Leaving Lebreton Flats after the third day of Bluesfest, I didn’t expect to walk away with a rediscovered passion for experiencing live music and hearing different stories about what art means. But that’s what happened. Each of the performers on day three truly brought something different to the table, delivering nothing short of stellar performances.
Children of Indigo – Barney Danson Theatre
The Barney Danson Theatre was a much more intimate venue than the City Stage, with dim lighting and greater proximity to the stage. For Children of Indigo, this definitely worked to their advantage. The Ottawa-based folk trio’s set list was boosted by soft melodies which connected everyone in the room.
They performed with warmth for the audience. There was a connection that isn’t often there when it comes to seeing live music. I really enjoyed that. They had the attention of everyone in that room and just created a really mellow, relaxing afternoon.
The band was real. It doesn’t always feel like there’s a chance to actually interact with the performer, but being in that setting and listening to their music, the sense was inescapable. But more than anything, what they wanted to get across to the audience is how important it is to follow your creative pursuits. David Campbell, a member of the group said, “art is within us all.” That’s what the whole festival is about, is coming together to celebrate what creativity and music brings to people, and that was a really beautiful moment.
Moscow Apartment — City Stage
From Toronto, the female fronted band were first time performers at Bluesfest. In fact, to date, it’s the biggest venue they’ve played. Despite the young age of the musicians, they brought a stage presence with them. They were professionals but were also just kids having a blast on that stage. The beachy, rock vibe went perfectly with the weather, it was definitely something that everyone could just vibe to. When discussing their music, they were talking about their experiences as young women. I will definitely be blasting their music all summer long.
The one thing that completely entranced me about the frontwomen was the fact that they were still in high school. Even when forgetting the lyrics to one of their songs, they kept performing. It’s so hard to put yourself on display like that at such a young, often vulnerable age, but they did it with such charisma. I can’t wait to see what these girls do next.
Recommended Tracks: “Annie”, “Caroline” and “Cut Your Bangs.” (technically not a Moscow Apartment song, but they covered the Radiator Hospital track)
PUP — City Stage
Toronto-based band PUP came out bursting with energy, switching from the chill vibe that Moscow Apartment created to a more energetic one. There was only a handful of people who knew the lyrics but everyone was hooked.
Frontman Stefan Babcock also expressed his fondness for this, saying “we played this festival 2-3 years ago and there was like 20 people in the audience, so thanks.” If anyone wasn’t a fan of PUP before their performance today, they most definitely are now.
A lot of their music was inspired from the darker aspects of humanity, like exploitation within the music industry or secretly wanting to murder your bandmates but the way they performed never made it feel dreadful. It almost put a weird, hopeful spin on their music for me. I’m sure if one were to just read the lyrics of one of their songs, it would be a bit morbid (plug for their new album, Morbid Stuff) but the music counteracts the lyrics to create something truly unique.
Recommended Tracks: “Scorpion Hill”, “Kids” and “Reservoir.”
Taking Back Sunday — City Stage
Taking Back Sunday’s sound was a nice little bit of nostalgia for me, even though I wasn’t that familiar with their music.
Regular band member Mark O’Connell was having a baby back in New York, so Against Me! drummer Atom Willard replaced him onstage. Taking Back Sunday has been together for at least the last 20 years, and therefore has a more structured rhythm when it comes to performances. The performance was still organic and authentic to who the group is—even without the regular drummer.
Recommended tracks: “MakeDamnSure”, “Cute Without the ‘E’”, and “Liar (It Takes One to Know One).”
The Glorious Sons – City Stage
At 9:30 p.m., the moment was here. The crowd had filled the entire field at this point, with people still coming in to see the headlining act: The Glorious Sons. Coming out to a very large crowd, the band closed the night on a particularly sweet note. The rock band came out strong, and the audience welcomed wholeheartedly.
Their honest and bold lyrics capture feelings that everyone feels at some point or another but more than anything, it shows what it means to be human. That’s one of the most incredible aspects about music, is that it is a beautiful art form that can explore the flaws of humanity in less than three minutes. The Glorious Sons really took that concept and drove it home, leaving the audience with memories of an amazing performance and something that no one will truly forget any time soon.
Recommended Tracks: “Everything is Alright”, “Josie” and “Godless, Graceless and Young.”
