20 July 2020

Ottawa Blues This Week - 20 July 2020


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OTTAWA BLUES THIS WEEK 
has moved to an occasional blog & email frequency for the foreseeable future.
If you would like to subscribe to the email, please complete the form at http://eepurl.com/bi1E3L
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Info below compiled from Facebook posts.
If you have updated info, please share to ottawablues@gmail.com
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OTTAWA, STAGE 3 & YOU
Message from Ottawa Public Health
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On Friday, July 17, Ottawa began Stage 3. While this is certainly cause for celebration, it brings with it a heightened need to be mindful of our actions. COVID-19 is still here, and we must continue working to reduce transmission in our community.

As we've seen happen elsewhere, ignoring the need to be vigilant can quickly lead to a resurgence of cases. Before choosing to take part in activities, ask yourself "What is my level of risk with this activity? Can I do this safely? Is there a safer alternative?".

We must all be mindful of levels of risk when out in the community. Going to the gym? Wear a mask & only take it off for strenuous activity. Burpees = no mask. Taking selfies for Insta = mask. Capiche? Sitting in a pub? If you're not eating or drinking, wear a mask and distance yourself from anyone outside your social circle. These are the types of things we can all do to remain COVID-wise & help reduce the chances of a resurgence of cases. We'll continue to closely monitor the data & take steps to keep our community as safe as possible.

We are in this together, Ottawa. We made it to Stage 3 together & we'll navigate Stage 3 together. This has been a long and often bumpy road, but we're going to figure this out and learn to keep each other safe. This community is strong. Much stronger than COVID-19.
If we all stay strong & keep doing our part, we can limit (or avoid) a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Ottawa. Though, if a resurgence occurs, could we please avoid the whole "buy all the city's toilet paper at once" thing this time? That'd be swell.
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LOCAL VENUES
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Irene’s Pub
885 Bank Street
Patio open, noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.
Indoor room expected to reopen Monday, July 20.

Safety procedures: Extra cleaning. Plexiglass barricade to be installed at the bar. Table service only. Reduced capacity to ensure physical distancing. Cashless transactions. Staff in PPE. Masks mandatory except when seated at tables.

Snag: Municipal health officials slow to confirm to pub management if singing indoors is acceptable.
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LIVE! On Elgin
220 Elgin Street, 2nd floor
Reopening: July 31

Safety procedures: Capacity reduced by two-thirds to 27 to ensure physical distancing. Tickets to be sold in groups of four or five to fill available tables. You must buy tickets with other members of your bubble. Cashless transactions. Masks mandatory.

Snag: Delay in opening due to challenges of sourcing Plexiglass and PPE and programming a lineup.
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Chateau Lafayette
42 York Street
Two patios open now, 3 p.m. to close Thursday to Sunday, plus 11 a.m. to close Saturday and Sunday on the Bistro patio.
Indoor room expected to reopen July 22.

Safety procedures: Staff in custom, washable masks made from old Laf T-shirts. Extra cleaning. Table service only. Reduced capacity. Masks mandatory if not seated. Adjustable Plexiglass barricade for indoor stage.

Snag: Extra personnel required to serve expanded patio as well as indoor room, and retraining staff who tend bar to provide table service.
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Brass Monkey
250A Greenbank Road
Reopened July 17 & 18

Safety procedures: Extra cleaning. Capacity reduced to maximum of 50 to ensure physical distancing. Advance tickets strongly recommended. Staff in PPE.

Snag: Patrons must stay seated while band plays. No dancing, no crowding the stage, no hanging out at the bar.
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Info for Irene’s, LIVE on Elgin, the Laff and the Brass Monkey courtesy of Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen, Friday, July 17, 2020
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Rainbow Bistro
76 Murray Street

The Rainbow is re-opening but, as Stacy says, “We’re going to need a bit of time to get ready: Terry and Vaughan are going to rebuild some stuff behind the bar, etc. We need to mount plexiglass between the stage and customers, put tables on the dance floor and maybe reconvert the arrangement of our stand-up tables.

Re-opening July 23 at the earliest, more likely July 30, starting off with restricted hours, Thursday to Sunday - a 7 pm show, and a 10:30 pm show.
Possibly live streaming with an online cover so people can watch from home.
Thank you for all your support!!!

Check for updates on the Rainbow’s Facebook page:
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Atomic Rooster
303 Bank Street

Open 12 pm – 12 am
Check for updates on the Atomic Rooster’s Facebook page:
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D’Arcy McGee’s
44 Sparks Street

Good news! Our dining rooms are now open and we're ready to serve you!
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AREA VENUES
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The Cove Inn Patio
Westport, ON
The Cove Patio is open 7 days a week!

Takeout and Hotel Rooms available as well! Moving to Stage 3 with COVID re-opening, we will be able to serve indoors again as well. Same protocols with social distancing. To guarantee a table, please make a reservation by calling us 613.273.3636 or email thecoveinnwestport@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you very soon!

Live music has returned generally Wednesday to Sunday weekly! Stay tuned to the artists’ Facebook pages for live broadcasts on their originally booked dates.

We welcome you back but please respect public health regulations to keep us all safe and healthy. We need to be diligent with respect to keeping COVID-19 out of our town! Thanks for your continued support!
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Juke Joint Soul Kitchen
3740 Carp Road, Carp ON

We are offering take out, indoor seating and Patio seating on back and front patios from 11:30 am-8:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday, Saturday 9 am-8:30 pm (closed Sunday and Monday). We also offer Saturday breakfast from 9 am-12 pm, check out the menu!  We are CLOSED 2:30 pm-3:30 pm daily for a staff break, however we do take calls for dinner during this time. Credit card call-in available for curbside pick up, as well tap payment option inside. Kitchen and entire restaurant have been sanitized completely and all surfaces will continue to be disinfected as take-out and patio operations ramp up. 
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Swan on the Rideau
2730 River Road, Ottawa (Manotick) ON

The province says YES but we say NO!
At this time we will be staying with patio seating only. For the health and safety of our staff and customers we will not be opening the inside for dining. We will be paying close attention to how things go in the upcoming weeks but for now we look forward to seeing you outdoors.
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EVENTS COMING UP
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Al Tambay
South Branch Bistro, 15 Clothier Street, Kemptville ON
Tuesdays, 6-8 pm

All will be doing Blues on Tues concert @ the South Branch (Kemptville) every Tuesday, playing some acoustic blues and bluesy stuff, so come on out and eat have a beverage and enjoy some blues too!
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Peter Newsom & Peter Brown
Waterfront Gastropub, Carleton Place ON
Wednesdays & Saturdays

The safely-socially-distancing music continues. Guitarist/singer Peter Newsom and Peter Brown on keys will be playing on the patio at The Waterfront Gastropub in Carleton Place Wednesday from 5 pm to 8 pm, playing a healthy 12 feet from the nearest patron. The Gastropub has been renovated and looks great. We'll be there on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
Please join us - from a distance.
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Live and Solo Acoustic
The Old Church Theatre, 940 Bonisteel Road,Trenton ON
Saturday, July 25; 5 pm – 7 pm; $25

Hi All! I'm pleased to announce I'll be performing again at The Old Church Theatre in Trenton, ON, Saturday July 25th, 2020. This show, from 5pm - 7pm, will be in full accordance with COVID-19 safety regulations, and as I now like to say, it will be "socially distanced but musically intimate!" Please see details below.

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Sean Pinchin
The Cove Inn Patio, Westport
Thursday, July 30; Dinner & Show $45;
Advance Reservations Required - Call The Cove 613-273-3636

This show is already almost Sold Out so reserve now if want to be there. Sean is an amazing slide guitarist, singer, songwriter and entertainer - a JUNO & Maple Blues Award nominee.

Strict COVID precautions are in place at The Cove. Please bring a mask and follow all safety procedures. Masks are now required for EVERYONE for all indoor events.

The Ontario Phase 3 COVID Recovery Plan has just been announced in Ontario allowing for indoor gatherings in Pubs and Restaurants of up to 50 people as of July 19. All future LIVE music shows booked for The Cove Patio will be able to MOVE INSIDE if there is bad weather so future shows will be RAIN or SHINE.
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Steve Marriner
The Cove Inn Patio, Westport
July 16 show to be re-scheduled

The Cove will notify all those who had booked for the July 16 show directly as well as posting the new date and details on their Facebook page and website.
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RBC Bluesfest LIVE Drive-in Concert
Rue Jos-Montferrand, Gatineau, QC
Friday, August 7, 7 pm – 10:30 pm

Teamed up with #CanadaPerforms (NAC) this year’s RBC Bluesfest turns into a LIVE drive-in concert at Zibi!

Drive in, park, and watch the live concert from the comfort of your vehicle. Tune into our FM station for a state-of-the-art sound experience.

Get your ticket - valid for everyone in your vehicle - turn up your radio, and enjoy the LIVE show from a safe distance

Headlining Friday, August 7
Patrick Watson with
Basia Bulat
Silla and Rise
Zaki Ibrahim
Asuquomo
Geneviève et Alain

Don’t miss this fun summer event!

For the safety of staff and attendees, COVID-19 safety precautions are in effect. Please read the FAQs for more information prior to purchase.
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Al Lerman
"Missing In Action Tour"
The Old Church Theatre, 940 Bonisteel Road,Trenton ON
Saturday, August 22; 5 pm – 7 pm; $20

Bluesman Al Lerman is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He was founder and leader of the 2X Juno Award winning band FATHEAD, and along the way built a solid career touring as an acoustic solo act, accompanying himself on guitar and rack harmonica. An engaging and skilled artist with a dry wit to boot, he is regarded among the top harmonica players in the country.

We’re happy to have Al return to the Old Church, this time we’ll be outside in the fresh air, practicing social distancing, serving wood fired pizza and having a good time. Bring your mask (or we can provide one) and be sure to let us know how many will sit at your table.
REGISTRATION is required, but you can donate ($20 suggested) at the gate.  We’re open at 5pm.  Music at 6pm.
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KINGSTON SPECIAL EVENTS
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All Kingston Blues Society shows through to September have been cancelled.
All future Kingston Blues Society Shows are on HOLD until further notice.

All shows listed below are pending the end of the Corona virus isolation protocols.
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Homegrown Live Festival
Saturday, October 3
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Andre Bisson Band
Saturday, October 24
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JW-Jones
Friday, November 27
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For more info, please contact Kingston Blues Society
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BLUES AWARDS VOTING
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2020 Blues Blast Music Awards

In early May, a group of Blues music industry professionals including music critics, journalists, festival promoters, music venue managers, producers, musicians and other Blues music industry professionals nominated the best in Blues music in twelve categories.

The nominees are listed at the link below. Click on the artist’s name in the list below to visit their website for more information and to buy their music. 

Fan voting to determine the winners begins July 20, 2020 and continues until September 5, 2020. Voting is free and open to anyone. Subscribers can only vote one time. Blues Blast Magazine is FREE and you are automatically subscribed as part of the voting process on our website.

The Blues Blast Music Awards are presented by Blues Blast Magazine, the largest FREE weekly internet Blues magazine with over 38,000 Blues fan subscribers located in all 50 states and in more than 90 countries.
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Living Blues Awards

Vote for your favorite Blues Artists in the 2020 Living Blues Awards!
In the categories for recordings, only albums with a 2019 release date are eligible.
Only one ballot per person is allowed.
All ballots must be received by August 15, 2020.
Go to https://LivingBlues.com and hit the VOTE button on the right.
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MOVIES
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Bytowne Theatre
325 Rideau Street
Re-opening Friday, July 24

Screenings will be limited to 50 patrons per show. This is undiscovered country for the ByTowne, where our large capacity previously made it easy to waltz up to the front door with only minutes to spare before a screening. Sell-outs were rare.

To avoid disappointment, we're inviting you to book your tickets on line – but we're not ready yet. We've been working with the software people and the payment-processing people, and we're now pretty sure we can get it up and running before we open.
Nothing in the COVID era is 100% guaranteed virus-free, but I'm pretty sure that the precautions put in place at the ByTowne will make your movie experience safe, relaxing and enjoyable.

Seats are taped off so that no-one will be sitting within 2 metres of you (except the person you brought with you). Staff will wear masks, of course, and all customers will be asked to wear a mask until seated in the auditorium.

Hand sanitizer is available from several dispensers located around the lobby area, and payment at the box office can be made using the 'tap' function of a debit card.
To keep traffic circulating and well spaced out in the lobby, we won't be opening the concession stand just yet. (Bring your own snacks -- it's okay!) And we'll be slowing down the exiting process, so that patrons don't 'cluster' on their way out.

For more info and movie listings: www.bytowne.ca
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Mayfair Theatre
1074 Bank Street

Safety procedures: Capacity reduced from 325 to 50 to ensure physical distancing. More time between screenings to allow for a deep clean with a disinfectant fogger. Cashless transactions available. Staff in PPE. Masks mandatory to enter and exit, but not when you’re seated and watching the movie.
Snag: Advance ticket sales not yet available. First come, first served.
Info: Listings at www.mayfairtheatre.ca Infoline, 613-730-3403
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BLUES FESTIVALS – NEXT YEAR?
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THE 18th ANNUAL BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE MAGAZINE

Blues music is America’s original roots music. It is still being picked on the front porches of tar-paper shacks, but just as frequently, it is fired up loud and proud in front of a barroom (or festival) crowd.

Blues reflects hardship, trouble and strife, but also perseverance and strength of character – to know the blues is to be in touch with your true spirit and soul. The Blues Festival Guide is committed to the process of presenting blues to a wider audience, and therefore offers a weekly, electronic newsletter: 
Blues Festival E-Guide (free subscription) and the popular annual national print (and digital) magazine which comes out each spring.

“With so many festivals postponing or canceling, it was uncertain if we would publish it this year, but the readers kept asking,” says publisher, Kaati Gaffney. “We received countless personal calls and emails from advertisers and readers alike and have been bombarded with magazine ad and subscription orders. It seems the more we all sat at home during this pandemic, the more we thought about music and its ability to generate well-being and connection. Even though festival offerings are slimmer this year, there are still quite a few events planned for the summer and fall.”

Blues legend Bobby Rush calls the magazine: The roadmap to everything blues. Indeed, the articles offer something for everyone, all blues related, of course. This year’s engaging editorial from aficionados in the blues community includes articles from Grammy winner, Victor Wainwright, Mitch Woods, Reverend Billy C. Wirtz and Roger Stolle among others.
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BLUES ON THE RADIO
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DAWGFM.com Blues 24/7 on the internet
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On CKCU-FM 93.1
The Mighty 93.1
Community Radio serving the Ottawa Carleton Region

Sundays: 9-11 pm
Black and Blues
with John Tackaberry
The show features a heavy dose of electric blues and rhythm and blues, with the occasional selection of sixties soul. The first hour is dedicated to artist profiles and reviews of recordings on particular labels. In the second hour there is a blues calendar, a rundown of events in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and interviews with “new and reissued blues and rhythm and blues tracks on wax”, alternating with “live blues and R&B for a Sunday night” in the last half hour of the show.
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Wednesdays: 9-11 pm
In A Mellow Tone
Hosted by Bernard Stepien, Ron Steeds, Allan Wigney, Jean-Michel Labatut and Aidian Thomas, ‘In A Mellow Tone’ introduces listeners to the entire history of jazz, from its beginnings to the latest innovations. Every program has a focus: on a musician, a city, a festival, an instrument, a record label or on recent releases. The hosts draw on their large personal CD and LP collections to supplement CKCU's extensive resources.
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On CBC Radio Two 103.3 FM
Saturdays: 6-8 pm
On CBC Radio One 91.5 FM
Saturdays: 9-11 pm
Saturday Night Blues
Host Holger Petersen has been a broadcaster, record producer, album collector, and serious blues fan for over 40 years.  His collection of blues records numbers in the thousands.  On Saturday Night Blues each week you’ll hear a mix of classic blues from the ‘Petersen Vaults’, concerts, interviews, artist features, new releases, plus anything that boogies, jumps, or swings, plus your requests from the Bluesline.
And check out SNB videos here http://www.cbc.ca/snb/video/
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On CJHR 98.7 Valley Heritage Radio
Thursdays, 8-10 pm
Got The Blues
Pat Watters is your host for this blues only radio show, now in its 13th year.  It can be heard throughout the Ottawa Valley and streaming on the internet at valleyheritageradio.ca.
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NPR from Canton NY
For those who live south of the city, the National Public Radio (NPR) radio signal at 89.5 FM in Canton NY comes in pretty strong in Manotick. “The Blue Note” Tuesdays 3 pm-5 pm, and “The Radio Bob Show” Wednesdays 3 pm-5 pm are both excellent shows – blues, ‘50s & ‘60s, rock & roll, R&B.
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Unsung and On The Side
With Carolyn Fe

It’s all about the Blues, Jazz and its derivatives from around the globe and just around the corner. Songs rarely heard, from the very first recordings all the way to indie artists who consciously push the envelope to the next generation sounds of the genre; some older releases will be spun - just because the album in old, doesn't mean it's forgotten, thus the "On The Side" part of the show's title. 

Carolyn wrapped up Unsung and On The Side after 200 shows. Previous episodes available at carolyn-fe.com/radio Featured Artists include: Little Axe, Jon Spear, Red's Blues, Cris Jacobs, Elam McKnight, The Soul Rebels, D.L. Duncan, Sybil Gage, Z Star, CheeseFinger Brown, Sami Joensuu, Billie Williams, The Unseen Strangers, CW Ayon, Sean Poluk Music, Victor & Penny, Tom Waits, Carolyn Fe, Fruteland Jackson, Jason Robert, Jersey Swamp Cats, KROM Christopher Minko, Becky Barksdale, Bing Futch, Sideshow Tramps, Tiffany Pollack and Eric Johanson, Bobby Rush, Big Daddy Wilson, Kathy Black, Chastity Brown
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