Krall, Cockburn part of NAC Presents series

The 2017-18 NAC Presents series will include some 50 concerts this fall, the biggest of which will be performances in Southam Hall by Diana Krall, Bruce Cockburn, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Jesse Cook and Jann Arden.

These shows, plus several dozen more, represent the first bookings by Heather Gibson, who last fall became the executive producer of the National Arts Centre’s Canadian music series following the retirement of Simone Deneau.

In addition to Southam Hall, NAC Presents concerts will take place in the NAC Studio and Theatre, and above all in the Fourth Stage, which has been shuttered and under renovation for nearly a year but which is to reopen in early October. Its stage will be flipped to face the windows that look onto Elgin Street, and the room will seat 150 — 30 fewer than the previous capacity of 180.

Gibson will be stressing the return of the Fourth Stage with a weekly concert series, part of NAC Presents, dubbed Fridays at the Fourth.

Kicking off the 2017-18 NAC Presents slate will be singer-songwriter icon Cockburn’s Southam Hall concert Sept. 28. Also appearing at Southam Hall will be folkrockers Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, who play Nov. 4, eclectic guitar virtuoso Cook on Nov. 14, early Christmas concerts by singer-songwriter Arden on Nov. 26 and 27 and Krall’s two-night run Dec. 1 and 2.

In late November, the NAC Theatre will host folk-rockers Whitehorse (Nov. 21) and a Christmas concert by folk trio The Good Lovelies (Nov. 25).

Some highlights among the series’ Studio concerts include singer-songwriter Sarah Slean Oct. 17 and 18, Montreal hip-hoppers Nomadic Massive Nov. 17, and a Dec. 20 Christmas concert by Toronto roots rockers Skydiggers.

The francophone component of NAC Presents, programmed by the series’ associate producer Xavier Forget, includes Studio shows by Congolese-Canadian Pierre Kwenders (Sept. 23), Klô Pelgag (Nov. 15) and Gaspé-based Kevin Parent (Nov. 29).

Ottawa musicians appearing at NAC Presents Fourth Stage concerts include Catriona Sturton (Nov. 10), Cuban jazz pianist Miguel De Armas (Dec. 6) and the soulful big-voiced singer Rebecca Noelle (Dec. 8).

Go to nac-cna.ca for full series details. Series concerts in 2018 are expected to be unveiled in the fall.

Tickets for NAC Presents concerts go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. at the NAC box office and nac-cna.ca. Purchasers who buy tickets for three or more shows will receive a 10-percent discount. phum@postmedia.com twitter.com/peterhum