I’m very excited about this year’s Bluesfest lineup! Depending on my schedule I’m pretty sure I’m getting a full 12-day pass, most nights showcase more than one artist I’m interested in seeing. I’m especially excited about Chris Smither’s awesome acoustic soloing – I’m going to try to get him to sign my guitar. He’s got a bunch of great new songs on his most recent albums, and he’s always 10 times better live than on his CDs. I’m also a big fan of Blue Rodeo, Neko Case, kd Lang, Cake, Joe Cocker, Xavier Rudd (cannot be missed!) and I think the Styx (I hope Eric Cartman makes an appearance) and KISS concerts will be hilarious.

I had another Baader-Meinhof experience – I asked Natasha who James Taylor is, and then suddenly he’s showing up all over the internet, and tonight on Elvis Costello’s Spectacle. Apparently he’s a big thing. I’ve never heard of him before yesterday. She’s very excited to go see him live.

I just wonder where the blues are? I’m not a stickler, I’m as excited about the mainstage concerts as anything else, but it just seems like the Bluesfest is up for a name change. SummerMusicFest!