The 2018 edition of the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest was successful, thanks to a stellar line-up and great weather. From July 5 to 15, an estimated 300,000 people walked through the main gates of Lebreton Flats to take in 10 days of good summer vibes at Ottawa’s largest annual music event.
The festival started with Canadian rock legend Bryan Adams taking the festival’s City Stage with full force, dazzling thousands of fans. At the same time, British singer-songwriter Passenger serenaded a more intimate crowd behind the Canadian War Museum at the Black Sheep Stage.
On the second night, the festival welcomed less of a star-studded line-up, but with an obscure variety of performers. Nineties teen-pop sensation Hanson played a nostalgic set on the main stage. Rap supergroup Brockhampton played an energetic show in front of a packed crowd on the Black Sheep stage, and the evening was capped off with a lively performance by British rock group Jethro Tull, who brought their 50th anniversary tour to Canada’s capital.
The first Saturday of the festival brought a young crowd to the festival grounds to see Canadian pop sensation Shawn Mendes. After lively performances by pop stars Chromeo and Lauv, Mendes showed off his amazing talent and brought a high level of energy to his youthful audience.
The following day, the festival took a bit more of a relaxing tone, as Ottawa’s Cody Coyote and Amos the Transparent each delivered engaging performances to their respective crowds. Although not the main headliners of the night, Juno Award winners The Strumbellas played an outstanding sing-along set on the main stage. The evening was capped off by Brett Eldredge, who served his duties well as the festival’s main country music headliner.
After a one-day break, the festival welcomed a sold-out crowd for the Foo Fighters. Following a fantastic opening set by rockers Greta Van Fleet, the Foo played one of the most memorable and upbeat sets in the festival’s recent memory. Lead singer Dave Grohl and his bandmates played an incredibly strong show, and kept the audience engaged for the entire three-hour set.
The following day started with variety, and was capped off with another highly anticipated headliner. The Suitcase Junket, a one-man band, brought his back-to-basics blues sound to an engaged crowd. In front of an over-capacity crowd at the Claridge Homes Stage, British indie-pop duo Oh Wonder played an electric set. After years of campaigning on social media, fans who desperately wanted Dave Matthews Band to play Bluesfest got what they wanted, as the rock superstar played another memorable set to a massive crowd.
After reggae rapper Shaggy canceled his headlining set, Blue Rodeo stepped in to play Bluesfest for the 12th time. As festival favourites, the Canadian Music Hall of Famers delivered another performance of classic sing-along tunes to their longtime fans.
The second Friday of the festival brought more variety. Country singer Sturgill Simpson brought vintage outlaw vibes to the main stage, followed by an outstanding performance by alt-rocker Beck, who exceeded expectations with a lively show that covered almost the entire musical spectrum.
The second last night of the festival was all about pop. Ottawa favourites Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine performed in the later afternoon in front of a supportive crowd. Jessie Reyez, the 2018 Juno award winner for Breakout Artist of the Year, showed off her amazing voice and outgoing personality during her set. The evening’s headliner was rap group Rae Sremmurd, who played an upbeat show in front of a lively, youthful crowd.
The festival ended with a night of non-stop rock. Three Days Grace made a highly-anticipated return to the nation’s capital, playing songs from their new album, but still emphasizing their earlier work. Rise Against closed off the festival with a climactic finish. As mosh pits and circle pits opened in front of the main stage, the Chicago punk rockers gave the festival the end it needed and deserved.
Other than the memorable performances, the festival seemed to run smoothly thanks to warm weather and very minor logistical issues. It only rained briefly once or twice throughout the entire 10 days, and the most problematic threat to the success of the festival was a nest of killdeers, a small bird that is listed as a protected species in the area. Because a nest was found in the area where the main stage needed to be built, the festival worked with Environment and Climate Change Canada to ensure that the eggs could be moved safely. Thankfully, all of the birds are doing well in a local sanctuary.
Overall, Bluesfest did a great job, setting a high bar for next year’s festival.
Photographed by Aaron Hemens
