March 27, 2014
Having sold over 300,000 Ottawa Bluesfest tickets last year, Canada’s largest outdoor music festival look set to attract similar numbers for its 20th anniversary celebrations following the confirmation of Lady Gaga, Tegan and Sara and Queens Of The Stone Age as just three of its headliners.
Returning to LeBreton Flats Park on July 3-13, the ten-day event features an impressively varied line-up which has been described by artistic director Mark Monahan as an ‘attempt to cover all bases.’ And with everyone from chef-turned-rapper Action Bronson to German superstar DJ Zedd announced as performers, the 2014 festival should indeed have something for everyone.
Alongside headline slots from Blake Shelton, The Band Perry and Lady Antebellum, country fans can look forward to appearances from the likes of Darius Rucker, The Mavericks and Drive-By Truckers. Hip-hop is well represented with Childish Gambino, Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Tyler, The Creator and Delton 3030 all scheduled to appear. While ‘Tumblr-pop’ starlet Charli XCX, downtempo maestro Bonobo and trap producer RL Grime are just some of the names flying the flag for electronica.
Elsewhere, there are rock acts both classic (Journey, Foreigner, Styx) and contemporary (Jake Bugg, The Killers, Young The Giant), a special collaboration between Procol Harum and the NAC Symphony Orchestra and home-grown artists in the shape of Barenaked Ladies, Moist, Tokyo Police Club and Sam Roberts Band. While those who bought Ottawa Bluesfest tickets for its blues-centric debut on the festival circuit back in 1994 will no doubt be excited by the likes of John Mayall, Elvin Bishop, Gary Clark Jr., Joe Louis Walker and The Texas Horns.
But it’s Gaga, who will first play Milwaukee’s Summerfest on June 26 (TicketIQ get-in price $62/$227), Canada’s very own Tegan and Sara, who are set to appear at Boston Calling on May 25 ($97/$157) and Dover’s Firefly Music Festival on June 19-22 (4-day pass $$257/$415), and Queens Of The Stone Age, who will take in both Coachella weekends on Apr 12 (3-day pass $460/$1113) and 19 (3-day pass $424/$838), who are likely to draw the biggest crowds.
Ottawa Bluesfest tickets are expected to go on sale next week so be sure to keep checking back on TicketIQ for the latest information on one of this year’s most eclectic festivals.
