Bluesfest ups VIP game with platinum section
Premium viewing area reconfigured; Ferris wheel is history, replaced by saloon
Ottawa Bluesfest unveils its 30th-anniversary lineup Thursday, along with a handful of changes that festival director Mark Monahan says will improve the overall experience.
“We always try to introduce something new to spruce things up,” he said. “We want to elevate the experience to make it better for people.”
As usual, the festival takes place at Lebreton Flats Park on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum from July 4 to 14. Like last year, there will be nine days of programming divided between four stages (three outdoors and one inside the museum) over two extended weekends: from Thursday to Sunday, July 4-7, and from Wednesday to Sunday, July 10-14.
The most visible difference will be a gap in the western skyline where the Ferris wheel used to be. Since 2017, it has framed sunsets over the Ottawa River, served as a high-profile meeting point and taken festivalgoers on rides offering a birds-eye views of the crowds.
This year, the big wheel won't be turning. In its place will be another bar, a Western-themed saloon that's the result of a new sponsorship deal with Kanata's country-music hotspot, Crazy Horse. Expect to find a broader array of beverages than the Molson products offered elsewhere on site.
Also new this year will be an improved VIP area and an ultra-vip “platinum” section.
The VIP area was reconfigured as a result of crowd surveys showing that people thought it was too crowded, Monahan said. Numbers will be reduced, sightlines will be improved, more washrooms will be available and there will be a dedicated fast-lane entrance at the front gate. The cost of a full-festival VIP pass will be about $1,200, he added.
As for the platinum section, a steeper price will get you the same perks, but even closer to the RBC Main Stage. This exclusive area will be added to the corporate suites and will include access to a restricted pit area in front of the stage. A full platinum pass will cost around $2,800 for the entire nine days, making it Bluesfest's most expensive pass ever, Monahan said.
The changes will not cut into the space available to general-admission concertgoers in front of the stage, Monahan said, nor will it impede the view of wheelchair users in the elevated section designated for them.
Full-festival passes at each price point are available during a oneday presale today from 10 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. General-admission passes start at $349 during the presale. Go to ottawabluesfest.frontgatetickets.com to make purchases.
All ticket types, including single-day tickets, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Brisk sales are expected, judging by the number of folks who have already bought tickets to the two shows previously announced. Monahan said hard-rockers Mötley Crüe and country balladeer Tyler Childers were on track to sell out.
Last year, thanks to a stretch of good weather and a lineup featuring three sold-out-in-advance shows — take a bow Shania Twain, Foo Fighters and Pitbull — Bluesfest regained its pre-pandemic attendance numbers. Monahan said the event drew about 300,000 visitors.
“I think it was the first year we put the COVID years behind us,” he said.
Cityfolk, the sister festival run by the same team as Bluesfest, also had a good year in 2023, with attendance close to 40,000 people. Plans are already underway for this year's Cityfolk, set for Sept. 11-15 at Lansdowne Park.
The success of last year's festivals reflects a general upswing across the concert industry, Monahan added. Although costs are up, people are snapping up tickets to see their favourite artists.
Live Nation Entertainment, the world's leading live-entertainment company, last week reported a record year in 2023, with revenue up 36 per cent to $22.7 billion U.S., and all-time highs in attendance, ticket sales and sponsorship activity.
That level of action translates to a competitive booking environment. “If you have a wish list, those names are in demand, so you have to plan as early as possible and hope you get the date,” Monahan said.
This year's Bluesfest lineup will include several headlining acts coming to the festival for the first time, some Canadian bands stepping up to bigger stages, about 40 local and regional artists and a coterie of lesser-known gems. There are also plans for a daily dose of blues, to be presented on the Sirius XM Stage, which will be protected from the elements by a huge tent.
“We're optimistic about this year,” Monahan said. “I think the lineup is well-rounded and we're anticipating a good reaction, but you never know until you're on sale.”