Fans of all ages gathered at LeBreton Flats on July 14 for another eclectic RBC Ottawa Bluesfest evening. Musicians connected with their audiences with love, gratitude and powerful performances, regardless of genre.
Starting the night’s performances, long-time friends Michael Emenau and Rob Lutes, also known as Sussex, took to the Sirius XM Stage in front of a slowly growing crowd.
Songs such as “Lookin’ for Trouble” showcased the duo’s masterful mixing of Lutes’ low voice and Emenau’s impressive xylophone techniques. Sussex’s execution of “Superman’s Escape” and “I Know a Girl” added an ounce of western twang to the act’s bluesy energy. The duo’s performance welcomed fans to the venue and built anticipation for the rest of the night.
Ottawa-based honey-folk artist Neha Sin continued the night’s lineup, filling the Barney Danson Theatre with audience members, her sweet voice and personality.
Standing alone on stage with only her electric guitar, Sin’s interaction with the crowd added a personal touch to her performance. In between songs, she told stories about past loves and recalled conversations with her mother, eliciting laughter before falling into her soft, self-reflective lyrics.
Also representing Ottawa, Pony Girl contrasted Sin’s performance with their art-rock style at the River Stage. With a hint of reverb reminiscent of The 1975, their energetic songs matched their magnetic stage presence.
Next, FLETCHER greeted a thundering crowd at the RBC Stage. The American singer-songwriter hyped the crowd with compliments, bringing a new level of spice to the evening’s lineup.
“This might already be one of my favourite crowds this entire year … there’s a lot of you I’d like to kiss in the audience right now,” she said early into her set before diving into a cover of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”
During her high-spirited and commanding performance, audience members couldn’t help but dance and sing along to fan favourites such as “If You’re Gonna Lie,” “Serial Heartbreaker” and “Shh…Don’t Say It.”
FLETCHER’s positivity and connection with her fan base shone through again during a brief speech about self-love, addressing her past fear of performing.
As she finished her set, crowds returned to the Sirius XM Stage for an energetic performance by indie-pop musician Rich Aucoin.
The energy peaked when highly-anticipated indie folk band, Fleet Foxes, welcomed a packed crowd at the River Stage as one of the night’s final performers.
Starting with “Sun Giant” from their 2008 EP, Fleet Foxes’ harmonies and instrumentation stood out immediately and brought an orchestral feel to the performance. With back-to-back fan favourites such as “White Winter Hymnal,” “Mykonos” and later “Blue Ridge Mountain,” the band delivered a layered performance full of hidden gems.
With eight musicians on stage, Fleet Foxes achieved seamless transitions between songs, using instrumental solos to fill the gaps and create a non-stop stream of earthy folk-rock. Audience members swayed and bopped in a trance-like state throughout the entire set.
Other songs such as “Can I Believe You,” “Ragged Wood” and “Wading in Waist-High Water” ebbed and flowed between fast-paced and nostalgic energies while the band drew on themes of life, death and love.
With one final drawn-out drum roll and a deafening round of applause, another successful night of Bluesfest came to a satisfying end.
Featured image by Daria Maystruk/The Charlatan.
