The skies were grey, the fields were muddy from the night before and a sea of people in lawn chairs settled in for some of the biggest names in Canadian music to perform at night two of RBC Bluesfest.
Ryland James, a pop singer from Deseronto, Ont., started the night off with slow pop songs. Their beautifully written lyrics had the audience transfixed. His vocal range, reminiscent of gospel and soul singers, demanded attention as his guitar laid down simple backing rhythms.
As James switched between guitar and piano, he performed Good to You, Better Off and a cover of Lorde’s Stoned at the Nail Salon. Finally, many in the audience reached for their phones to capture his performance of In My Head, one of his most popular songs.
After, James had left the stage a stream of people of all ages swarmed as close to the stage as they could get in anticipation of the Barenaked Ladies: a Canadian band with a unique musical style that draws from folk, pop and rock.
An eruption of cheers and screaming took place as the band walked on stage to perform in front of a banner with the cover art from their latest album, Detour de Force.
The set started with upbeat songs that got the crowd moving and raising their hands in the air. As Ed Robertson, the lead vocalist, sang the songs Flip and Gonna Walk, the audience felt compelled to join in for the chorus.
As the band finished their first few songs, Robertson said on stage that his blood boils when he sees anti-vaxxers protesting outside hospitals. The crowd met this with wild cheers. The band also made clear that they stand in solidarity with climate protesters.
Another major feature of the performance included cracking jokes about crazy bass solos and the recent federal election with the audience. As the night went on, the band switched their guitars and their classic songs replaced the new releases.
It took two notes of the 90s hit, Brian Wilson, for the crowd to reclaim their place as the band’s backup choir. Other hits such as If I Had $1,000,000 and the theme to The Big Bang Theory, a popular TV sitcom, couldn’t have brought out more energy from the audience.
To wrap up their set, the band played a wild outro that included a medley of Cardi B’s WAP, Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer and the final notes of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love. Meanwhile, Robertson batted stuffed animals across the stage.
After such a high energy performance, Jann Arden, one of Canada’s best singer-songwriters, took the stage. Her presence alone received thunderous applause from the audience.
The mix of Arden’s raw musical talent and her humour, cultivated from working on sitcoms, came together in a blend of beautiful ballads. Within them, she intermixed humorous stories about one night stands and her first time trying hash.
The atmosphere on the grounds became intimate when Arden sang songs like Sleepless, and the couples in the crowd embraced while slowly swaying to the music.
Everyone in the crowd joined together to sing parts of Insensitive, one of Arden’s most successful songs. The set closed with more pop ballads and the crowd cheered for what seemed like an eternity.
As the attendees left the grounds, chatter amongst friends about their favorite moments of the night and the singing of songs by brave souls rang out. Eventually, the crowd dispersed and yet another phenomenal night at RBC Bluesfest was completed.
Featured image by Greg Kolz via Bluesfest.
