Review of Bluesfest Day Four: ‘Embrace the sweat!’

With the heat and humidity high, music lovers crammed into LeBreton Flats to keep cool on Bluesfest day four. 

A star-studded lineup of Carly Rae Jepsen, Future Islands and Maroon 5 drew big crowds, with attendees choosing to beat the heat with cold beers and ice cream.

The first big act of the evening, Canadian singer-songwriter Cinzia & The Eclipse, graced the River Stage bringing folk energy reminiscent of Florence + The Machine to the set. 

A small but mighty crowd, Cinzia’s cover of “Linger” by The Cranberries garnered loud cheers as the songstress swayed and danced to the music. 

Coming off the release of her EP Springland, Cinzia’s infectious energy and celestial voice made for a lively time.  

Originally from Montreal and now living in Toronto, Cinzia’s final song of the night, “Home,” shared dreams of moving away while grappling with the idea of what home means. 

A deeply intimate song, Cinzia bridged the gap between hopelessness and hopefulness by playfully shouting, “You are all part of the eclipse!” as an ode to community and new beginnings.  

Meanwhile, Canadian pop princess Carly Rae Jepsen lit up the RBC Stage as cheers and bubbles rose from the crowd.

Sporting a light pink outfit complete with white sunglasses and lace stockings, Jepsen kicked off the show with upbeat “Psychedelic Switch,” a hit from her most recent album, The Loveliest Time.

The blonde sensation remained confident and upbeat throughout her performance, as conveyed by her unique and powerful voice. 

A saxophone melody carried over LeBreton Flats as the singer performed “Run Away With Me,” blending with the Ottawa sunset.

Jepsen encapsulated all of the passionate and flirty feelings associated with modern love in her funky pop set.

During her biggest hit “Call Me Maybe,” Jepsen left the stage to join her fans in the crowd, much to their delight.

She finished strong with “Cut to the Feeling,” a euphoric anthem that had the crowd singing and cheering along.

As the day turned to dusk, the heat wasn’t letting up. 

Festival staff sprayed down music lovers to try and keep them cool ahead of the most-anticipated act of the night, pop-rock band Maroon 5. 

As the cheers of roughly 30,000 people echoed over LeBreton Flats, Maroon 5 took the RBC Stage. 

Lead singer Adam Levine began the show with “Animals,” accompanied by trippy on-screen graphics and red-and-green strobe lights which illuminated the audience.

The energy remained at an all-time high for the rest of the performance as the group soared through hit after hit. 

The audience danced and sang along to fan favourites “This Love,” “What Lovers Do” and “Maps,” despite the crowded and humid conditions.

“Embrace the sweat!” Levine yelled before launching into a strung-out call and response with the crowd, warming them up for old school classic, “Sunday Morning.”

Meanwhile at the River Stage, synth-pop band Future Islands performed groovy, indie tunes “Seasons (Waiting On You)” and “A Dream of You and Me” for those looking to jive along for the night.  

Back at the RBC Stage, Levine expressed his gratitude to the fans who have supported them over the years. 

From a small girl being hoisted up on her dad’s shoulders to an elderly couple swaying together, the crowd was a blend of all ages. With their first album Songs About Jane having been released more than 20 years ago, the longevity of Maroon 5’s career can be attributed to one thing — the fans. 

Maroon 5 then slowed it down with “Memories,” a song about loss that pays tribute to the band’s manager Jordan Feldstein who passed away in 2017. 

Ending the night strong, the crowd persisted with their cries for an encore, and the band returned to the stage to perform hits “She Will be Loved,” “Girls Like You” and “Sugar.”

With the energy and humidity still high, the crowd dispersed onto the O-Train, patiently making their way home from a night of lively, infectious fun.

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Featured image by Greg Kolz.