Ottawa’s brutal summer heatwave was no match for the sheer enthusiasm of festival-goers as Bluesfest resumed for its fifth night after a two-day break.
The fashion of the evening belonged to the headliner’s faithful: dozens of fans, aged from pre-teens to young adults, donned sailor hats in honour of Conan Gray’s “Wishbone” album cover – alongside the occasional “Class Clown” sash – and came decked out in his signature red and blue colour scheme.
Taking the RBC Stage early in the evening, British 2000s pop icon Natasha Bedingfield was met with cheers from the moment her band stepped on stage. Dressed in a striking white-crescent patterned black catsuit and chunky boots, she launched into her song “Roller Skate,” immediately setting a liberating tone.
“Feel free to have the music move you however you wish — however you need to release your inhibitions today,” she teased, dropping a clever hint at her iconic anthem “Unwritten.”
Bedingfield’s set was a masterclass in crowd engagement. She jumped across the stage, held the mic out for crowd sing-alongs, and delivered a sultry cover of Portishead’s “Glory Box” as a duet with her guitarist. When the opening notes of her breakthrough song “Pocketful of Sunshine” hit, the stage backdrop turned a warm yellow, and the field of attendees transformed into a massive choir.
In a sweet nod to Canadian music, the Grammy-nominated singer belted out a quick snippet of Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” and shared her appreciation for Canada’s rich musical heritage and its support towards artists, shouting out Lavigne and Céline Dion amongst others.
Even when faced with a dead centre-stage microphone, the seasoned pop star didn’t miss a beat, smoothly swapping to a backup mic like a true professional. Throughout her time on stage she delivered her all with impressively powerful vocals and a grin on her face.
Her feel-good hit “Unwritten” was undoubtedly the crowd’s favourite – at times her vocals were drowned out by the high-energy crowd chanting her anthem as they jumped and raised their hands in the air.
The energy continued by her closing with a second, high-octane performance of her hit “These Words,” leading to yet another crowd sing-along, and finally ending her set with a theatre bow – her bandmates at her sides.
Shortly after, folk-pop sensation Myles Smith took over the main stage, kicking off with the danceable “Stay (If You Wanna Dance)” and his hit “Gold.” The soulful singer captured the hearts of fans with his laid-back stage presence and equally-talented and engaging band members.
The crowd clapped along to “Wait For You,” “Dying Days,” and “Sertraline” before the singer paused for an emotional, grounding moment.
Addressing the crowd on mental health, he shared: “Anyone struggling, keep pushing. It’s better on the other side,” before leading into a heartfelt rendition of “River,” which saw hundreds of phone flashlights illuminate the dusk sky.
The night’s energy ramped back up as he closed his stellar set by high-fiving fans at the barricade during a massive, crowd-led sing-along of his smash hit “Stargazing.”
Over on the LeBreton Stage, urban American rock band Sons of Legion played to an absolutely packed tent. The crowd overflowed so far that latecomers resorted to watching the performance on the big screens in the food area next door.
Sporting jeans, button downs and ripped tank tops, the duo brought a gritty, powerful energy to the stage. Their song “Born to be Free” was filled with powerhouse rock vocals, followed by their blues-rock anthem “Wishing Well” – punctuated by the lead singer’s rhythmic tambourine.
They dove into their song “Strange” as a welcome, chilly breeze swept over the festival grounds, offering some relief for the attentive crowd packed outside the stage under the blistering heat.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the field surrounding the RBC Stage was packed like sardines. After a few agonizing false alarms of the performance starting due to flashing blue stage lights, the crowd began chanting Gray’s name in anticipation.
Spotted enjoying the festival separately were former prime minister Justin Trudeau and former Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson, who attended with his wife and their children.
Gray finally emerged to the drumming of his fierce and empowering hit “My World” – wearing a bold black outfit featuring a sheer, deep-cut top held together by a corset. Gray was a ball of energy as he commanded the stage against a backdrop of clouds, twirling, grinning, and feeding off the crowd’s screaming vocals during “Wish You Were Sober” and “People Watching.”
The Gen-Z pop icon’s signature dry wit was on full display. “You guys mind if I sing some depressing songs now?” he joked before playing “The Cut That Always Bleeds.”
Introducing “Family Line,” he added with a smirk: “I don’t usually play this song at festivals, but my people are here tonight… and if there’s one thing I know about my people, it’s that y’all have some familial trauma,” which was met by the cheers of the crowd. The emotional weight of the song brought the festival to a beautiful standstill, with fans screaming the bridge’s lyrics back to him as he paused.
For the dreamy “Astronomy,” Gray pulled out his acoustic guitar as the screens filled with star constellations, matching the actual night sky where the Little Dipper was visible above. Fans once again held up their phone’s flashlight and swayed their arms from side to side.
When the time came for “11:11,” a swing descended from the rafters, allowing him to sway gently above the stage for a whimsical-filled performance.
Though the roaring bass from the speakers occasionally threatened to drown out his high-tenor, Gray’s theatricality shone through. He dedicated songs to those in the crowd with “commitment issues” or “exes” – the backdrop transitioning to a warm sunset during “The Best” to a crimson hue for his megahit “Maniac”.
Introducing his signature melancholic ballad “Heather,” he joked: “Heather, if you’re out there, I’m sorry… but also I’m not, because this song is a banger!” From soft and angst-filled songs to ones of intense passion, the crowd hung onto every word and each opening note was met with equal cheers of excitement throughout his performance.
He closed the high-energy night with “Maniac” and the viral, TikTok-favourite “Vodka Cranberry” – much to the approval of the energized crowd who bounced along to every beat shoulder-to-shoulder, and had successfully proved they knew the words to all of his songs by singing them right back at him.
Though the crowd lingered hoping for an encore, they ultimately dispersed into the Ottawa night — exhausted from the heat, but thoroughly buzzed from an unforgettable night of hit-filled pop perfection.
Featured photo by Murray Oliver/the Charlatan.
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