A heat warning and temperature’s peaking closed to the 40 degree mark did little to keep fans away from LeBreton Flats on Friday night in Ottawa. Ottawa’s own, Kristine St-Pierre, Claude Munson, Charlotte Day Wilson, HOZIER and more all got their moment in the spotlight with large crowds packing in at all major stages in the venue.
I was later getting to the grounds than I had wanted but arrived just on time to catch part of Charlotte Day Wilson’s set. My listening experience was more of a pass through experience than anything as I had my sights set on the River Stage for Amigo the Devil. Wilson is known for her smooth vocals and she definitely delivered on that last night. Working a full time job while covering Ottawa Bluesfest means a lot of late nights and early mornings so, as much as I do enjoy Charlotte Day Wilson I couldn’t linger for too long or she might lull me to sleep with her calming vocals. She’s the kind of artist I turn to when I need to relax and refocus…not unusual to find her on in the background at my office. Charlotte is an artist that I’d see in a venue like the National Arts Centre right here in Ottawa where I can sit back, relax and take in the show. That said there were plenty that did just that last night at Ottawa Bluesfest as the early crowd was impressive yet again.
In the lead up to the festival, as I do every year, I created a playlist for each day of the event. Often when the lineup is released I only recognize a small percentage of the acts but, every year, am excited to discover a new favourite…or two. The first artist that quickly made my list of artists to check out was Amigo the Devil. Turns out I wasn’t alone. An impressive crowd had already settled on the hill by the River Stage; when Danny asked how many were at their first Amigo show many cheered and raised their hand…myself included. Amigo’s show can best be described as The Hu meets the Dead South, who ironically were on the River Stage immediately following Amigo. The added element to Amigo’s show is his crowd engagement. He knows very well how to work the crowd and bring them into his realm. Near the end of his set he thanked the crowd for coming out, even if they were just waiting the The Dead South. When the show ended the stream of people leaving the River Stage area told me that perhaps many were, in fact, there to see Amigo the Devil after all. Definitely hope to see Amigo back in the area some time in the near future.
As I mentioned above The Dead South were next up on my list. At this point it’s safe to say they’ve become a staple in Canadian bluegrass but it would be a stretch to call this quartette traditional because they’re anything but and, to me, that’s the secret to their success. So what can you expect from a Dead South show? Lots of banjo, lots of toe tapping and a heck of a lot of fun. This was, shockingly, my first Dead South, experience but we, as a publication, have covered them numerous times. This was one that was an easy add to my list of acts to check out and I’m so glad I did. Yet another act that I have to make sure to catch in a venue where I can actually sit down, relax and take in the show away from people who are more interested in catching up on office gossip or what their neighbour Sally hung on the clothes line last weekend (yes on my vantage point on the hill there was a bit more chatter going on than, most of us would’ve preferred.)
Hozier’s performance was a moment to remember. Especially when you take a deeper listen to his lyrics and the power behind them. His music is all about being Human. Going through the beauty and even sometimes the pain. Love as protest. Death as transition. Nature as truth. Faith as contradiction. And music as a holy reckoning.
It’s not very often when you come out and find thousands of people in beautiful but quite hot weather, people were sweating, crying and singing their heart out along with Hozier. Right from his opening song “Nobody’s Soldier” the crowd felt that was more than just a concert. It was more during the slower songs that the crowd really felt everything. Especially during “Cherry Wine” where you could see and hear in people voice that they were definitely emotional.
Around midway through the show he got off stage and was holding one his fans hands whilst singing and smiling as if it wasn’t just their first time together. At another point in the show he got off stage and went to where the lawn chairs sit, he performed a few songs out there so that they could see him better and have an unforgettable experience.
He closed out the night with one of his biggest hits “Take Me To church” which had everyone cheering and singing their absolute hardest, it was a sign of release through the crowd. You really felt what they were all feeling in that moment. During the chorus he didn’t even have to sing a single word the crowd did it for him. During that song with everyone feeling the same, it was definitely something to remember. He didn’t need to say much when he finished it off he just stood there and took in all the love from the crowd and feeling it all.
For most it wasn’t just a concert. He gathered thousands of people and turned them into one by his powerful and poetic music.
