Day three of Ottawa’s renowned CityFolk Festival started out with a bang. The Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park was the setting for a night full of great food, electrifying energy and sold-out performances from some of the most exciting musicians in North America.
Against the backdrop of a beautiful summer evening, listeners prepared to see rock singer/songwriter JJ Wilde take the stage.
The 2021 Juno winner of Rock Album of the Year performed some of her biggest hits, including “Best Boy,” “The Rush” and “Off The Rails.” Wrapped in a colourful two-piece outfit, Wilde brought her raspy voice and a magnetic presence to the stage. The Kitchener, Ont., native put on a dynamic show, getting the entire crowd to bounce along to her modern rock tunes.
Following Wilde’s set, Niagara-based country singer Tim Hicks took the stage. The 2022 Juno nominee’s performance brought folk and country fans out in droves, many of whom sported cowboy hats and boots.
Hicks performed his chart-topping hits like “Whiskey Does,” “Dodge Out of Hell” and “No Truck Song.” As the country star closed out his set in the cool evening breeze, the crowd roared in appreciation for his band while they played their final song, the undeniable fan favourite and Canadian country-rock anthem, “Stronger Beer.”
Although the crowd’s energy was high during the two earlier performances, an intense feeling of anticipation filled the air as the audience members prepared themselves for the final act of the night.
With the scene set and red lights flashing intensely behind him, 2000s R&B/rap icon T-Pain bounded onto the stage. The two-time Grammy Award-winner put on an unforgettable show, treating fans to some of his most iconic songs and features like “Up Down,” “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” “I’m Sprung” and “5 O’Clock.”
The Florida native sent the crowd into a frenzy as he sang, danced and even moonwalked his heart out on stage while interacting with the audience throughout his set.
The first weekend of this year’s CityFolk closed out with T-Pain’s feature on producer DJ Khaled’s chart-topping hit, “All I Do is Win,” which rounded out an incredible night of live music.
With a final deafening round of applause for the night’s performers hanging in the air, festivalgoers began to make their way home, bursting with energy and chanting T-Pain’s name. Although the party was over, it was abundantly clear to everyone in attendance that the night was a massive success.
Featured image by Elise Kieffer.
