The largest annual music festival in the National Capital Region, the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest, returned this year with a strong lineup of Canadian favourites international superstars alike. The diverse mix of artists attracted people of all generations to LeBreton Flats.
Headlining the evening on the City Stage was Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, but before he started, Mark Monahan, festival director, delivered a quick remark to thank volunteers and sponsors. He then introduced members of the Algonquin-Anishnabe Youth Hand Drum, who sang a traditional welcoming song to the massive crowd, which featured the line “Powwow Summer of ‘69” as a tribute to the evening’s headliner.
Adams delivered an outstanding and emotional performance to a packed crowd of fans of different ages. He reminded the crowd of his Ottawa roots. Born in Kingston, the 59-year-old grew up in Ottawa and attended Colonel By High School, before moving to Vancouver in his mid-teens.
Adams played familiar hits such as “Run to You,” “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started,” “(Everything I Do) I Do it For You,” and “Summer of ‘69” to a very excited crowd dancing and singing along to all the lyrics.
While Adams played on the main stage, British singer-songwriter Passenger delighted a younger crowd at the Blacksheep stage, located around the back side of the Canadian War Museum. Passenger, whose real name is Michael David Rosenberg, joked with crowd, thanking them for choosing him over Adams. He kept the crowd engaged by telling stories the behind his songs and asking for favors, such as singing along, clapping, and being quiet sometimes.
Almost as soon as he began to perform, crowds began to shout, “Let Her Go! Let Her Go! Let Her Go!” referring to his most well-known song, to which Passenger responded: “I can already hear you shouting ‘Let Her Go,’ but if I play the song just three songs in, the show would be a disaster.”
Smaller acts also performed throughout the evening to supportive crowds. Geoffroy, a singer songwriter from Montreal performed two new songs for an excited crowd. Sweet Crude, a band from Louisiana, performed on the City Stage, but did not manage to fully captivate the crowd of mostly loyal Adams fans who had showed up earlier to save spots in the front.
The opening act on City Stage featured a powerful performance from Jupiter & Okwess, a band from Democratic Republic of Congo who captured the crowd’s attention by singing in French, English and various Congolese languages.
On the Claridge Homes Stage, the Bank Street Bonbons, a brass band, opened the festival playing for a relaxed and older group but still kept those on their feet dancing and intrigued.
Despite hot and humid weather and a threat of rain throughout the evening, the first night of Ottawa’s Bluesfest was successful and fun.
