Ottawa Bluesfest wrapped Sunday with a headlining performance from Montreal producer and DJ Kaytranada, whose late-night set brought rhythm and style to a festival crowd ready to dance the final night away.
The weather played a supporting role after a rainy morning, with the sun breaking through just in time for the festival to kick off. Even a quick shower mid-evening, coming down on fans watching a BADBADNOTGOOD sax solo, only added to the energy.
All together, the festival brought forward a wide range of performances, from young, aspiring musicians to Grammy-winning artists.
Kicking-off the festival early in the evening, Montreal rapper Lou Phelps — Kaytranada’s younger brother — got things groovy with a set full of hip-hop beats and clean flows.
His early set was relaxed and polished, as his tunes welcomed music lovers into the festival.
Meanwhile, the LeBreton Stage hosted the Be in the Band Showcase, spotlighting young local musicians and inviting them onstage to jam live. The program featured bands ranging from alternative, to pop and rock.
Some groups chose to play original songs while others went for cult favourite tracks like Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend,” Metric’s “Black Sheep” and the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.”
Before the headline act, Toronto’s BADBADNOTGOOD delivered a dynamic, instrumental set on the RBC Stage in a blend of modern jazz funk with long improvised segments.
In the background, immersive projections of artistic film-styled edits played behind the band with grainy and gradient colour washes.
Some scenes featured under the sea clips of fish swimming, film reels of people dancing and futuristic cityscapes, while other scenes showed abstract shapes that morphed with the sounds of the instruments.
But during an expressive saxophone solo from Leland Whitty, a surprise rain shower hit the ground.
While few people ran for cover under the trees, most of the crowd embraced the rain as drummer Alexander Sowinski told the audience to “raise their arms, let the rain touch their fingers and move.”
By the end of their set, the skies had cleared, and the energy only grew.
Kaytranada hit the RBC Stage just after 9:30 p.m. delivering an electrifying set that blended house, hip-hop, funk and soul into a full-scale outdoor dance party.
With minimal crowd banter, he let the music speak for itself.
Pulling from his renowned Timeless album and past hits like “Intimidated” and “You’re The One,” Kaytranada built a steady groove that had the crowd dancing from start to finish.
The set leaned into his signature style, weaving funky synths, sharp percussion and deep basslines with sleek visuals and electric lighting.
While the artist delivered strong and powerful mixes, the stage projections pulled the entire show together: From sharp strobes of light lazering off the stage to subtle flickers that accentuated beat drops. All together, the visuals were smooth, immersive and rhythmically in tune with the music.
LED backdrops and silhouetted lighting accentuated the music rather than Kaytranada himself, save for a spotlight on a few choice groovy dance moves.
In the crowd, deep blue, purple and red lights washed over the mass of moving bodies. With heads bobbing, bodies moving and hands in the air, it was the kind of set that didn’t need big beat drops or crowd-pleasing banter.
Kaytranada let the music do the work, and it paid off.
By the end of the night, the final notes of the evening echoed through the cool air. Fans moved in waves out of LeBreton Flats, bidding the final day of Ottawa’s largest music festival adieu for the year.
Featured image by Simon McKeown/the Charlatan
