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OTTAWA - With past headliners that included Sting, Tragically Hip, George Thorogood and Black-Eyed Peas, yesterday's Ottawa Bluesfest lineup announcement came up a little short in the pizzazz department.
But that's not to say it won't be a quality summer party nonetheless.
Bonnie Raitt, jazz legend Etta James, alt-rock darlings Wilco, Canuck East Coast favourites Great Big Sea and a return visit from fellow countrywoman Nelly Furtado are among the highlights of the 13th Bluesfest lineup.
"I've been wanting to get (Etta James) since the start of the festival," said executive/artistic director Mark Monahan. "It's the kind of thing we'll only do once."
Organizers unveiled the lineup along with a plan to expand the cramped Ottawa City Hall-area site during the 10-day, July 7-16 festival.
The main stage will remain in Festival Plaza, playing host to the likes of Michael Franti, John Lee Hooker Jr., and a 1970s finale night blowout featuring Gloria Gaynor, Sister Sledge, and KC and the Sunshine Band.
But in an effort to accommodate increasingly popular side stage acts, the festival will borrow space from neighbouring Lisgar Collegiate to house its popular MBNA stage. The move will boost capacity to 4,000 from 3,000 for draws such as Broken Social Scene, Feist and Kathleen Edwards. The Black Sheep Stage will stay south of City Hall, featuring everyone from The New Pornographers to the blind husband and wife act Amadou & Miriam.
Crowding and liquor licence issues last year -- staff at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario suggested the festival was serving more people than was allowed -- forced the change, but Monahan said it also reflects the overall quality of the music being offered at Bluesfest.
"My feeling now is even though you might call them support slots, every slot is really well thought out," he said. "I get calls from agents sometimes saying 'Surely you can throw my baby band on there?'... It's like no, they're not throwaway slots."
Monahan doesn't anticipate any of last year's last-minute disputes with the city over logistics. Laurier Ave. will be cut down to two lanes during the day, and closed while the festival is active at night.
Last year's Acoustic Days/Cuban Nights stage -- where performances from its perch beside Elgin St. were periodically marred by the sound of passing buses -- takes MBNA's place and has been renamed the Blues 'til Dusk Stage. There, starting at 7:30 p.m. each day, visiting artists and local performers will jam together in a new event dubbed the Power Hour. Local bluesman Tony D and Kaz Kazanoff and his Texas Horns will hold court.
Monahan hopes to create the kind of impromptu magic which usually only happens after midnight at the Byward Market's Rainbow Bistro.
"With special guests," he said. "Some will be planned and some will show up."
The festival also includes several nights of Cuban music at the Lac Leamy Casino dubbed Havana Nights and a noon-hour, weekend set of acoustic concerts at the Rideau Centre.
Event passports and single-day tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at both Bank St. Compact Music locations, Sports Experts, through Capital Tickets at 599-3267 or by visiting www.capitaltickets.ca. Event passport wristbands are $109, weekend passports are $70 and single-day tickets are $26.75.
Organizers also announced a new reserved seating area for both Saturday night shows. It will feature 400 seats near the main stage, with tickets costing $53.50.
Main Stage headliners
July 7 -- Great Big Sea
July 8 -- Bonnie Raitt
July 9 -- Ani DiFranco,
Michael Franti & Spearhead
July 10 -- Sam Roberts
July 11 -- Blue Rodeo
July 12 -- Nelly Furtado
July 13 -- Etta James
July 14 -- Metric
July 15 -- Roseanne Cash, Wilco
July 16 -- Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, KC & The Sunshine Band