The final day of Bluesfest proved to be the quintessential return to the stage for many artists, as it saw numerous stellar performances by classic and modern Canadian rock bands.
Before the concert began, the audience made quick work of setting up chairs near the stage and grabbing as many snacks from the various food trucks as they could. The sky above was clear, if a little cloudy, and the weather was warm with a slight breeze drifting by many of the concert-goers.
The music began at 7 p.m. with Steve Marriner, the lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of MonkeyJunk, exclaiming, “This is our first show home in two years!”
MonkeyJunk went on to play many of their popular blues hits including Mother’s Crying, Time To Roll and See the Sign.
Between songs, the band cracked jokes and announced Marriner’s recent marriage, which was met by cheers from an ecstatic audience.
Following MonkeyJunk’s performance and a short 20-minute break, April Wine took to the stage at 8 p.m with an amalgamation of rock, hard rock and metal.
April Wine began their show with the unforgettable songs You Could Have Been a Lady, Say Hello, and Rock n’ Roll Is A Viscous Game. They went on to ignite the atmosphere of the crowd with classic hits like Weeping Widow, Enough Is Enough, Tonite is a Wonderful Time To Fall in Love and Sign of the Gypsy Queen.
At the halfway point of the night, a large crowd began to form in front of the stage where older and younger generations came together to dance.
April Wine made many memorable statements throughout the night, including when frontman Myles Goodwyn poked fun at the old age of his guitar, himself and his fellow band members. Goodwyn also noted how nice it was for his band to finally get out of the house.
The band finished their set with the help of the crowd singing along to their song Roller, which was followed by a long standing ovation.
Around 9:30 p.m., John Cochrane and Red Rider took to the stage with a combination of rock and country pieces. Mirthfully, Cochrane said, “It’s great to be back in Ottawa. It’s great to be anywhere to play music.”
The band’s song Untouchable One brought the crowd to life, dancing with their loved ones and clapping in harmony.
This response from the audience made Cochrane shout, “This is one of the greatest scenes in the world.”
The group continued their set with some of their more noteworthy songs such as Big League, Avenue A, Sinking Like A Sunset, and Life Is A Highway.
Later on, Cochrane noted that guitarist Billy Bell was using a guitar gifted from talk show host Bill Carroll to play the song Good Man, Feeling Bad.
The most powerful moment of the night came when Cochrane discussed the implications of racism in America that spawned their next song Lunatic Fringe. He also noted the “humanity” he saw within the audience every time he was in Ottawa.
The audience’s singing of the song was encompassing and the lights of the stage flashing on the neighbouring trees made the song even more awe-inspiring.
John Cochrane and Red Rider closed the night at 11 p.m. by holding their guitars in the air and saying, “We love you, goodnight. We’re going to get back here real soon.”
The ambiance of Rock music resonating from the stage and the smell of buttery popcorn wafting through the air made for a great night overall.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s RBC Bluesfest proved that a safe return to live music is truly within reach.
Featured image by Saif Rahman.
