If your guitarist has such strong connections in the area he should know some other decent bands. It's strange to me that your band is so dead set against it. Another idea is to bring a "good" up and coming band and give them the slot. We have done this a number of times to fill out a show. Just make sure they can't show you up but that they are good enough to entertain. Then you guys step up as the headliner and kill it. It's all good.