Rock on, Bluesfest
On Saturday night, LeBreton Flats was the place to be in Ottawa! The day was hot and like other nights, the slippery mud was a consistent challenge to navigate. At RBC Stage, the night was filled with rock music and those of all ages. At the other stages, including River Stage and SiriusXM Stage, there was a variety of genres being performed. Night nine of Bluesfest was a rocking experience.
At 6:00 p.m. RBC Stage, rising Canadian rock artist JJ Wilde put on a performance that caught the attention of many in the audience. Her mix between country music and rock was a perfect blend of the country music from the previous night, and a preview of what was to come with the rock bands on deck. She played her popular single “The Rush” and other tracks like “Takes Me Back” and “Hands.” After this show, she will be added to my playlists.
At 7:30 p.m., The Tea Party began their set. The Canadian trio took the audience back to the 1990’s through the genres of rock and the blues. They opened with “The River” and later created a mix of “Heaven Coming Down/With Or Without You.” The band added an important sound of longing and nostalgia to Bluesfest that was needed in the early evening.
Giacomo Turra and his group played at 8 p.m. at the River Stage during the beautiful sunset. Their jazz and funk music had viewers entranced and grooving along to the sound of the smooth bass. My favourite part of their set was the saxophone solos because the pop of sound kept me on my toes during their instrumental songs.
At the same time at the SiriusXM Stage, the Blues Harp Blow-Off symbolized the “blue” in Bluesfest. The competition included well-known artists like Jerry Portnoy, Annie Rains and Steve Marriner.
Around 9 p.m., the area in front of RBC Stage quickly became busy and audience members became giddy as they waited for Mӧtley Crüe. At a crisp 9:30 p.m., the crowd roared as “Primal Scream” blared through the speakers.
The performance of each member of Mӧtley Crüe was impressive and entrancing. Highlights of the show include the many different moments when guitarist John 5 had a solo, and the passionate manner in which Tommy Lee played the drums. As someone who loves hearing live shows for the drumming, this set was so exciting! Though it was great to hear the instrumentals, the music was so loud that it was difficult to understand some of the lyrics.
Mӧtley Crüe played a long set that included their classics like “Kickstart My Heart”, “Shout At The Devil” and “Girls, Girls, Girls.” They also performed their new single, “‘Dogs of War”, along with many of their other popular songs. Overall, the show brought out a massive audience that were singing along to all the songs. The show finished with Tommy Lee kicking his drumsticks into the crowd as viewers applauded and cheered the band for their heated performance.
