on his first visit to the nation’s capital, we can cut him a little slack.
Read more: Review: Brady brings improv to Bluesfest
Local folk, blues, jazz fests diversify
The Canadian Press
Traditional, community-based summer music festivals, like the Ottawa Bluesfest shown here, are drawing in large crowds, while other big-ticket touring festivals have not been faring as well. Traditional, community-based summer music festivals, like the Ottawa Bluesfest shown here, are drawing in large crowds, while other big-ticket touring festivals have not been faring as well. (Canadian Press)
With a quick glance at some of the artists playing Canadian blues, folk and jazz festivals this summer, genre purists might feel their temperature rise like the mercury.
Bands including Weezer, Cyndi Lauper, Hole, the Doobie Brothers, K’naan, Iron Maiden, Rush, Lou Reed, Arcade Fire, the B-52s, Drake, and the Trews will all take the stage at festivals this summer that, in name, are dedicated to jazz, blues and folk.
Yes, if summer’s all about relaxation, it’s in the spirit of the season that organizers have relaxed the definitions of certain musical genres while filling festival rosters with an increasingly diverse group of talent.
So are genre distinctions still relevant in the increasingly busy summer festival season?
“I guess the problem sort of is the titling of these things,” said Frazey Ford, a folk festival vet with her former outfit, the Be-Good Tanyas.
“It’s like, blues, what does that encompass? Does that encompass R&B and world music? Personally, I’d like to move away from the whole folk festival concept, myself. I like a real diversity….
“It’s nice to specify, but it gets a little inbred, having it be separated that way. Why not just [call them] ‘music festivals?’ I think some people are turned away by the idea of folk. They’re like, oh, that’s not my kinda music.”
Read more: Local folk, blues, jazz fests diversify
Stand-up comedy added to 2010 Bluesfest
There’ll be three high-profile comics performing at the Black Sheep Music and Comedy Tent. Featured performers include: Wayne Brady, July 6 at 9:30 p.m.; Louis C.K., July 9 at 9:30 p.m.; and Lewis Black, July 17 at 9:30 p.m. These are separately ticketed events, with tickets going on sale at all Ottawa Bluesfest outlets. Specific ticket information regarding these three special comedy presentations is available on our ‘tickets’ page at www.ottawabluesfest.ca.
“We’ll be presenting comedy each day of the festival along with our music programming,” says Bluesfest executive director, Mark Monahan. Working with the Just for Laughs organization Bluesfest will feature Comedy at the ‘newly-crowned’ Black Sheep Music and Comedy Tent—adjacent to the Canadian War Museum. There will a themed show each evening beginning at 7:30 pm. The themes include a ‘Relationship Show, an ‘Italian Show’, a ‘Canadian Show’ and an X-Rated Show. The Black Sheep Music and Comedy Tent will feature reserved seating for these nightly comedy performances.
For the 7:30 p.m. comedy shows, patrons holding a ticket valid for that day will be able to pick up a reserved-seating pass at no additional cost. These passes will be available at the Black Sheep Music and Comedy Tent on a first-come first-served basis, starting when the gates open each day. The shows will feature a host and three stand-up comedians putting their own spin on a related theme each evening, similar to Just for Laughs touring productions.
Mill St. Brewery to have exclusive pouring rights at Bluesfest
By Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest and Mill Street Brewery yesterday announced a deal that gives the Toronto-based craft brewer exclusive pouring rights at Ottawa’s biggest summer music festival.
It’s believed to be the first time an independent Canadian brewer has teamed up with an event the size of Bluesfest, which attracts close to 250,000 people over 10 days. The festival dispenses half a million servings of beer each summer. Past beer sponsors have been Molson or Labatt.
Read more: Mill St. Brewery to have exclusive pouring rights at Bluesfest
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest forms new partnership with the National Gallery of Canada
The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organization and the National Gallery of Canada—which features their exciting summer exhibition Pop Life: Art in a Material World—have formed a partnership. Pop Life will become the presenting sponsor of the sophomore edition of the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest ByWard. This popular, free music programming on an outdoor stage in the ByWard Market was introduced for the first time in the summer of ’09. It was a big hit bringing in almost 75,000 Ottawa residents and visitors to Ottawa to see a wide variety of acts. Pop Life is also a key new feature on the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest website that allows patrons to preview the exhibition and add its dates and surrounding events to their personal Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest calendars.
Pop Life Presents the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest ByWard from July 8 through July 13. Pop culture enthusiasts can check out Pop Life: Art in a Material World at the National Gallery of Canada then stop by the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest ByWard Pop Life Stage on York Street for some free musical entertainment! Officials from both organizations feel that this partnership adds an extra dimension to their respective events and creates a “win win” situation for music lovers and art enthusiasts alike.
The Ottawa Bluesfest ByWard line-up includes: City and Colour; Doc Walker; Taj Mahal; Wintersleep; Stereos; Tokyo Police Club; Junior Brown; Born Ruffians; Amanda Rheaume; Peter Voith; the Mighty Popo; Jhevon Paris; JW-Jones; Jeff Rogers; and Abandon All Ships.
Go to: www.ottawabluesfest.ca for a link to all the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest ByWard programming details.
Pop Life: Art in a Material World
June 11 through September 19, 2010
SPECIAL EXHIBITION GALLERIES
Pop Life: Art in a Material World explores the complex relationship between contemporary art, commerce, marketing and the mass media that has evolved since the late 1980s when Andy Warhol uttered his provocative maxim that “good business is the best art.” Featuring artists often known as much for their notoriety as for their art, the exhibition traces how Warhol, Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Keith Haring, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Martin Kippenberger and numerous other high-profile figures from the international art world from the 1980s to today have developed iconic, at times even famous, signature “brands” using their artistic persona as much as their art.
Organized by Tate Modern, London, in association with the National Gallery of Canada.
For more information and Gallery hours, visit the exhibition website: www.gallery.ca/poplife/
Ottawa Bluesfest lineup announced: Festival nabs Rush, Drake, Keith Urban, Arcade Fire, Great Big Sea and Santana.
Lynn Saxberg, Canwest News Service
One of the biggest summer music festivals in the country, Bluesfest runs from July 6 to 18 on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats. This year’s event starts on a Tuesday, a day earlier than the festival’s traditional start date, but includes a day off on July 12. The newly devised schedule divides the festival into two separate weeks.
In all, about 230 acts are performing at Bluesfest, including about 60 from the Ottawa area. Concerts take place on five outdoor stages and in the museum’s indoor Barney Danson theatre.
Last year’s festival attracted more than 350,000 people, according to statistics gathered by the festival.
Full story on Canada.com: Ottawa Bluesfest lineup announced
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest announces blockbuster line-up
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organizers have announced the line-up for the 2010 edition of the festival. This year, scheduling will run from Tuesday, July 6 through Sunday, July 11 (Monday will be an off-day for fans and organizers to re-charge their batteries) and re-commence Tuesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 18. Festival organizers are expecting another year of great attendance while offering a dynamic festival experience, for what Billboard Magazine has ranked as one of the top-10 festivals in the world.
Confirmed Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest acts to-date include Alexisonfire; Anders Osborne & Johnny Sansone; Andrew Bird; AfroReggae; Arcade Fire; Aterciopelados; Babe Ruth; Basia Bulat; Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba; Bear in Heaven; Big Jeezus Truck; Big Soul Project featuring Roxanne Goodman; Bill ‘Sauce Boss’ Wharton; Bjorn Berg; Blonde Redhead; Campbell Brothers; Caravan Palace; Carolyn Wonderland; The Cat Empire; Champion and His G-Strings; Charlie Winston; Coolooloosh; Crowded House; Culture Reject; Curtis Salgado; Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band; Down With Webster; Drake; Dream Theatre; Eamon McGrath; Elvis Perkins; Ethiopique; Faber Drive; Foghat; Furthur featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir; Garaga; Gipsy Kings; GOOD2GO; Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles; Great Big Sea; Great Lake Swimmers; Group 1 Crew; Grupo Fantasma; Iron Maiden; James Hunter; Jimmy Cliff; Joan Jett; Joe Krown Trio with Walter Wolfman Washington & Russell Batiste; John Butler Trio; John Hiatt; John Kilduff; Keith Urban; Ken Workman & the Union; Kevin Costner and Modern West; Kings Go Forth; Konono No. 1; Lady Tramaine Hawkins; Laurent Bourque; Levon Helm; LIGHTS; Loudlove; Lukas Nelson; Marc Cohn; Marcia Ball & The Voice of The Wetlands All Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux; Marianas Trench; Martin Sexton; Matt Andersen; Matthew Good; Matt Schofield; Metric; Moneen; Monster Mike Welch; NEWWORLDSON; Nicolas Collins; Occidental Brothers; Octoberman; Ozomatli; Passion Pit; Paul Rishell & Annie Raines; Planet Smashers; Renaissance; Richie Righteous; River City Junction; Robert Farrell Band; Robert Randolph & the Family Band; Roger Hodgson; Ronnie Baker Brooks; Roy Rogers & The Delta River Kings; Rosanne Cash; The Rural Alberta Advantage; Ryan Montbleau Band; Santana; Septentrional d’Haiti; Slyde; Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes; Staff Benda Bilili; Steel Pulse; Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks Project; Steve Hackett; Steve Winwood; That 1 Guy; That’s the Spirit; Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience; The Aggrolites; The Budos Band; The Constellations; The Ethics; The Flaming Lips; The Hold Steady; The Lost Fingers; The Love Machine; The Mohawk Lodge; The Moody Blues; The Musical Box; The Swell Season; The Whigs; The White Wires; Timber Timbre; TJ Wheeler; Tommy Castro; Too Slim and The Taildraggers; Trevor Hall; Tye Tribbett; We Are Wolves; Weezer; Woodhands; and Yatkha, with more to be announced.
Once again, Canada’s capital city will become a music Mecca during this 12-day arts extravaganza—drawing fans from far and wide. The festival site at LeBreton Flats Park offers a variety of food and merchandise concessions and is fully licensed. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24.
Please, see www.ottawabluesfest.ca for detailed performance schedule and ticket information.
Ottawa Bluesfest ‘Be in the Band’ Program
The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest launched their new ‘Be in the Band’ initiative in January of 2009, in conjuction with the Ottawa Folklore Centre. This three-month pilot project put young musicians (ages 12 to 17) who wanted to be in a band together with other potential band-mates. The Ottawa Bluesfest organization recruited a number of professional local musicians for mentoring the aspiring future stars and provided all the necessary tech support and equipment for the kids to truly enjoy a high-quality ensemble experience.To initiate the program, Bluesfest-in partnership with the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group and the Folklore Centre-created a band room and rehearsal space at the Tennis Club adjacent to the Glebe Community Centre. The room included a drum kit, a keyboard, guitar amps and a sound system.
The pilot project went so well that the initiative was extended to St. Paul High School throughout April and May, and to the Michele Heights Community Centre in September of 2009.
“The idea is to offer this program to students who currently sing or play an instrument and have an interest in working with others to create music,” says Bluesfest’s executive director, Mark Monahan. “The ultimate goal is a possible performance for families, friends, and future fans on-stage at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.”
Ottawa Bluesfest Be in the Band Alert
What: Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Musical Instrument Drive
When: Monday, December 7 through Friday, December 18
Where: Instruments can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at Ottawa Bluesfest HQ, 265 Catherine Street (2nd floor of the Ottawa Greyhound bus station); or at Compact Music Store(s) 190 Bank Street; or 7851/2 Bank Street, during business hours.
Why: To join the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organization in sharing the joy of music!
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest calls on community to donate used instruments for children in need
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest has been running a new program called ‘Be in the Band’. This program mentors young people who have an interest in music. The Ottawa Bluesfest organization is expanding this program to include at-risk youth in various communities such as Michele Heights, Lowertown, and Russell Heights. To support this initiative, the Ottawa Bluesfest organization is in desperate need of instruments to be used by participating students.
“We’re calling on the community to donate instruments,” says Bluesfest’s executive director, Mark Monahan. “Many people have instruments at home that they’re not using. We’re hoping people will want to donate those instruments to a very worthy cause.” Ottawa residents are encouraged to drop off their out-of-use instruments at the locations mentioned above.
And here’s a link to the CTV piece Eric Longley did with Mark and John Allaire:
