This year's Ottawa Bluesfest features another staggering lineup that will leave only purists feeling blue.
Kiss, k.d. lang and the reunited Stone Temple Pilots are among the massive non-blues acts scheduled for this year's fest, which runs July 8-19.
The 12-day festival features a diverse group of performers including rapper Ludacris, folk-rock strummer Ani DiFranco, jazz legend Ornette Coleman and '80s prog-rockers Styx.
"As always, the festival's become so well-supported across the different demos, that I've sort of got to program every style of music," said executive/artistic director Mark Monahan in a telephone interview. "The diversity's really important."
Also performing will be Jackson Browne, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Blue Rodeo, Our Lady Peace, Iron and Wine, Jeff Beck and the Yardbirds, Estelle, Cake, M83, Joe Cocker, the National, Girl Talk, Steve Earle, Divine Brown, the Zombies, Live, Neko Case and the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Since "blues" isn't necessarily an accurate description of their lineup, have organizers considered changing the festival's name?
"We've built this over 15 years, and Bluesfest is the name people know," Monahan said. "I think as time as gone on, people have recognized this as a major music festival. It's like saying the Montreal Jazz Festival should change its name because they're bringing in, I don't know, Marianne Faithfull.
"It's known as Bluesfest and that's the brand we've built over the years, so I can't see us changing the name."
The festival will run from July 8-19 and feature stages in locations including LeBreton Flats Park and the Canadian War Museum.
Tickets go on sale April 25.
