Sights & Sounds from RBC’s Ottawa Bluesfest: July 12, 2015

Ottawa’s July weather can be tough to deal with – the outdoor thermometer may have read 31 C on Sunday, but including the humidity, it felt close to 40 C regardless of being in the direct sunlight or dim shade. Nevertheless, the gates opened at 2 and loyal fans began to roll in – mostly young girls – for Scott Hellman, reggae fans for Sticky Fingers and Tribal Seeds, and the eventual middle-aged men for ’90s alt-rock group Failure. By the time 5:00 rolled around, the festival saw the grounds filling up, the temperature dropping and the enthusiasm growing.

Photo by K.NE — Max Kerman of the Arkells sings his heart out to fans at Ottawa Bluesfest

Check out a few of the performances photographed from Sunday evening, and to see the full list of performers from July 12th, check out the Dusty Organ Daily Guide.

For the complete festival lineup and ticket information, head to the festival website.

The OBGMs (oOohh Baby Gimme Mores)

Toronto-based dance-punk group The OBGMs were the definition of wild Sunday afternoon at the Canadian Stage. Often asked “are you guys an R&B group?”, the chord-bashing, melodically exciting four-piece blew away the audience at the festival, undoubtedly expanding their fan base deeper into the heart of Ottawa. Jumping, stage leaping, and sporadic dance moves were the highlights of the show – see for yourself below:

The Glorious Sons

Kingston rockers The Glorious Sons may appear to be an overnight success since their 2014 Juno-nominated debut album The Union finding its way onto numerous Canadian radio stations, but the dedication and hard work that goes on behind the scenes was finally released to a devoted and excited audience. Check out the gallery below from their animated performance; their energy is visible in the gallery below:

Heems

NYC-based Punjabi-American hip-hop artist Heems has recently been promoting his solo work after hip-hop crew Das Racist broke up in 2012 for undisclosed reasons. His well-known comedic edge and explicit lyrical topics have been the undying fuel for his rapping success. His performance at Ottawa Bluesfest certainly helped to expand his name and introduced many new listeners to his music.

Cee Lo Green

Soul-driven pop star Cee Lo Green blessed the Claridge Homes Stage from his throne for a tremendous vocal performance. Donning a majestic robe, and accompanied by a stunning, sleekly-dressed band, the Atlanta-born musician drew loyal fans and wandering festival goers for an entertaining experience.

Arkells

Closing off the night at the Canadian Stage, Hamilton indie band The Arkells brought their momentum and energy from their performance at the Calgary Stampede the night before to Ottawa Bluesfest. Bursting with energy, the crowd reached far across the vicinity; spanning to the nearby food vendors for one of the largest crowds at the side stage, the show featured their best hits – old and new – for one of the festival’s best thus far.

Browse the gallery and share your favourites!