The July 14 Bluesfest line-up was front-heavy with local acts and back-heavy with big-name Canadian rock ‘n’ roll.
Ottawa acts, each one as eclectic as the next, filled the first three time slots. The Murder Plans’ heavy brand of rock was hard to take in so early in the lineup. Their “vampiric” songs were out of place in broad daylight.
Local blues queen Jesse Greene was playing at the same time was as Ottawa folk five-piece the Withering Pines.
The Pines’ melodic blend of folk and country worked perfectly in the controlled environment of the Barney Danson Theatre inside the Canadian War Museum. On an outdoor stage, they would have run the risk of being overpowered, but in the cool dark theatre, their music was the easy focus.
Although I only caught half of the set from the Jesse Greene band, the blues group was rollicking through each one of their original tunes. Blues music seems to come easily to Greene. She is unreserved in her performance and, as she illustrated playing a rip-roaring solo with her guitar lifted behind her head, one hell of a guitar player.
After catching all of my must-see bands before the sun even set, I wandered over to the main stage to see Arkells. Although originally scheduled to perform earlier in the evening, Arkells ended up taking the 8 p.m. slot after one of the members of Theory of a Dead Man fell ill.
With a large crowd already in place, the Hamilton-based band seemed to gain from Theory of a Dead Man’s loss. Playing new songs including “Kiss Cam” from their upcoming album, to be released in the fall, and previous singles like “John Lennon,” the band’s blend of rock and pop had the crowd dancing and cheering increasingly louder.
Although the night’s headliners were both big acts, I felt a little too old to enjoy Billy Talent and a little too young to like The Tea Party. Instead, I watched the Rogues Gallery Band and Oscar-winner Tim Robbins, known for his work in movies like Shawshank Redemption and Mystic River. What Robbins lacked in musical genius he made up for with sheer joy and enthusiasm. It’s not that he’s a “bad” musician . . . he’s just not a “great” one.
Feeling a little tired, I moseyed home early. And although it wasn’t my most exciting night at the festival, it was still enjoyable. Call it a relaxing end to an exciting stint as a festival reporter.