The first Saturday of Ottawa Bluesfest celebrated artists old and new with performances by up-and-comers as well as established professionals.
On the RBC Stage, it was a rock and roll-oriented lineup for the evening, including performances by Kurt Vile and the Violators, who mixed grunge rock influences with an indie folk sound.
Following that, prolific new wave rock band Pixies performed for an ecstatic crowd. The band, whose popularity spans decades, took to the stage looking effortlessly cool and composed.
Needing no introduction, the band launched into a journey along memory lane with hits like “Monkey in Heaven,” “Here Comes Your Man” and “Debaser” from their 1989 album Doolittle.
Showing their decades of experience, Pixies never missed a beat as they played covers like “Head On” by the Jesus and Mary Chain, and fan favourites like “Where Is My Mind?”
Their performance culminated with all the members taking a well-deserved bow in front of a roaring and thoroughly impressed audience.
Over at the LeBreton Stage, Ontario roots artist André Bisson started off the evening with an invigorating performance alongside his large band. Another artist with years of experience under his belt, André and his band of saxophone, trumpet and guitar players played through a collection of songs from across his ten albums.
Over the years, André has mastered his sound — a soulful fusion of jazz and blues that tells a story. On slower ballads like “Latchford,” his vocals and lyrics shone, while on more upbeat tunes like “How Many Times,” the chemistry between him and his band was apparent.
The Barney Danson Theatre hosted the Bluesfest Emerging Artist Showcase. The aim of the showcase is to highlight local talent from the Ottawa-Gatineau region and give them an opportunity to perform for Bluesfest audiences.
This year’s chosen artists included Hannah Vig, Miss Mcleod, Sam Stone and Robin Kenny, all from the Ottawa area. Each emerging artist displayed a unique sound and point of view, and made the stage their own.
Later on in the theatre, roots rock band Rosie’s Smokehouse Deluxe served up a plate of gritty vocals and classic rock guitar with a dash of blues.
Back outside in the scorching heat (yes, the heatwave is still going strong), award-winning blues artist and Ottawa legend Sue Foley performed at the LeBreton Stage before her second show in the theatre later in the night.
The “Ice Queen,” as she’s known, brought her chill demeanour and cool stage presence to a packed crowd. Starting off her set with a minute-long guitar solo, her southern-inspired blues style had everyone hooked from the first chord.
Declaring that it was “hotter than Texas,” Sue strummed her signature pink Fender guitar, playing songs like “Dallas Man” and “Hurricane Girl.”
Engaging a crowd, vocal ability and guitar-playing skills — Sue has it all in spades. A true standout act, she showed that she is the real deal when it comes to Canadian blues music.
For more information and the full schedule, visit https://ottawabluesfest.ca/.
