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The much anticipated lineup for the 2020 edition of RBC Bluesfest arrived just after midnight this morning. Major additions include Alanis Morrisette, Blink-182, Billy Talent, Boyz II Men, Garbage, Blue Rodeo, Travis Tritt and more!

(cover photo Aerial shot of Ottawa Bluesfest 2019 ~ Bluesfest Press Images PHOTO/Scott Penner)

It always amazes me how fast time flies from opening night of RBC Bluesfest to the long walk home after the last show on the last night. What a year, the 25^th for RBC Bluesfest and the 7^th for Sound Check Entertainment. Sure, they were met with some weather challenges and some unforeseeable artist cancellations but for the most part RBC Bluesfest 2019 was one of the smoothest runnings of the festival I have ever attended. Mother Nature tried, and failed, on more than one occasion to disrupt the festivities but each time the sun managed to push through and clear things up with enough time to get most of the acts in.

The second last night of RBC Bluesfest was the night that was hit hardest by mother nature over the course of the 2019 event. Thunderstorms threatened to derail the entire night, ended up cutting K’Naan’s set short but, once again, she ran out of steam with enough time left to squeeze in the remaining acts with some minor schedule juggling.

It was another hot night at RBC Bluesfest and July 12 was a night that, for me, had the most acts in the lineup that I was keen to check out.

I don’t know what mother nature has against country music this summer but I’m starting to see a pattern here. Festival Country de Lotbinière, it rained.  Country night 1 featuring Eric Church, it rained and delayed the gates by 2 hours nearly threatening the night’s entertainment. Country Night 2, last night…it rained delaying the gates by 2 hours nearly threatening the night’s entertainment…anyone else see the pattern here? In all three cases the show was able to go on and country music fans came out in large numbers to party, country style.

Day 6 concluded with the the first hip hop show of the festival. Unlike previous years this one was tame compared to what we have seen in the past, likely thanks to relatively positive messages from headliner Logic.

“I don’t want anyone here tonight to walk away and say they got away with it, I want you all to go home and say those son of a bitches DID it” Brandon Flowers

Saturday, Day 3 at the Ottawa Bluesfest. The humidity had finally broke but the heat was still intense and not just from the sun. The Bluesville stage continued to be host to some outstanding artists. The Texas Horns who have been perennial guest stars of the festival for close to 20 years, were joined by The Split for a set of their own. If you love blues which is heavily driven by a horn section, The Texas Horns are a band you don’t want to miss. Kaz Kazanoff, John Mills and Al Gomez had the room full of excitement and energy that was thoroughly enjoyed by a packed house.

It’s hard to believe we’re already heading into day 3 of RBC Bluesfest. As anticipation grew in Ottawa for Eric Church’s appearance on Friday night mother nature decided to toy with music fans a little bit. Right around the time the music would normally start at the festival grounds the sky grew dark and mother nature unleashed her furry with heavy rain, lightning and strong winds. Would this be it for the night or would she let up in time for the show to go on?

Celebrating 25 years, Ottawa’s Bluesfest kicked off last night. One couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the festivities then having legendary rocking bluesman Steven Van Zandt and the Disciples of Soul headline the Bluesville stage.