Another summer, another year at Ottawa Bluesfest. With the financial instability of the Capital Hoedown, and the distance between myself and other popular festivals (see Edgefest, Festival d’été, Osheaga), what was a young man who needed his fix of summer concerts to do? I picked myself up a bracelet and went to LeBreton Flats to take in all that this year’s festival had to offer. Venturing down for eleven of the twelve days, a large number of acts that spanned all different genres were present this year, offering up a musical smorgasbord that would appease any listener.
With new sponsor the Royal Bank of Canada, this year’s festival was presented under the moniker “Electro-fied,” hinting strongly at the large number of electronic music acts that would be performing over the next two weeks. From the first announcement of the line-up in April, longtime fans of the festival were divided on the sudden onslaught of electronic acts coming to the festival. World renowned DJ’s such as Tiesto, Skrillex, and Diplo turned the main stage area of the festival into an all-out dance party on their respective nights, offering up more lights, effects, and booming bass than you could shake a stick at. Smaller stages played host to various DJ acts as well, with Paul Oakenfold, A-Trak, MSTRKRFT, and even pop duo Chromeo stopping by to spin a few tracks.
The “Electro-fied” theme also brought in many hip-hop acts this year, with the main stage playing host to rap giant Snoop Dogg. Young rap prodigy A$AP Rocky also made an appearance, while Outkast’s Big Boi played an excellent set featuring both solo material and numerous Outkast classics. K’naan delivered a solid performance on the closing day despite being rushed onstage due to earlier delays, and The Weeknd won over the hearts of many in the crowd with his smooth, soulful stylings.
Of course, Bluesfest also made sure to bring a wide range of rock acts into the fold. A large contingent of Canadian talent was present, including the Arkells, Big Wreck, The Sheepdogs, Our Lady Peace, and Metric. International acts were also featured quite prominently, with Iron Maiden making their return to capital with touring partner Alice Cooper. Aging punks Bad Religion, having agreed to take a headlining spot only two weeks in advance, put on a very energetic show for the Ottawa crowd, while metal favourites Mastodon also brought their progressive stylings to the festival.
Aside from the bigger acts, there were also a number of pleasant surprises on the smaller stages around the festival. Hip-hop veteran Chali 2Na played an inspired set to a smaller crowd on the Electro stage, showing off his serious wordplay skills. Another was the notable sci-fi hip-hop collective Deltron 3030, who showcased some new material from the anticipated follow-up to their critically acclaimed first album. Performing with an entire string section, brass section, and male and female choirs, this was a sonic experience not to be missed. Soul singer Charles Bradley, The Hold Steady, Plants and Animals, The Dirty Heads, Young the Giant, and Carleton University’s own Kalle Mattson were some of the other notables I had the great pleasure of watching throughout the weeks.
Festival head Mark Monahan believes the focus on electronic music was key in attracting a large crowd to this year’s Bluesfest. While not matching last year’s total crowd of 300,000, festival organizers confirmed the Skrillex concert alone brought over 10,000 fans last-minute, a festival record for walk-up attendance.
“I would say that Tiesto was probably not was big a crowd as I expected, and Skrillex was much bigger than I expected” Monahan told the Ottawa Citizen.
Monahan also went on to tell the Citizen that the “Electro-fied” branding may also have put the idea in public’s head that Bluesfest had completely gone electronic. He denied any such shift in style happening.
“We know there’s not enough blues fans or classic rock fans that would make this thing viable,” Monahan told the Citizen. “So I’m trying to program this so that it will appeal to a certain audience, and bring them to the festival, whether it’s one night or 10 nights. My feeling is I’d rather be inclusive rather than exclusive.”
Though the line-up has indeed seen better days, it can be said that the 2012 edition of Bluesfest in Ottawa included its fair share of highlights and notable acts. Personally, I’m proud to have our city play host to a wonderfully diverse festival each summer. With the festival’s 20th anniversary coming up next year, Monahan and his festival team will certainly be hard-pressed to please everyone.
