Broken Social Scene bring their peace signs, unwashed hair, and pink bicycle to Bluesfest on Thursday

On Friday, Bluesfest arrives at long last, and although the spotlight continues to move away from the actual blues acts, I doubt that too many people mind. This year's lineup can pretty much match-up with any other festival around; but the good news (for attendees, anyway) is that it's still kind of a really well-kept secret, and thus retains that Ottawa kind of quaintness to it. Hopefully.

By mid-week, a dial613 guide to Bluesfest will be up (at least in part, depending on how long it becomes), featuring:

• a full list of all dial613-approved performers
  
• a smattering (yes, smattering!) of mp3s of said performers
• dial613's personal schedule, which will involve gut-wrenching decisions of who to see and who to blow off when dial613-approved performers collide, including: Broken Social Scene vs. Calexico, Feist vs. Belle Orchestre, The Be Good Tanyas vs. Son Volt, and a Triple Threat match between Solomon Burke, Michael Franti, and Amadou & Mariam that could get nasty. (ed note: reader arguments for either side in the above matchups are welcome! Comment below or e-mail your picks and reasoning.

Here's this week's schedule. Who're you going to see?

07.03.06
Steve St. Pierre* w/ Eppiphane*, Trevor Strange*, The Wayfarers* at Zaphod's

07.04.06
Radiodazed* w/ Last Voice Heard, Carvello at Cafe Dekcuf

07.05.06
Turning Into Salt* w/ Ultimate Power Duo at Zaphod's

07.06.06
Locks w/ Daniel Striped Tiger, Death To Tyrants at End Hits
My Dad vs. Yours* w/ Born Ruffians, The Relief Maps*, and more at Zaphod's
--->DOWNLOAD: My Dad vs. Yours - Law Of Unintended Consequences

07.07.06
Broken Social Scene, Calexico, Brock Zeman*, and much more at Bluesfest
--->DOWNLOAD: Broken Social Scene - Superconnected
Breeding The Deaf w/ Radiodazed*, Last Limit Freedom, MAIM at Cafe Dekcuf
Kobayashi at Maverick's

07.08.06
Benefit Of A Doubt w/ Viscera's Recital*, Motorcycle Drive-By at Barrymore's
Feist, Belle Orchestre, The Acorn*, and much more at Bluesfest
--->DOWNLOAD: Feist - Mushaboom

07.09.06
Michael Franti & Spearhead, Amadou & Mariam, Ani DiFranco, Amanda Rheaume Band*, and much more at Bluesfest
--->DOWNLOAD: Ani DiFranco - Studying Stones
Andrew Vincent w/ Rob Learly @manx pub
--->DOWNLOAD: Andrew Vincent - Canadian Dream

* denotes local band