Miscellaneous - Ottawa, 9/7/2012...15/7/2012

  by Andrew Carver

published: 24 / 7 / 2012

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Article

At previous Bluesfests, Monday was traditionally a day off, but of late the festival has taken to shuttering the sidestages and sticking big name rock acts on the main. Thus, this year you were treated to Nickelback, their proteges in My Darkest Days and long-serving Can-grungers I Mother Earth, along with Jacksonville/Skynyrd worshippers Shinedown. On Tuesday the main stages took a turn toward hip-hop. The big name headliner was Snoop Dogg, and a big crowd turned out for up-and-comer A$AP Rocky. Former Fugee Lauryn Hill was also on hand for a somewhat unfocused set. Hardcore hip hop heads gathered at the Electro Stage for a hot set from Chali 2Na. The deep-voiced Jurassic 5 veteran put on a super sounding set accompanied by a sharp band (including Michael Jackson impressionist and keyboardist Anthony Brewster, who filled in the high parts). 2Na’s jocular nature and cheerful banter quickly won the crowd over. Later in the night Deltron 3030 - featuring turntablist Kid Koala, acclaimed producer Dan The Automator and Rapper Del The Funkee Homo Sapien performed a well-received set. There was also plenty of more traditional Bluesfest material, with locals the Jesse Green Band kicking off the a day at the River Stage including Texas blueswoman (and Janis Joplin aficionado) Carolyn Wonderland and blues guitar royalty the Tedeschi-Trucks Band. Damon Fowler served up some tasty lap steel on the Black Sheep Stage, Nathan and The Zydeco Cha-Chas lived up to their name, while Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi performed some sleepy folk music sung in Shona and Ndebele. (Odd men out for the day were heavy pop band Zeus, who attracted a good crowd for their Sparks-style sound as Electro Stage openers.) The festival’s second Wednesday was a scramble for promoters, as main stage headliners the Offspring were forced to cancel. Their replacement, Bad Religion, would be regarded as a step up in many circles, but attracted the smallest crowd of any main stage closer. Then again, they followed a mixed bag, starting with Montreal deathtronica moppet Grimes, who swigged wine from a bottle while she attempted to decipher the display on her electronics in the blinding sun. Melodic indy rockers the Airborne Toxic Event played followed her with an active set in the sizzling heat, and Big Boi of Outkast got the crowd ready for the venerable California punks. Off the main stage, performance of the day went to Blitzen Trapper, who played a dazzling set of rustic rock, featuring plenty of Neil Young-style noise, to a big crowd at the Electronica stage. Carolyn Wonderland also reprised her set on the Black Sheep Stage. Bedroom popper Youth Lagoon wasn’t quite as interesting on the River Stage. Thursday’s Bluesfest was a good one for lovers of rock, kicking off with a set from Ottawa power-poppers the White Wires on the River Stage, followed by Vancouver blues duo the Pack AD, who rock much like a distaff Black Keys. The Cowboy Junkies’ narcoleptic country was also sounding atypically loud on the main stage, where even Margo Timmins’ dreamy croon was sounding unexpectedly lively. The Hold Steady’s intellectual bar band sound also gathered a big crowd at the River Stage, most of which stuck around to hear Saskatchewan’s Sheepdogs. The appropriately hairy combo likes their Southern rock (particularly Lynyrd Skynyrd) and has excellent vocal harmonies to go along with their guitar muscle. Redoubtable country rocker John Mellencamp closed the evening on the main stage; his heartland rock, with its crisis-struck protagonists, seems even more appropriate now than his 1980s heyday. Friday started off with more local power pop, as Mother’s Children took the Black Sheep Stage for a sweaty performance; Arcade Fire-loving Newfoundland rockers Hey Rosetta wowed a crowd at the main stage area, and were followed by bouncy blues guitarist Reignwolf, who played a few solo tunes (taking over both the drum kit and guitar for one song) before leading a trio through some distortion heavy music. On The River Stage, two-toners Rude Boy played some straight ahead ska for a small crowd. A trio of other acts - Drop The Lime, Become The Sun and Dirty Heads - proved either unmemorable or memorably awful. Blue Rodeo, who play the festival virtually every year, were main stage headliners, while old school Bluesfest fans went to see soul legend Bettye Lavette run through some genuine 1960’s soul, as well as shush a noisy crowd member as only a veteran performer can. Bluesfest’s final weekend began with an oddball set from experimental performer U.S. Girls, who looked quite fetching in a white turban and a summer dress as she manipulated her various sound making devices and sung through her avant-garde pop tunes for a dozen-strong crowd. Balkan music fans Beirut also gathered a strong crowd, but as evening approach the crowd split into two divides; Dubstepper Skrillex’s thumping main stage set or heavy metallers Mastodon on the River Stage. The later gave a strong performance to an enthused crowd. Stalwart British rockers 10cc also gave a well-received performance on the Black Sheep Stage, with a robust opener in R&B belter Shemekia Copeland. Bluesfest’s final day was almost entirely given over to Canadian acts, with festival mainstays Metric headlining, with support from Cancon rapper K’Naan and hotly tipped new R&B act the Weeknd. The earlier part of the day was dominated by local rock acts, such as Bluestone and Rolling Stones fans the Bushpilots. Ottawa expatriates the Balconies played a raving set of 1970’s style punk mixed with their own twitchy indie sound, epitomized by singer-guitarist Jacqueline’s shocking black hairdo and red smear lipstick. Also of note were San Francisco soul rockers the Monophonics and Brooklyn indie rockers the Postelles, who played a game set for a tiny crowd. While the overall attendance for the whole event was level with last year’s, there was definitely a feel of a changing of the guard, with the 1960’s stalwarts that once dominated the festival on the way out and dance acts, hip hop and indie rockers on the way in. Having completely shed its own identity, its organizers might want to find a new one.

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