An estimated 50,000 people crowded the LeBreton Flats grounds for an electric eighth day of RBC Ottawa Bluesfest. Hundreds of fans donned bald caps, sunglasses and white button-ups emulating headliner Pitbull’s iconic look.
Opening at the River Stage was Kingston-based artist Abby Stewart. The country artist, whose web biography describes her as a “young rising star,” lit the stage with her undeniable passion and talent.
She kicked off at 6:30 p.m. with a classic Carrie Underwood song, “Good Girl.”
The country singer gave her fans a sassy rendition of her original track “Souvenirs.” Stewart explained “Souvenirs” is about “a bad relationship when you feel like you’ve been wronged—and want to take a souvenir” to remember the relationship by.
Over at the SiriusXM stage, Joe McDonald, HOROJO Trio and Boston Levi entertained a crowd with a delightful lineup of folk, blues and rock songs.
Lively crowds gathered around the RBC stage hours before rap performers Ludacris and Pitbull were set to take stage. The artists, who brought cult followings and setlists of timeless party anthems, saw more attendees than any other artists this year.
Ludacris took the stage at 7:30 pm, and the immediate energy boost was palpable.
The American rapper sang an array of popular tunes, including “What’s Your Fantasy,” “All I Do Is Win” and “Glamourous.”
One audience favourite was Justin Bieber’s 2010 hit “Baby.” Ludacris, featured on the track, tasked the audience with singing the then-teenage pop star’s lines.
“We just made history together!” Ludacris said afterwards with a laugh.
The Grammy-winning artist commended audience members for their enthusiasm.
“These are day one, 100 per cent Ludacris fans,” he said. “They know every word.”
Once Ludacris’ set finished, the number of crushed beer cans littering the venue’s floor expanded. Fans pushed forwards, eager for the perfect view of the night’s upcoming headliner.
When Pitbull emerged ten minutes ahead of schedule, fans were delighted. He began his set on a high note with an electric guitar-heavy rendition of “Don’t Stop the Party.”
Then again, every song on Pitbull’s setlist was a fan favourite. Pitbull worked alongside his signature backup dancers in his iconic leather jacket and sunglasses, keeping the crowd’s energy high.
Unlike other performers, he also took beats between songs to share Mr. Worldwide wisdom with the audience on topics ranging from social media to his educational background.
“Music unites. It doesn’t divide,” he said as he caught a breath between songs. “Music teaches us that there’s no boundaries … no borders.”
At another point, the artist said Ottawa reminded him, in some ways, of Miami: hot, humid but sexy.
Before singing his 2014 hit “Timber,” Pitbull quickly put on a cowboy hat and struck a pose.
The artist announced that his favourite song to perform is “Fireball,” which only inspired more energy in the already ecstatic crowd.
The body heat in the pit felt suffocating at times, and the gentle rain sprinkled in around 9:45 p.m. was audibly welcomed by many. There were some tense and rowdy moments in the crowd between drunken disagreements and those pushing to move closer to the stage.
When his set ended around 10:30 p.m., fans chanted “encore” to no avail, forcing the tens of thousands packed in the venue to all funnel out.
Partners, friend groups and family members held hands, keeping each other close amidst the sea of audience members. Strangers took part in a drunken, impromptu rendition of “Sweet Caroline” on the sidewalk as others played Marco Polo.
Bluesfest day eight was a lively and unforgettable evening that thousands will remember and will surely go down in Bluesfest history.
Feature image by Serena Yang.
