ear to the ground

It’s a bit later than usual, but the first mention of potential acts for this summer’s Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest popped up this past weekend. There are about 3 weeks until the initial lineup announcement (April 21), and at least 10 bands are already heavily rumoured to be attending. A few years ago, on a whim in mid-winter, I managed to find the ‘images’ folder for the Bluesfest website. It wasn’t read-protected in any way, so I got a little early warning on the acts as the webmasters added their pics to the website. Apparently the organizers got wise to the trick; no such luck this year. I had to do this the old-fashioned way: scour the web. I’ve checked the rumour mill and a lot of concert tour schedules, and here’s the latest on this year’s potential lineup:

Let me get this one out of the way right away, ’cause it’s undoubtedly the grand daddy:

• U2 - I just cannot see this. First of all, I think they’re too big for Bluesfest. This show would pack the place like never before, and have the streets around all the way north to Scott St. and south to Gatineau packed solid. I imagine the thought of that might make the city cringe. Plus, this is their 360 tour, in the round, which would be impossible at Lebreton. Bluesfest fits their schedule, though (Philly on July 12, Montreal on July 16), and the rumour has a lot of traffic, so we’ll see…

Now on to the rest:

• Iron Maiden w/ Dream Theatre on June 6 – pretty much confirmed as part of their The Final Frontier tour. Wow. Hmmm. Um. I don’t know what to say. I’m sure it will be an entertaining show? And here I thought Bruce Dickinson had gone back to being a pilot…
• Great Lake Swimmers is the first confirmed indie act. Glad to hear it. Lost Channels is a great album. Looking forward to seeing who joins GLS on the Black Sheep, Hard Rock and Subway stages.
• Keith Urban are you kidding me?! Now it’s a country festival in addition to blues, hip hop, indie, classic rock, folk, and metal?? This is not a positive development. Maybe Nicole will come with him, though.
• Levon Helm has still got it, and if he brings it, I will be there, picking up what he’s puttin’ down.
• Moody Blues are still on tour??? Well, there’d be lighters and Virtual Zippos ablaze for Nights in White Satin, I suppose. Prog-rock-stravaganza. Seems to be more and more ‘classic rock’ every year, though… not a good trend.
• The Tragically Hip been there, done that. Great Canadian band or Greatest Canadian Band Ever? Whatever. I like the Hip a lot, but chances are there will be something I want to see more.
• Jimmy Cliff would be pretty f’ing cool. I have no idea what he’s got left, but I would love to find out.

And a few on the wish list who are touring this summer:

• Neil Young‘s Twisted Road tour is scheduled through the start of June in the southern US. I expect he’ll make Bonnaroooooooo again. Maybe he’ll make it north in time for mid-July?
• Gaslight Anthem are at Osheaga in Montreal in early August, so the timelines are not off. GA are awesome.
• Arcade Fire also at Osheaga and owe Ottawa another show, no?
• Pavement also at Osheaga
• Weezer also at Osheaga
• The Black Keys also at Osheaga, one of my favourites. Schedule seems to work.
• The National also at Osheaga, were here last year, but were one of the highlights of the festival for me. I’d love to see them again.
• The Hold Steady‘s tour calendar goes up to July 1, when they play in Milwaukee. They also have a new album coming out. I would dearly love to see this show happen.
• My Morning Jacket has a two-month gap in their schedule for June-July until starting an opening gig for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ reunion tour in Massachusetts. Petty has also been rumoured for Bluesfest, and getting MMJ would be fantastic.