RBC Bluesfest – Night 1 – Our Picks

Well it’s that time of year again. It’s Christmas morning for Ottawa music festival fans as the 2019 and 25th Anniversary Edition of RBC Bluesfest gets underway in just a few hours. Here’s some picks and our tips if you’re heading down to LeBreton Flats tonight.

Gates to LeBreton Flats open at 5pm, if you have to pickup your tickets will call offices are open from 3pm – 10pm daily with the exception of Monday July 8, it’s an off day so all offices are closed for the day.

Keep in mind that for your safety, and the safety of everyone attending the festival there will be security checkpoints at each entrance. All guests and their belongings are subject to search upon entry. New this year they have introduced a maximum bag size of 12″ x 12″ x 6″. Oversize diaper bags and bags specifically required for medical equipment will be allowed. Multiple bags per person are allowed.

Should you mistakenly bring an item that is not allowed in the festival grounds with you, you will have the opportunity to check these items at the bag check located outside the front gates. Cash payment of $5 per bag is required. Please note that due to the no re-entry on festival passes, you will not be able to retrieve your items until you are departing the festival. For more information on what is, and what isn’t permitted visit the RBC Bluesfest FAQ here.

Once again this year your RBC Bluesfest ticket will entitle you to free rides on OC Transpo to and from the festival starting 3 hours before gates open and until 2 hours after the gates close, we highly recommend taking advantage of this option as parking near the RBC Bluesfest grounds is extremely limited. For full details on transit and parking options visit the FAQ here.

On to the music, there are 14 acts in the lineup for opening night starting with Marie-Clo (Barney Danson Theatre), Nao (City Stage) and Steve Poltz (Bluesville Stage) at 6pm. A few acts that we think you should check out include:

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar

2018 was the break-out year so long deserved by Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar. In 2019, the group’s latest recording entitled Run To Me, earned a Juno nomination as well as 4 Maple Blues Award Nominations (Album of The Year, Songwriter of The Year, Entertainer of The Year, and Female Vocalist of The Year). Samantha makes our must see list every time she’s in town and for those of you wishing there was more “blues” at Bluesfest look no further than this Canadian gem. Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar will not disappoint, you can catch them tonight at 7:30 on the Bluesville Stage.

U.S. Girls

U.S. Girls is American-born, Meg Remy’s musical moniker. The Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist’s music traces a circuitous evolution. It encompasses unconventional, challenging sound work as prominently as her vocally-driven explorations of American pop mores (often on the same album). She accompanies her hugely distinctive voice with innovative set-ups, including combinations of reel-to-reel players, tape decks, and samplers, as well as occasionally singing with a full band. Remy has released a clutch of original records on labels as diverse as Siltbreeze, Kraak, FatCat and her own Calico Corp. imprint. This is an act that has intrigued us since the lineup was announced. Catch U.S. Girls at 8pm on Videotron Stage.

Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul

Little Steven and the Disciples Of Soul’s first new album of original material in 20 years, Summer of Sorcery, was released earlier this year via Wicked Cool/Ume/Universal Music Canada. The highly anticipated new album, a collection of 12 songs that captures the energy, excitement and electricity of summer, is receiving rave reviews for its exuberant mix of rock n’ soul delivered with unmatched passion and authenticity by one of rock and roll’s most loyal practitioners, Steven Van Zandt. Summer of Sorcery is Little Steven at his omnivorous, humanistic best, expertly crafted and deeply rooted in the many classic genres which taught and inspired the self-proclaimed “walking history lesson” from the jump. With their richly bombastic arrangements, floor-shaking groves, and high-powered performances from all involved, new songs like “Soul Power Twist and the album kick off “Communion” synthesize Van Zandt’s incalculable range of cultural and sonic inspirations into a one-of-a-kind brass-fueled brand of Technicolor rock ‘n’ soul unlike anyone else’s.

The album features 10 original new songs alongside “Suddenly You”, an outtake from the “Lilyhammer” score, Netflix’s first original series, which starred Van Zandt who also composed all the music for trailblazing show, and a reimagining of “Education” which was first recorded for his 1989 album Revolution. “The education system needs to be fixed, needs to be improved,” he says. “Teachers need to be supported. There needs to be more support, more funding. That’s what I’m trying to get across with my TeachRock program and that’s all in this song.”  His songs have been performed by artists such as Jackson Browne, Pearl Jam, Jimmy Cliff, Damian Marley, Gary U.S. Bonds, Darlene Love, Nancy Sinatra, Brian Setzer, Black Uhuru, and more. Steven Co-Produced the seminal Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band albums “The River”, and “Born in the U.S.A.” He has also produced albums for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ronnie Spector, Demolition 23, Majek Fashek, and more. Van Zandt’s accolades and accomplishments go on and on making him an act you definitely’ don’t want to miss! Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul hit the Bluesville Stage at 9pm!

alt-J

alt-J are an English indie rock band formed in 2007 in Leeds, by Joe Newman (guitar/lead vocals), Thom Sonny Green (drums), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards/vocals) and Gwil Sainsbury (guitar/bass).

The band’s debut album An Awesome Wave was released in May 2012 in Europe, and in September 2012 in the United States, and won the 2012 British Mercury Prize.

Their new album RELAXER follows 2014’s This Is All Yours, and their 2012 Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello Award-winning debut An Awesome Wave. Between them, the two records have sold in excess of two million copies and their songs have been streamed more than one billion times. The band have headlined festivals across the globe and sold out London’s O2 Arena and New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden. Want to see what the hype is all about? Don’t miss alt-J tonight at 9:30pm on the City Stage!

These are just a few of the 14 acts performing tonight, I guarantee you there is something for everyone at the festival this year and we’ll be there to showcase as much as we can take in. For a full listing of shows, set times and stages visit http://www.ottawabluesfest.com! We have setup a dedicated page on our website where you will find all of our RBC Bluesfest coverage in one place, check it out at https://www.soundcheckentertainment.ca/ottawabluesfest/

Please remember that we want everyone to be safe and have fun over the next week and a half! We want to leave you with this video from our friends at Ottawa Special Events!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9wEWQsecwU