The last weekend of Bluesfest rolled around with a special message from NDP candidate Andrea Horwath, a strong advocate for arts and creativity in Ontario. She said she will help to work for the arts and all that it should be, and that seemed to be the message for the night. Each performance reflected on how the arts can be life changing, and how it can be the most gratifying experience and bring people from all walks of life together.
The Dirty Nil – 6:00pm
Of all the acts lined up, this was the one that I was looking forward to the most. The Dirty Nil are a three-piece from Dundas, Ontario; first timers on the Bluesville stage. In between their antics on stage and the killer setlist, they took time to reflect on how they made it to that stage. Citing bands like The Offspring and Alexisonfire as inspirations, and how visceral it was to be performing alongside them (The Nil have also previously performed with Alexisonfire). Being familiar with their music, it was hard to not bop along, but seeing them live was a whole other experience that I still can’t really place in words.
If no one was aware of them before their performance, they definitely took notice now. It was hard to not be charmed by the band, with their impressive range and groovy dance moves, with Luke Bentham (lead singer, guitarist) and Ross Miller (bassist, vocals) swaying their hips along with the tunes. What I love most about The Dirty Nil is their refusal to fit into one box of rock and roll, bouncing from different sounds throughout the genre to create something that is original to them.
I could literally write about how amazing this performance was for a while, so I’m going to leave it off with some recommended songs:
“That’s What Heaven Feels Like”, “Evil Side”, and “Bathed in Light”
The Offspring – 7:30
When I was reading about the lineup for the 12th, it was a weird mix of nostalgia. With the Nil being more attuned to my tastes now; and The Offspring and Alexisonfire being formative to music that I used to listen to. Being a band for the last 35 years, I was still impressed that they managed to keep up the same energy as bands like The Dirty Nil and Alexisonfire (that is no way a dig to the band, but more of an admiration). Jumping on stage, having banter with the audience, it was amazing getting to see one of the bands that I grew up listening to and that’s something that I’ll always remember.
Even if you’re only familiar with a few of their songs, it’s hard to not take notice about how they’ve inspired much of rock music today. Still releasing new music to this day, The Offspring have forever secured their place in rock and roll history. The memory of Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman (guitarist, vocals) affectionately naming Ottawa “Ott-fuck yeah-awa” and vowing to make out with every person in the audience at sundown will always be one of funniest bits of stage banter I’ve ever heard.
Recommended Songs:
“Why Don’t You Get a Job”, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, and “Self Esteem”
Alexisonfire – 9:30
The Dirty Nil and The Offspring were some of the most energetic performances I’ve seen, but the chaos paled in comparison to Alexisonfire. With audiences moshing and still jamming while being moved by security to the back, it was one of the craziest things I’d ever seen at a show… and that’s just what was happening in the audience. The band came out strong, with lead singer George Pettit ripping his shirt and tearing the stage up.
It was hard to not get caught up in the crowd; but they just lived for that energy. The band was feeding off the energy from the audience and they were feeding off the energy from the band. It was a stellar night for rock music, and I could not have thought of a better band to close the night.
Recommended Songs: “Young Cardinals”, “This Could Be Anywhere In The World”, and “Complicit”
Any time anybody asked, “So, what’d you think of the show?”, I never really had the right words to describe how I was feeling at the moment. I still don’t, quite frankly, but all I can say was that it was easily the best night of the entire two weeks for me. The excitement I felt from seeing The Dirty Nil, the nostalgia from The Offspring, even the beer can I had thrown at my head during Alexisonfire are all an amazing part that comes with seeing these bands live. Those are moments and laughs that will never happen again, not by watching a concert livestream or being in another audience. For that moment, it’s a connection you have with one of your favourite artists and that’s incredible.
