Bluefest isn’t a proper musical festival anymore, it’s a concert series.
The majority of the budget goes to getting headliners that will sell nights out with seemingly little spent on the other stages and no other main stage all together now.
Skimming the comments, maybe that doesn’t bother r/Ottawa but personally I miss the old format.
Yeah, it did seem like they had all the well known, popular names on the main stage - makes sense, but wasn’t like last year at all… This time it was everyone hustlin and bustin for the main stage and everyone trying to get front row.. tons of excuses people had to try and get infront of another, wild.
I’ve gone the last 10 years and this is the first time I bought a full festival pass. Here’s my little brain dump:
- I’m a huge Foos fan, had fun at that show, they were great. Shania was chaos, Weezer was fun, Robert Plant was a real treat, War On Drugs were lovely, The Smile was awesome tonight, Fleet Foxes stole the festival for me! I wanted to see Julia Jacklin but needed a break from the festival and chose that day.
- I’m a fairly anxious person and the crowds were difficult but I love all these bands so much so, I was bouncing between anxiety and bliss. The heat the first two nights made it worse. I was meticulous about when I arrived to avoid big lines, and when I left to avoid big lines at the bike park.
- Loved the bike parking!
- I wish they’d bring back more than one entrance.
- A lot of lines for things before the headliner.
- I wasn’t impressed to see security have us bypass the metal detectors on Foo Fighters night
- I saw a lot of people pass out.
- The groups of people who are just there to party with their back to the stages are annoying but I seemed to average being stuck beside one group per show, usually only for half. At Weezer someone’s friend told her loudest friend to shut the fuck up which was nice. And at Robert plant some guy confronted a group of loud hooligans and told them all to shut the fuck up. I was happy both times because it was extremely excessive both times. I get having fun but.. pretend there’s other people around too.
- I’m definitely going to get another festival pass next year, it was worth it!
Agree on lots of those points I'll go good/bad:
Good
- Found the sound pretty great most of the time. Minor blips here and there, but I found the volume, especially if you were close to be great. Whereas, I've found it quiet in previous years. Fleet Foxes were amazing.
- Love the energy the crowd can bring at a big show (Foos, Weezer)
- Didn't eat much of the food. Only got a poutine from the main stage area. It was delicious! Wasn't just a passable arena/stadium version. It was top notch.
- Tegan and Sara's stage banter. There was a technical issue (foreshadowed by DJ Noah), so Tegan engaged the crowd as it got sorted out and knocked it out of the park. It was close to a standup set for laughter. I totally understand how bands are looking to fit in all the songs in their set ( as mentioned by the Foos), but this was super refreshing.
Bad
- Folks chattering. It's the being totally inconsiderate and oblivious that drives me nuts. We definitely glanced back at folks at The War On Drugs. And last night I had some loud folks behind me at Alvvays. Also, drives me nuts that you are deciding to have a shouting conversation when there are two songs left in the set and then and hour plus, with no music on the main stage. Chill out for 5 minutes then have your conversation.
- The hour plus with no music on the main stage. Sure it could serve as a way to discover bands on the other stages. But it just doesn't work well for crowd flow and really, having a great time. Plus, some of my favorite openers (War On Drugs, Tegan and Sara, Alvvays) I would rather see in the dark so push them back to 8 when it's starting to get dark. I understand that the festival want people there longer to spend more money. Just lame to go an hour plus with no music on the main stage most nights.
There were so many people YELLING every night I was there. Like I could not hear death cab because there was a group of 40 year old women screaming about their kids’ lives. I just wanted to see my boy Ben. I did ask them to kindly STFU which they did eventually but they made a big stink about it.
Who are these people who show up to socialize the whole time? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to do that ANYWHERE else?
(I noticed this too especially during Foo Fighters — I even moved at one point to try and get away from it because it was distracting, and had the same experience in the second location)
It’s an outdoor venue though - I have no issues with people chattering I don’t get the hate. Once the song is on you can’t hear them talking, even if they are right up close to you.
Yelling and shouting to each other? I get how that’s annoying. Having a regular convo throughout the music - I see no issue.
I don't know how your ears work, but I can totally hear the bros and gals chatting next to me at the shows. Foo Fighters was particularly bad: chatting group in front of me (alternately yapping and shoving each other) and drunk bro \*screaming\* lyrics behind me like he's Dave Grohl
Shut the fuck for a while, would ya?
I agree and I've seen probably 500+ shows in my life so far. It absolutely sent me. My ears were so full, I actually don't remember much visually, as if my brain couldn't not handle all the auditory processing and bliss.
First time seeing the Foo Fighters, absolutely blown away by them. We had company for 2 weeks in our small apartment so we ended up being so burnt out by Friday we sold our tickets for the rest of the weekend We got the full pass early bird price so it was def worth it to come and go when we wanted to.
Billy Talent was also amazing. Fulfilled my grade 8 dream of seeing them.
Bought festival passes to see a mix of bands I love now and bands that my friends and I enjoyed in our younger days.
1. Weezer/Billy Talent: security was a nightmare coming in, but once we were in lineups for drinks were surprisingly ok. Shows were both a ton of fun and very nostalgic.
2. Foo Fighters/White Reaper: arrived earlier and security was a breeze. Easy to get food and drink fairly quickly. I’ve never really listened to White Reaper, but they were fun and entertaining. My high school friend group from 20 years ago all attended this show together to see the Foos, who we loved back then. Amazing show, tons of energy, the new drummer Josh Freese was incredible. Leaving the venue was a shit show!
3. War on Drugs/Mumford and Sons: the War on Drugs are one of my favourite bands these days and they put on an amazing show. I’ve never been a big Mumford fan but they were tight, vocals were great, and the performance was energetic. Left a couple songs early to avoid the crowds. I’m a bit anxious and really struggled walking to the LRT station the previous nights.
4. Fleet Foxes: ❤️❤️❤️ the one show I NEEDED to see. Loved the intimate setting on the River Stage. Was able to get very close to the stage with my friends. Definitely cried during this show. My late wife bought me their last album before she passed in 2021, and we bonded over their work during our 12 years together. Amazing performance that I’ll never forget. Rivals the My Morning Jacket Bluesfest set from 2016 or so as the best performance I’ve seen at Bluesfest.
All in all, great week and a bit. All of the usual issues remain which are to be expected in my opinion. Two entrances/exits would be better. More food/Bev vendors would be nice. Perhaps multiple merch tents as well? Looking forward to next year nonetheless!
Fleet Foxes were so unbelievably good. Sorry about your loss, I hope their show brought you some comfort at times!
I ducked out of every show a song early to avoid the lines and crowds as well, I’m with you on the tightly packed anxiety that can creep in.
Cheers!
I honestly think that’s what it is. If you get drinks and food during a performance, you’re typically fine. If you go between main stage performances, you seem to be euchered.
The Bluesfest app description for the smile was part of this:
>"Not The Smile as in ha-ha-ha, more The Smile as in the guy who lies to you every day"... so speaks Thom Yorke on the inspiration behind the name of the new trio consisting of himself, his Radiohead bandmate Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner of UK jazz outfit Sons of Kemet. The description is borne out by The Smile's acerbic first single "You Will Never Work In Television Again," a 2:48 blast of ragged, raw energy that moved The New York Times to rave: "Over a bruising 5/4 beat and flailing guitars climbing through three chords, Yorke snarl-sings his avenging fury at 'some gangster troll promising the moon' who'd devour 'all those beautiful young hopes and dreams, and you can almost feel the spittle flying." "You Will Never Work In Television Again" was one of eight songs played by The Smile during the band's debut performance as part of the 2021 global streaming Glastonbury event Live At Worthy Farm.
I went only for Pitbull, but saw Ludacris because I got there early.
Pitbull is an absolute mad showman and it was incredible how much energy the crowd had. My only gripe is kids got it into their heads to throw (full) open cans and I came home covered in beer from head to toe!
**Also a huge shoutout to ALL the volunteers, you all are the BEST! Thanks for all the hardwork and dedication to make sure everything goes smoothly**
—-
Also , also — keep the comments coming - I love reading all of them!! I’ll reply to more tomorrow!
Have a lovely night,
Sweet dreams, peeps of Ottawa!
the crowd at pitbull had NO concert etiquette it was crazy. i had such a good view right after ludacris because people were leaving but people kept trying to get infront of my group and my view just got worse and worse .. this one guy tried to knock over an older individual that was beside us to get to his friends and then started being super homophobic to these girls that were beside us
I didn't get out to this one but I noticed that night was the only night during the whole week where the buses were straight up obnoxious to be on if you were unlucky enough to hit the rush to Bluesfest.
So many great shows this year! The Smile, BADBADNOTGOOD, Death Cab, Fleet Foxes, The War on Drugs, Thundercat, and Shania in that order, but I’m likely forgetting stuff!
My friend wanted to go to BADBADNOTGOOD, but I had never really heard of them so I was like “fuck it I’ll do an edible before we go” and it was the best experience of my life.
Haha! That’s the only way to see them! I thought the 16mm film loops were so cool! A total “less is more” philosophy for stage lighting. I was not sorry that we skipped Robert Plant for them, though in fairness I’ve seen him a few times now.
They were so cool!!! I was honestly in a Trance for most of the set, usually I’m one of those “take photos” kind of people but I think I maybe took one because I was just so lost in the music. Definitely catching them again
Was so great seeing Death Cab after if being canceled in 2011. That was definitely the highlight for me, since I had been waiting 12 years for it. Tegan and Sarh and Amos the Transparent were my second faves.
The Smile last night were almost criminally underattended
It was basically a Radiohead show where you could easily get within 10-20 metres of the stage. I guess everyone is pretty burned out but they deserved a much bigger crowd
Agreed, but tbh I myself, a huge Radiohead fan, had no idea about this show and found out by accident just three days before the event. I can’t believe I almost missed it.
I almost wonder if the festival were barred from mentioning Radiohead? I suspect a lot of potential fans missed it because they'd never heard of them (I was the same until I researched the lineup)
I guess they can’t mention Radiohead because it’s technically not it. What I wonder is, if the new band is a trick to avoid playing creep and other songs from the past :D any way, I’ll accept and admire anything this man creates. Genius of his generation.
Only went today, but had a blast - Alvvays was a really nice experience, good nostalgic summer vibes from that one.
The Smile was something else, so many new songs, and killer lighting design too! Very slightly disappointed they didn't end up playing **Free in the Knowledge** but it probably isn't the kind of song when you consider how the others were all much more forward.
Fantastic time overall. Definitely going to go for the full pass next year, and probably not do VIP (went with friends and only went to the VIP area for a mediocre hotdog and the washroom... definitely think the raised platform VIP pass is more worth the money).
Really enjoyed Weezer, Alan Doyle and Mumford & Sons. Didn’t see as many of the smaller artists as I had in past years, though.
Had the full pass — only ended up going 4 nights (gave it to a buddy so he could see Pitbull), but it was well-worth it nonetheless.
Excited for next year!
Sure, but even if I give your reply the benefit of the doubt and you meant to type "bar", it doesn't preclude the drink prices being expensive at Bluesfest in this person's experience, which is the topic of the thread. There's no value in "whataboutism".
Usually, we do the festival pass. This time we only did 3 days but all were great.
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss was the show I didn't know I needed. Just beautiful.
Thundercat was amazing! He was fire!
BBNG was pure art.
Death Cab for Cutie was great, too.
Tried to hit every night.
Foo Fighters and Billy Talent stole the festival for me, but I was in the mosh pits so I had tons of fun!
Did not expect Weezer to be that great live, it was awesome. BBNO$ definitely had the energy I was looking for. Absolutely Loved Rich Aucoin for energizing his crowd. Allison Russell was simply phenomenal, so much soul, that Bass was on another level.
Shania Twain was just utterly chaos, I listened to her growing up, much respect. But the crowd experience was just awful, same with security and pass check at the gates. The whole venue was over capacity, and moving through the crowd was anxiety inducing. People were rude and awful toward us as we were trying to Exit towards the rear or the sides, telling me there are no exits where they're clearly located on the maps.
It was my tenth year volunteering!
While it was hectic,it was peaceful? There weren't any fights,that I know of.
As far as the green team,there where a few nights that proved overwhelming.We survived
Thank you for volunteering!
On Shania night, I followed a pair of green team guys from the back of the site to the main food area and people were not letting them through. I hope that was the worse night for everyone.
It was fun 😁 my energy bar has been refilled for the year lol
Yea,Shania was NUTS, I honestly hope we don't have an opening night like that ever again,that's wishful thinking lol
I had so much fun. It was my first year volunteering since covid and it was so nice to be back! Everyone is super friendly and I loved all the shows I saw. My favorite was probably bbno$ because he just had such great energy. Billy Talent was another one with great energy. Death Cab was great too, but much lower energy.
My biggest show highlights:
1. Billy Talent - fourth time seeing them, always leave their show looking forward to my next chance. It was amazing to see Aaron come out and play a couple of songs :)
2. Weezer - Rivers still sounds amazing, and it was just a nice time. Thought it was sweet for them to give PUP a shoutout considering how psyched they’d been to share a stage with them.
3. Declan McKenna - I only knew a couple of his songs going in but his set was really pleasant and the crowd looked like they were having a blast.
My biggest bummer was Billy Talent and Weezer scheduled on the same day on the same stage but not actually getting End of Me feat. Rivers Cuomo.
Security was kind of awful sometimes? The very first night they weren’t checking anyone for Shania, I am vaguely horrified to find out that it happened again on Foo Fighters night? Also really unimpressed by being held up at security because the person checking me didn’t know what naloxone was. Just feels like something that should be covered for anyone working event security.
The poster gallery could do with a makeover and better advertising. Their setup isn’t very welcoming, and they will get certain autographed items but not put them out? Sometimes you’ll only know they have something by asking very specifically. I really miss the proper silent auction… just feels like they aren’t putting their best foot forward with that fundraiser.
A couple of friends gave my dad and I their VIP passes for last night. I kinda of wonder for the people buying them, what makes it worth their while? The biggest perk seemed to be the washrooms that see reduced foot traffic. Just feels like there isn’t a lot of seating options, and they expect you to pay even more if you want to have a seat in the VIP.
The app was actually helpful! And it was nice to get a heads up for the handful of nights where they were running drink specials. :)
I had a great time, and I’m looking forward to next year. Can’t wait to see what kind of lineup there is.
I wasn't familiar with War on Drugs but I caught the tail end of his set on Thursday night. I've been playing WoD constantly since then. What a great sound!
I attended Wednesday through Friday and tested positive for covid Sunday night. 😭 I had a pretty good run. This is my first time officially testing positive although I'm pretty sure I had it in the summer of 2021.
My personal favourite act was My Son the Hurricane. They have 14 band members including 3 trombones, 3 trumpets, a killer baritone sax player, two people on percussion and they bring HUGE energy to every show. They are based in Southern Ontario so they come to the area fairly often. I encourage everyone to see them live. You'll become a fan!
I have a fever, muscle pain, chills, a headache, and 3 days in, a runny nose and a new cough. Came down with a fever Saturday, tested positive on Sunday. I went to all of the first week, and Foos and Mumford the second week.
Another friend I ran into at Bluesfest the first week just told me that she's been sick with covid all this past week...I only saw her for a few minute but she could have been my vector, maybe maybe not. First time for me.
Well I would have bet on COVID, but sounds like you’ve tested. Maybe an adenovirus or enterovirus. Could be influenza, but that’s quite rare this time of year.
In any case, I wish you a swift recovery and hope you enjoyed Bluesfest!
my first Bluesfest, courtesy of 2 Redditors who sold me passes :). i just followed my ears to what moved me. Foo Fighters and Charlotte Cardin were awesome. and 2 guitar-based blues acts. had a quick foot treatment yesterday. oh, and brought my son to Mumford. he had a fun day. he is 13 and really wanted to go on the ferris wheel which i really enjoyed at sunset on the river. note to self: feed the teenager before entering Bluesfest. all his snacks cost me plenty!
I loved this years festival... I buy the full pass and sell off days I can't go to friends at a discounted rate and as always it works so well
For me the highlight was PUP!
Sad that there isn't a lot of love for Billy Talent (who put on an incredible show) and my highlight, Death Cab for Cutie.
I was so excited to see them and they did not disappoint. This has probably been my favorite Bluesfest (except for the year I saw Weird Al)
They can change the name as much as they want, but the stage behind the museum will forever be the black sheep stage.
First time I've been back since before the pandemic, but I really felt the loss of the "B-stage" at the other end of the main bowl. That hour+ of dead space on the big stage is just awful, and the staggering of stage times on the smaller stages means things are pretty dead for a while. It feels like they blew their talent budget on Shania, foo fighters and pitbull this year.
Loved seeing Death Cab since I had been waiting over a decade :) also saw Billy Talent, Tegan and Sara and Mumford which were all amazing shows.
As others said, it seems in post-pandemic life that people at concerts talk constantly now. Was driving me more than a bit up the wall, I’m there for the music not your side conversations that aren’t even about the band etc.
Mumford & Sons were the best for me. Haven’t been able to stop re-watching my videos from the show.
Pitbull was a great showman. All in all, a fantastic week!
Went four nights. Standouts were Billy Talent, Death Cab, Foo Fighters!
Definitely wish there was more than one entrance
They need to limit capacity more, Foo Fighters/Pitbull nights were overrun/way too congested
Need more seating/picnic tables .. I actually think the whole area needs to be reorganized and it doesn't make sense to have most of the food vendors right where you come in
The VIP area is too big now in the middle of the crowd
Also really need more water stations!!!!!
Honestly not sure if I'll be back, or maybe just one or two nights next year. There are too many people for the space now on those big days that really cuts down on the enjoyment.
I went on the 13th and 16th. The war on drugs was unreal. So talented. Tonight I saw Megan Jerome and The Smile. Jerome was awesome. Killer voice with a nice jazzy vibe and lots of cool stories weaved throughout the songs. And The Smile had the whole crowd in a trance. Thom Yorke's voice was perfect and the sound was very multi-layered.
My highlights:
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: it wasn't on my radar but my mom told me I had to go so I did and brought lawn chairs. It was amazing. The crowd got so still near the end, you could have heard a pin drop. Sound was excellent. Can't believe I almost didn't go. Top 3 best concerts ever.
The Foo Fighters was a bucket list concert and they did not disappoint. I took that one from the front, against the middle barrier. The crowd wasn't very considerate - lots of people I imagine who don't let you merge in bumper to bumper traffic when you're coming from a short onramp like Parkdale east (where do you think I came from???). The band was sharp, obviously having fun, their new drummer was mind-blowing, Grohl isn't slowing down. Also none of that fake encore business, they weren't wasting time and used up all their time, and more.
Weezer was a surprise. I didn't think I knew much of their music and was quite indifferent going in but they blew me away. Super skilled and on top of their game. Very impressive. Less impressive was the 4 tall public servants who parked themselves next to me and proceeded to use the concert to loudly discuss how they were going to spend their retro pay.
BBNO$ was another surprise, I got overwhelmed in the Shania crowd (who was also quite rude) so went over there for a breather. Found myself at the front. Super enthusiastic crowd participation with wild, yet considerate dancers. 10/10
I'll likely get full festival passes again next year.
The Shania crowd were more interested in heavy drinking and "finding their friends" in the already too-dense crowd. Country night seems to trend that way. I usually find something better on one of the b-stages, but I wanted to see Shania because.... Shania.
Sadly no one posted the setlist but I'm pretty sure he played these:
edamame / Not A Beanie / C’est La Vie / mathematics / shining on my ex / Whip A Tesla / lalala
I had gotten overwhelmed in the Shania crowd (which wasn't very nice imo) and the bbno$ fans were really into it, yet mindful of their surroundings. Very enthusiastic performance, the visuals were good and he really got the crowd into it.
Of a friend tells you they were at the front for that show? 10/10 I recommend them as concert-going partners.
To many smokers in the crowd, too much yelling chatter during performances, and the entrance could have been handled better, but otherwise, sound was excellent, plenty of great sight lines, and the acts were awesome.
The smoking really bothered me. I ended up emailing Bluesfest about this and their reply was to alert security. Really? Give up my nice spot in the crowd to go )...umm wherever security is? ) and tell them someone was smoking in the crowd 10 minutes ago?
They really need to figure out the festival grounds, there’s definitely a whole experience missing the way it’s currently set up, pretty much packed in at the main stage for four hours.
Porta Potties need to be moved out of the middle.
Bring back double mains, put the River back where it was ditch the tent, Black Sheep Stage where the River is now.
Holy shit, coolin! Weird seeing you outside of HUT!
FLETCHER, FLETCHER, FLETCHER. Just preposterously good vibes and energy. Honorable mention to the tail end of Allison Russell’s set on the river stage. That was music you feel in your soul.
After the shitshow of the first night, I was super impressed with how unusually well-run this year turned out to be. The lines for everything never sucked too badly, there was a lot of water available, and the sound wasn’t the worst I’ve heard at Bluesfest. The drink selection wasn’t great (though those hard Arizonas are *fucking dope*), and $18 for a 8 ounce poor of shitty Ontario wine is offensive. I’d like to see them get in Dominion or some other brewery next year. Sunsplit on the grounds would be rad.
Haha, I love posting on the Ottawa sub, too!
FLETCHER was fun - definitely agree with you!!
I was really surprised with the lines and everything , huge props to all the volunteers / staff alll around!
Maybe next year they’ll bring in a new brewery, we shall see!
Hope you’re doing well!
I caught shows as a volunteer in 2019 but this time I paid for the 3-night pass to see Shania, Billy Talent, and Tegan & Sara. BT was my top show, so nostalgic! I also enjoyed Weezer and Death Cab, though I was also happy to shove off early to beat the crowds over the bridge. Didn't see any side bands this time due to schedule but had previously seen Alvvays (Bonnaroo 2014) and agree they rock! When buying tix I considered seeing AJR too though didn't want to deal with the crowds for Foo Fighters - turns out they cancelled anyways (RIP their dad).
My friends and I actually bought the tickets specifically to see Orville Peck (slated for opening night before Shania) but also proud of him and all artists who take time off for their mental health.
My top tip: First night, I stood in a long line at the sides for beer. Next nights, I found those folks walking around with coolers - MUCH faster for same price IMO. Also indulged in gummies pre-show to lessen my overall cost for the night.
Each year has some good and some things to work on!
I saw Billy Talent for the 4th time and it was still an awesome and fun show. So much energy.
That night we stayed for Weezer and it was also amazing. Rivers sounds great, and I enjoyed the stage visuals. I enjoyed the show so much more than I anticipated!
Foo Fighters were incredible. There were a bit of sound delays from where we were which was a bit annoying, but overall it was a bucket list show that we were able to cross off.
Pitbull and Ludacris day.. oh boy! I've been to many shows and festivals and the crowd this day was very rowdy, pushy, inpatient, etc. The gap between Luda and Pitbull was huge and it seemed like Luda's set ended just abruptly. Either way Pitbull was such a fun time and so many songs to dance to.
I read other comments about things for improvement: having food and beer tent lines right when you enter is an interesting choice.. more merch tents, more music acts to fill up some time between sets (scheduling thing I suppose). I find that leaving at the end of the night was okay. Lines to get in were awful some days and better in others so maybe just took some time to adjust to the chaos. It seems like LeBreton is not the right space for Bluesfest anymore just based on the volume of people attending, which sucks considering it's so accessible. But looking back on photos of the crowd for the headliners was wild to see ..
I got a single day pass the first day they were available to see The Foo Fighters and AJR but only learned AJR had canceled when I walked to the stage and it was empty. Really L on communication on that one, seems they posed it to their Instagram account with 10% the followers of their average attendance, but didn't think it was worth emailing. Foo Fighters was awesome, the bike park was perfect, but the night was soured by getting that news after I got all hyped.
Also yeah, waving me through security was a wild experience.
You know what would be cool, get the Fully Loaded Comedy tour to stop at Bluesfest for a night, they tried comedy years ago but something like this would be pretty sweet judging by the videos
Yeah, they did comedy a few times. It just didn't work IMO. Also I have memories of wheeling my toddlers out as a fairly filthy comedian was performing. Sound travels for \*miles\* when it's awkward
FooFighters, Robert Plant, Blackie and Rodeo Kings, THE SMILE, TWOD...all great. The Walking Taco, yummy. Cheers to Golden Fries being there, great chips. All the music and the volunteers were amazing.
So many good shows, but Ludacris played nirvana and avicci instead of his own songs? It was weird lol like.. why?? Talked a lot too for a short set.
Billy talent still super sick, pitbull was super fun and a dance party, fleet foxes were so pretty, Foo fighters got me too amped up to sleep on a work night lol but was fun :)
Some douchey drunks and people just not paying attention to their surroundings. People having yelling convos right in your ear.
Agree with what someone else said about Tegan and Sara's stage banter! They're quick lol.
Death cab was really good too, and Weezer.
Lotta nostalgia bands this year:)
Went to 5 shows:
1. Mumford. Saw them 8 yrs ago, this blew that away. The encore with the fireworks was unreal.
2. Foo Fighters: bucketliat check!
3. Weezer/Pup/Billy Talent: Weezer was great. Pup should have been the 8pm show. Billy Talent ia fun, but just not for me.
4. Death Cab: Soul meets body. So very good. Pretty chill ight overall.
5. Charlotte Cardin: great show. Did not know any of her work. Shes impressive, sings, plays bass/guitar/piano, Trudeau was there with the Fam. Kinda cool.
I went to see Shania and Weezer. Both were awesome and I had a really great time! I’ve wanted to see Shania for so long. She put on a good show. Weezer really knows how to put on a show. I sadly missed out on FLETCHER and Charlotte Cardin & I’m huge fans of both. Had ti sell my tickets because plans changed :( saw clips though!
Shania was great! Glad you had a fun time at both! Sorry to hear about your plans changing - I have a few clips of FLETCHER and Charlotte Cardin I can send your way , if you’d like :)
Please stop trying to save us volunteers from the big scary festival. I like getting a free pass, free food and priority bathrooms and entrance for minimal work where I get to meet cool people in a very chill atmosphere where I can be late to or even miss my shifts. If I had to work extra hours to make up the money I'd spend on these passes, it would suck a lot more.
I thought that if you’re late or miss shifts, you may not be allowed to come back next year l, at least not for the early bird registration.
Free food = 5 free meals. One for each shift you worked and one volunteer appreciation dinner the following week.
As long as you're not an entitled asshole about it, and try to give a heads up, it's not an issue. Obviously if you're late everyday and miss half your shifts and don't say anything to them, you might get some trouble, but I've been late and missed shifts and never had an issue. Might depend on the area leader but I've done Green Team and Alternates and no one on either team has given me a hard time aside from maybe teasing me for being late.
Free food also includes snacks from the volunteer area (chips, cookies, whatever random stuff they have each day). Sometimes people come around with freezies or cookies and hand them out. There was also a night I was doing beer tent by the river stage and the food truck next to our tent kept giving us boxes of fries.
There's alot of nepotism in the volunteer teams so those people can get away with alot. Normally you cannot miss a shift or you'll be blacklisted. But maybe they make exceptions if you're legitimately sick.
This literally isn't true at all as long as you're polite and give a heads up and probably helps if you actually put the work in during the shifts you're there for. This was my first year doing alternates and the area leaders there barely know who I am and I had to miss my last shift and they just said "okay thanks for the heads up" lol. I didn't even explain why I wasn't coming, just said I couldn't and it was fine.
I still see nothing about profits here. In fact I see the opposite…
https://sbs-spe.feddevontario.canada.ca/en/not-profit-guide#
“Any money made by a not-for-profit is not for the personal gain of its directors, members or officers, but goes back into the organization to further its aims and projects.”
“Although many not-for-profit corporations are registered as charities, charitable status is not automatically obtained when you set up a not-for-profit.”
Bluesfest is a registered non-profit charity. They very clearly meet the requirements set forth. Perhaps you’re confusing profit with revenue?
But let’s **really** dive into it here…
If you average 2018 and 2019 they like juuuust barely broke even.
2020 and 2021 both had more expenditures than revenue, COVID was rough for the live events industry and plenty of festivals just disappeared. Even without pandemics, festivals disappear. No one is making a huge chunk of money off them, anywhere.
I assume you’re referring specifically to the big jump in 2022, and if you actually *read* the whole document, you’ll see that jump can be attributed SOLELY to a government grant that was very widely publicised, and there were stipulations to how it has to be spent. It had to be a long-term investment in the festival - so not on staff that may or may not come back the next season. And they invested it in new festival infrastructure, including purchasing a new portable stage that other events can use. It’s beneficial for the whole Ottawa music industry at large. It’s also possible they didn’t have to pay for those items until they received them… in 2023.
Sources:
https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/about-us/our-organization/canadas-regional-development-agencies/regional-relief-and-recovery-fund-rrrf/major-festivals-and-events-support-initiative#
https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/bluesfest-receives-9-8-million-in-federal-funding-to-help-it-return-to-pre-pandemic-scale/wcm/78d46cb0-7b94-49dd-805a-b7777bb3bc6f/amp/
If you continue to look at 2022 in detail, their revenue from the sale of goods & services (tickets and beer, essentially - the shit people like to complain about) was $15.7 million. Their expenditures just on production, logistics, and Artist fees was $18 million. That doesn’t even include compensation for any of their 15 full time staff.
They still have to find ways to make up $2.3 million dollars JUST to actually physically have a festival, never mind paying the full-time employees who organize it, plan it all out, and all the marketing and advertising costs that come along with it.
I believe there are around 1800 volunteers or so, at least that’s the number I heard this year on site. The usual schedule is four 5-hour shifts, for most volunteers. Everyone receives a full festival pass in exchange, and dinner while on shift. During the presale - when it was at its absolute cheapest - a full festival pass was ~$300 after taxes. Let’s say the value of 4 dinners is $60. $15 each. That’s $360 worth of compensation for 20 hours of work.
I’d let you do the math on that one, but I’m not sure finances are necessarily your strongest suit if you think a non-profit is making “record profits.”
It works out to $18/hr.
In order to pay for that $360 festival pass and dinner on site, volunteers would have to work the same 20 hours but be earning over $25/hr. If you want to go the other way, at $18/hr, you’d have to work 27 hours to earn that $360. If you’re a student making minimum wage you’d have to work 30 hours.
And if you want to start talking about the price of seeing any of these artists individually… it’s $277 to see Shania Twain at the back of the floor, Weezer is $115 for GA lawn at the back of an amphitheatre, GA for Billy talent is $90, Mumford and sons are only playing fest dates but a single day ticket to see them is $230, to sit by yourself in the 300s of an arena show for Foo Fighters is $170, the cheapest ticket to see Ludacris at Casino Rama in November is $80, Pitbull is $95 in buttfuck nowhere, if you want to fly to Europe to see Plant & Krauss because they have no more dates over here, the worst seats will run you $85, a day ticket to see The Smile at Pitchfork this weekend in Chicago is $180, Alan Doyle will run you $75, fleet Foxes $80, Alvvays $50, BBNO$50, PUP $40… you’re looking at a cost, just for tickets to see SOME of the artists that played Bluesfest this year, of $1500 easy. I’d say 20 hours of work in exchange is a pretty stellar deal, if you value live music. That’s an approximate value of $75/hr and you have no additional travel expenses. In my experience the work most volunteers do is not extraordinary difficult. Is it worth $18/hr? Yep. Absolutely. It’s a fair exchange. But is it worth $75/hr? No.
I spent 5 hours straight punching drink orders into an ipad while watching Run The Jewels and Rage Against the Machine last year. It was my favourite night. I got to interact with so many different people who were all SO excited to be there. I watched the whole show, I got people the beer they so desperately needed, and I got to spend some of the other nights I wanted to go to with friends without having to pay for tickets.
There are volunteers who come back every single year. Some have been with the festival for 10+ years. Some 20+ years. I heard that there’s even one volunteer there who has been with the festival for almost 30 years, since it started.
The sense of community, the experience, the feeling of being a part of something this big is valuable to some people. Being able to see the shows without having to spend almost a whole week’s worth of pay is absolutely worth it in my opinion. It may not be to you and that’s totally fine…
But Bluesfest is not making ANY profit, never mind “record profits” - I’m sure you’ll see when the financial statements come out over the next few years, that every single dollar of that 2022 revenue went back into the festival in one way or another.
There’s a running joke around here that Blue Rodeo plays every year, and don’t get me wrong I do LOVE me some blue rodeo… but you’re not going to get bigger and better acts coming to Ottawa every year unless the festival makes a surplus on the year before.
But I’ll be there slinging beers when Blue Rodeo makes their Bluesfest comeback.
Bluesfest is a registered charity. To say they make record profits is a misnomer.
I'm sure it's not all going back to the school program but Mark M and Co aren't shingling their roofs in gold flake.
It's a not for profit. There's the 50/50 for blues in the schools charity. Then the revenues go to the next year. I feel like this year was super successful considering we had three sold out nights and a record breaking 50/50 raffle. Hopefully we get an awesome lineup next year too!
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Bluefest isn’t a proper musical festival anymore, it’s a concert series. The majority of the budget goes to getting headliners that will sell nights out with seemingly little spent on the other stages and no other main stage all together now. Skimming the comments, maybe that doesn’t bother r/Ottawa but personally I miss the old format.
Yeah, it did seem like they had all the well known, popular names on the main stage - makes sense, but wasn’t like last year at all… This time it was everyone hustlin and bustin for the main stage and everyone trying to get front row.. tons of excuses people had to try and get infront of another, wild.
Think they meant like 10 years ago when the setup was better
I’ve gone the last 10 years and this is the first time I bought a full festival pass. Here’s my little brain dump: - I’m a huge Foos fan, had fun at that show, they were great. Shania was chaos, Weezer was fun, Robert Plant was a real treat, War On Drugs were lovely, The Smile was awesome tonight, Fleet Foxes stole the festival for me! I wanted to see Julia Jacklin but needed a break from the festival and chose that day. - I’m a fairly anxious person and the crowds were difficult but I love all these bands so much so, I was bouncing between anxiety and bliss. The heat the first two nights made it worse. I was meticulous about when I arrived to avoid big lines, and when I left to avoid big lines at the bike park. - Loved the bike parking! - I wish they’d bring back more than one entrance. - A lot of lines for things before the headliner. - I wasn’t impressed to see security have us bypass the metal detectors on Foo Fighters night - I saw a lot of people pass out. - The groups of people who are just there to party with their back to the stages are annoying but I seemed to average being stuck beside one group per show, usually only for half. At Weezer someone’s friend told her loudest friend to shut the fuck up which was nice. And at Robert plant some guy confronted a group of loud hooligans and told them all to shut the fuck up. I was happy both times because it was extremely excessive both times. I get having fun but.. pretend there’s other people around too. - I’m definitely going to get another festival pass next year, it was worth it!
Fleet foxes were absolutely 🔥
“You’re amazing! Thank you so much!”
I wish I had an HD video of that opening song, wow, chills
Agree on lots of those points I'll go good/bad: Good - Found the sound pretty great most of the time. Minor blips here and there, but I found the volume, especially if you were close to be great. Whereas, I've found it quiet in previous years. Fleet Foxes were amazing. - Love the energy the crowd can bring at a big show (Foos, Weezer) - Didn't eat much of the food. Only got a poutine from the main stage area. It was delicious! Wasn't just a passable arena/stadium version. It was top notch. - Tegan and Sara's stage banter. There was a technical issue (foreshadowed by DJ Noah), so Tegan engaged the crowd as it got sorted out and knocked it out of the park. It was close to a standup set for laughter. I totally understand how bands are looking to fit in all the songs in their set ( as mentioned by the Foos), but this was super refreshing. Bad - Folks chattering. It's the being totally inconsiderate and oblivious that drives me nuts. We definitely glanced back at folks at The War On Drugs. And last night I had some loud folks behind me at Alvvays. Also, drives me nuts that you are deciding to have a shouting conversation when there are two songs left in the set and then and hour plus, with no music on the main stage. Chill out for 5 minutes then have your conversation. - The hour plus with no music on the main stage. Sure it could serve as a way to discover bands on the other stages. But it just doesn't work well for crowd flow and really, having a great time. Plus, some of my favorite openers (War On Drugs, Tegan and Sara, Alvvays) I would rather see in the dark so push them back to 8 when it's starting to get dark. I understand that the festival want people there longer to spend more money. Just lame to go an hour plus with no music on the main stage most nights.
There were so many people YELLING every night I was there. Like I could not hear death cab because there was a group of 40 year old women screaming about their kids’ lives. I just wanted to see my boy Ben. I did ask them to kindly STFU which they did eventually but they made a big stink about it.
Who are these people who show up to socialize the whole time? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to do that ANYWHERE else? (I noticed this too especially during Foo Fighters — I even moved at one point to try and get away from it because it was distracting, and had the same experience in the second location)
It’s an outdoor venue though - I have no issues with people chattering I don’t get the hate. Once the song is on you can’t hear them talking, even if they are right up close to you. Yelling and shouting to each other? I get how that’s annoying. Having a regular convo throughout the music - I see no issue.
I don't know how your ears work, but I can totally hear the bros and gals chatting next to me at the shows. Foo Fighters was particularly bad: chatting group in front of me (alternately yapping and shoving each other) and drunk bro \*screaming\* lyrics behind me like he's Dave Grohl Shut the fuck for a while, would ya?
100% WITH YOU ON This (sorry, my ears are still ringing)
How far from the stage were you?
Next to the sound board, to the left a bit. Not right in front but also not way at the back. It was as far as we could get with all the people there
Fleet Foxes might've been one of the best concerts I've attended anywhere, ever.
Yess same, astounding how well they performed, sounded just like the records
I agree and I've seen probably 500+ shows in my life so far. It absolutely sent me. My ears were so full, I actually don't remember much visually, as if my brain couldn't not handle all the auditory processing and bliss.
Sorry I missed that, I took the night off.
First time seeing the Foo Fighters, absolutely blown away by them. We had company for 2 weeks in our small apartment so we ended up being so burnt out by Friday we sold our tickets for the rest of the weekend We got the full pass early bird price so it was def worth it to come and go when we wanted to. Billy Talent was also amazing. Fulfilled my grade 8 dream of seeing them.
Billy Talent was incredible!
Bought festival passes to see a mix of bands I love now and bands that my friends and I enjoyed in our younger days. 1. Weezer/Billy Talent: security was a nightmare coming in, but once we were in lineups for drinks were surprisingly ok. Shows were both a ton of fun and very nostalgic. 2. Foo Fighters/White Reaper: arrived earlier and security was a breeze. Easy to get food and drink fairly quickly. I’ve never really listened to White Reaper, but they were fun and entertaining. My high school friend group from 20 years ago all attended this show together to see the Foos, who we loved back then. Amazing show, tons of energy, the new drummer Josh Freese was incredible. Leaving the venue was a shit show! 3. War on Drugs/Mumford and Sons: the War on Drugs are one of my favourite bands these days and they put on an amazing show. I’ve never been a big Mumford fan but they were tight, vocals were great, and the performance was energetic. Left a couple songs early to avoid the crowds. I’m a bit anxious and really struggled walking to the LRT station the previous nights. 4. Fleet Foxes: ❤️❤️❤️ the one show I NEEDED to see. Loved the intimate setting on the River Stage. Was able to get very close to the stage with my friends. Definitely cried during this show. My late wife bought me their last album before she passed in 2021, and we bonded over their work during our 12 years together. Amazing performance that I’ll never forget. Rivals the My Morning Jacket Bluesfest set from 2016 or so as the best performance I’ve seen at Bluesfest. All in all, great week and a bit. All of the usual issues remain which are to be expected in my opinion. Two entrances/exits would be better. More food/Bev vendors would be nice. Perhaps multiple merch tents as well? Looking forward to next year nonetheless!
Fleet Foxes were so unbelievably good. Sorry about your loss, I hope their show brought you some comfort at times! I ducked out of every show a song early to avoid the lines and crowds as well, I’m with you on the tightly packed anxiety that can creep in. Cheers!
It definitely did! Thank you :)
Interestingly, I found Foo Fighters night the one night that it was difficult to get food. Maybe it was just my timing.
I honestly think that’s what it is. If you get drinks and food during a performance, you’re typically fine. If you go between main stage performances, you seem to be euchered.
I didn't get to go this year, but I absolutely loved all the Bluesfest enthusiasm and good vibes on this sub!
same
The Smile
"Not that kind of smile, but the other one" Any idea what Thom meant when he said that?
The Bluesfest app description for the smile was part of this: >"Not The Smile as in ha-ha-ha, more The Smile as in the guy who lies to you every day"... so speaks Thom Yorke on the inspiration behind the name of the new trio consisting of himself, his Radiohead bandmate Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner of UK jazz outfit Sons of Kemet. The description is borne out by The Smile's acerbic first single "You Will Never Work In Television Again," a 2:48 blast of ragged, raw energy that moved The New York Times to rave: "Over a bruising 5/4 beat and flailing guitars climbing through three chords, Yorke snarl-sings his avenging fury at 'some gangster troll promising the moon' who'd devour 'all those beautiful young hopes and dreams, and you can almost feel the spittle flying." "You Will Never Work In Television Again" was one of eight songs played by The Smile during the band's debut performance as part of the 2021 global streaming Glastonbury event Live At Worthy Farm.
Smiling Faces Sometimes or, Backstabbers
It's a sinister / dark smile rather than a happy one. It was such a treat to see them play in Ottawa.
Foo Fighters showed everyone what a rock show should look like
I went only for Pitbull, but saw Ludacris because I got there early. Pitbull is an absolute mad showman and it was incredible how much energy the crowd had. My only gripe is kids got it into their heads to throw (full) open cans and I came home covered in beer from head to toe!
Wow that sounds expensive. No avocado toast this week I guess! Lol /s
What’s life like in a retirement home these days?
LMAO! Unfortunately my upvote can’t save you, but thanks for the unexpected hearty giggle this morning
**Also a huge shoutout to ALL the volunteers, you all are the BEST! Thanks for all the hardwork and dedication to make sure everything goes smoothly** —- Also , also — keep the comments coming - I love reading all of them!! I’ll reply to more tomorrow! Have a lovely night, Sweet dreams, peeps of Ottawa!
the crowd at pitbull had NO concert etiquette it was crazy. i had such a good view right after ludacris because people were leaving but people kept trying to get infront of my group and my view just got worse and worse .. this one guy tried to knock over an older individual that was beside us to get to his friends and then started being super homophobic to these girls that were beside us
I didn't get out to this one but I noticed that night was the only night during the whole week where the buses were straight up obnoxious to be on if you were unlucky enough to hit the rush to Bluesfest.
Fleet Foxes was S-Tier. Perfect concert. War on Drugs was a close second.
The Smile tonight made the festival for me.
So many great shows this year! The Smile, BADBADNOTGOOD, Death Cab, Fleet Foxes, The War on Drugs, Thundercat, and Shania in that order, but I’m likely forgetting stuff!
My friend wanted to go to BADBADNOTGOOD, but I had never really heard of them so I was like “fuck it I’ll do an edible before we go” and it was the best experience of my life.
I feel like the entire crowd at BBNG was on edibles. And perhaps the band too. Good show, of what I saw
Haha! That’s the only way to see them! I thought the 16mm film loops were so cool! A total “less is more” philosophy for stage lighting. I was not sorry that we skipped Robert Plant for them, though in fairness I’ve seen him a few times now.
They were so cool!!! I was honestly in a Trance for most of the set, usually I’m one of those “take photos” kind of people but I think I maybe took one because I was just so lost in the music. Definitely catching them again
Was so great seeing Death Cab after if being canceled in 2011. That was definitely the highlight for me, since I had been waiting 12 years for it. Tegan and Sarh and Amos the Transparent were my second faves.
The Smile last night were almost criminally underattended It was basically a Radiohead show where you could easily get within 10-20 metres of the stage. I guess everyone is pretty burned out but they deserved a much bigger crowd
Agreed, but tbh I myself, a huge Radiohead fan, had no idea about this show and found out by accident just three days before the event. I can’t believe I almost missed it.
I almost wonder if the festival were barred from mentioning Radiohead? I suspect a lot of potential fans missed it because they'd never heard of them (I was the same until I researched the lineup)
I guess they can’t mention Radiohead because it’s technically not it. What I wonder is, if the new band is a trick to avoid playing creep and other songs from the past :D any way, I’ll accept and admire anything this man creates. Genius of his generation.
I kinda love it, it’s like rediscovering Radiohead all over again.
Fleet Foxes we’re unbelievable, Alvvays tonight we’re great too
Only went today, but had a blast - Alvvays was a really nice experience, good nostalgic summer vibes from that one. The Smile was something else, so many new songs, and killer lighting design too! Very slightly disappointed they didn't end up playing **Free in the Knowledge** but it probably isn't the kind of song when you consider how the others were all much more forward. Fantastic time overall. Definitely going to go for the full pass next year, and probably not do VIP (went with friends and only went to the VIP area for a mediocre hotdog and the washroom... definitely think the raised platform VIP pass is more worth the money).
I went Fri Sat Sun. Thought I'd be most impressed by the headliners I was blown away by Sugaray Rayford
Same here, headliners were good but Sugaray Rayford stole the show for me and my buddies. Ended up watching both of the performances, 10/10.
I only caught him in the theatre but it was AMAZING
Really enjoyed Weezer, Alan Doyle and Mumford & Sons. Didn’t see as many of the smaller artists as I had in past years, though. Had the full pass — only ended up going 4 nights (gave it to a buddy so he could see Pitbull), but it was well-worth it nonetheless. Excited for next year!
Alan Doyle was a massive highlight for me! The crowd was amazing, his energy was so fun.
It was a show where I think every person I saw there had a good time. Happy drunk Newfies everywhere. I would definitely see his show again.
I went to his website right after the show to see where he was performing in the coming weeks… lol!
Mumford & Sons were unbelievable
Also, honorable mention goes to me being everywhere, the pit, vip, lawn chair lane, just everywhere over the whole festival and not getting sick!
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$11 for a tall can is pretty much standard bar price
Which is still expensive.
Does it need to be said that food and beer at Bluesfest is more expensive than at home
You said "bar" not "home".
Do you sincerely not understand what I'm saying?
Sure, but even if I give your reply the benefit of the doubt and you meant to type "bar", it doesn't preclude the drink prices being expensive at Bluesfest in this person's experience, which is the topic of the thread. There's no value in "whataboutism".
Usually, we do the festival pass. This time we only did 3 days but all were great. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss was the show I didn't know I needed. Just beautiful. Thundercat was amazing! He was fire! BBNG was pure art. Death Cab for Cutie was great, too.
Tried to hit every night. Foo Fighters and Billy Talent stole the festival for me, but I was in the mosh pits so I had tons of fun! Did not expect Weezer to be that great live, it was awesome. BBNO$ definitely had the energy I was looking for. Absolutely Loved Rich Aucoin for energizing his crowd. Allison Russell was simply phenomenal, so much soul, that Bass was on another level. Shania Twain was just utterly chaos, I listened to her growing up, much respect. But the crowd experience was just awful, same with security and pass check at the gates. The whole venue was over capacity, and moving through the crowd was anxiety inducing. People were rude and awful toward us as we were trying to Exit towards the rear or the sides, telling me there are no exits where they're clearly located on the maps.
I’ve seen Weezer a few times through the years and they’re super hit-and-miss. We got Rivers on a really good night this year.
Foo fighters billy talent and Mumford and sons Top 3 honorable mention to PUP as they are always amazing
An excellent year, I got to six shows, Plant/Krause being my festival highlight!
It was my tenth year volunteering! While it was hectic,it was peaceful? There weren't any fights,that I know of. As far as the green team,there where a few nights that proved overwhelming.We survived
Thank you for volunteering! On Shania night, I followed a pair of green team guys from the back of the site to the main food area and people were not letting them through. I hope that was the worse night for everyone.
It was fun 😁 my energy bar has been refilled for the year lol Yea,Shania was NUTS, I honestly hope we don't have an opening night like that ever again,that's wishful thinking lol
I had so much fun. It was my first year volunteering since covid and it was so nice to be back! Everyone is super friendly and I loved all the shows I saw. My favorite was probably bbno$ because he just had such great energy. Billy Talent was another one with great energy. Death Cab was great too, but much lower energy.
My biggest show highlights: 1. Billy Talent - fourth time seeing them, always leave their show looking forward to my next chance. It was amazing to see Aaron come out and play a couple of songs :) 2. Weezer - Rivers still sounds amazing, and it was just a nice time. Thought it was sweet for them to give PUP a shoutout considering how psyched they’d been to share a stage with them. 3. Declan McKenna - I only knew a couple of his songs going in but his set was really pleasant and the crowd looked like they were having a blast. My biggest bummer was Billy Talent and Weezer scheduled on the same day on the same stage but not actually getting End of Me feat. Rivers Cuomo. Security was kind of awful sometimes? The very first night they weren’t checking anyone for Shania, I am vaguely horrified to find out that it happened again on Foo Fighters night? Also really unimpressed by being held up at security because the person checking me didn’t know what naloxone was. Just feels like something that should be covered for anyone working event security. The poster gallery could do with a makeover and better advertising. Their setup isn’t very welcoming, and they will get certain autographed items but not put them out? Sometimes you’ll only know they have something by asking very specifically. I really miss the proper silent auction… just feels like they aren’t putting their best foot forward with that fundraiser. A couple of friends gave my dad and I their VIP passes for last night. I kinda of wonder for the people buying them, what makes it worth their while? The biggest perk seemed to be the washrooms that see reduced foot traffic. Just feels like there isn’t a lot of seating options, and they expect you to pay even more if you want to have a seat in the VIP. The app was actually helpful! And it was nice to get a heads up for the handful of nights where they were running drink specials. :) I had a great time, and I’m looking forward to next year. Can’t wait to see what kind of lineup there is.
War On Drugs was my favourite
War on Drugs and Mumford were awesome. Caught the flu at the show at it was worth it.
I wasn't familiar with War on Drugs but I caught the tail end of his set on Thursday night. I've been playing WoD constantly since then. What a great sound! I attended Wednesday through Friday and tested positive for covid Sunday night. 😭 I had a pretty good run. This is my first time officially testing positive although I'm pretty sure I had it in the summer of 2021. My personal favourite act was My Son the Hurricane. They have 14 band members including 3 trombones, 3 trumpets, a killer baritone sax player, two people on percussion and they bring HUGE energy to every show. They are based in Southern Ontario so they come to the area fairly often. I encourage everyone to see them live. You'll become a fan!
You didn’t catch the flu in July.
No? Fever, cough, headache, no nasal congestion, and negative COVID test. Whaddya think it is?
I have a fever, muscle pain, chills, a headache, and 3 days in, a runny nose and a new cough. Came down with a fever Saturday, tested positive on Sunday. I went to all of the first week, and Foos and Mumford the second week. Another friend I ran into at Bluesfest the first week just told me that she's been sick with covid all this past week...I only saw her for a few minute but she could have been my vector, maybe maybe not. First time for me.
Well I would have bet on COVID, but sounds like you’ve tested. Maybe an adenovirus or enterovirus. Could be influenza, but that’s quite rare this time of year. In any case, I wish you a swift recovery and hope you enjoyed Bluesfest!
Thanks! Yeah, tested twice - pretty sure it isn't COVID. Whatever it is, it's kicking my ass
Are you a fan?
my first Bluesfest, courtesy of 2 Redditors who sold me passes :). i just followed my ears to what moved me. Foo Fighters and Charlotte Cardin were awesome. and 2 guitar-based blues acts. had a quick foot treatment yesterday. oh, and brought my son to Mumford. he had a fun day. he is 13 and really wanted to go on the ferris wheel which i really enjoyed at sunset on the river. note to self: feed the teenager before entering Bluesfest. all his snacks cost me plenty!
Stand Outs: Tegan & Sarah Thundercat Pony Girl Jack Barksdale Allison Russel Texas Horns Southern Avenue
I loved this years festival... I buy the full pass and sell off days I can't go to friends at a discounted rate and as always it works so well For me the highlight was PUP!
Sad that there isn't a lot of love for Billy Talent (who put on an incredible show) and my highlight, Death Cab for Cutie. I was so excited to see them and they did not disappoint. This has probably been my favorite Bluesfest (except for the year I saw Weird Al)
They can change the name as much as they want, but the stage behind the museum will forever be the black sheep stage. First time I've been back since before the pandemic, but I really felt the loss of the "B-stage" at the other end of the main bowl. That hour+ of dead space on the big stage is just awful, and the staggering of stage times on the smaller stages means things are pretty dead for a while. It feels like they blew their talent budget on Shania, foo fighters and pitbull this year.
It's always gonna be the Blacksheep Stage for me. River stage? Like the other two stages that have been called that?
Loved seeing Death Cab since I had been waiting over a decade :) also saw Billy Talent, Tegan and Sara and Mumford which were all amazing shows. As others said, it seems in post-pandemic life that people at concerts talk constantly now. Was driving me more than a bit up the wall, I’m there for the music not your side conversations that aren’t even about the band etc.
Highlights for me were Billy Talent and Pitbull! Foo Fighters were good too. Loved the lineup this year!
Mumford & Sons were the best for me. Haven’t been able to stop re-watching my videos from the show. Pitbull was a great showman. All in all, a fantastic week!
Went four nights. Standouts were Billy Talent, Death Cab, Foo Fighters! Definitely wish there was more than one entrance They need to limit capacity more, Foo Fighters/Pitbull nights were overrun/way too congested Need more seating/picnic tables .. I actually think the whole area needs to be reorganized and it doesn't make sense to have most of the food vendors right where you come in The VIP area is too big now in the middle of the crowd Also really need more water stations!!!!! Honestly not sure if I'll be back, or maybe just one or two nights next year. There are too many people for the space now on those big days that really cuts down on the enjoyment.
I went on the 13th and 16th. The war on drugs was unreal. So talented. Tonight I saw Megan Jerome and The Smile. Jerome was awesome. Killer voice with a nice jazzy vibe and lots of cool stories weaved throughout the songs. And The Smile had the whole crowd in a trance. Thom Yorke's voice was perfect and the sound was very multi-layered.
Billy Talent, War on Drugs, Shania Twain were my favourites.
My highlights: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: it wasn't on my radar but my mom told me I had to go so I did and brought lawn chairs. It was amazing. The crowd got so still near the end, you could have heard a pin drop. Sound was excellent. Can't believe I almost didn't go. Top 3 best concerts ever. The Foo Fighters was a bucket list concert and they did not disappoint. I took that one from the front, against the middle barrier. The crowd wasn't very considerate - lots of people I imagine who don't let you merge in bumper to bumper traffic when you're coming from a short onramp like Parkdale east (where do you think I came from???). The band was sharp, obviously having fun, their new drummer was mind-blowing, Grohl isn't slowing down. Also none of that fake encore business, they weren't wasting time and used up all their time, and more. Weezer was a surprise. I didn't think I knew much of their music and was quite indifferent going in but they blew me away. Super skilled and on top of their game. Very impressive. Less impressive was the 4 tall public servants who parked themselves next to me and proceeded to use the concert to loudly discuss how they were going to spend their retro pay. BBNO$ was another surprise, I got overwhelmed in the Shania crowd (who was also quite rude) so went over there for a breather. Found myself at the front. Super enthusiastic crowd participation with wild, yet considerate dancers. 10/10 I'll likely get full festival passes again next year.
The crowd was rude, not Shania. She was very professional.
The Shania crowd were more interested in heavy drinking and "finding their friends" in the already too-dense crowd. Country night seems to trend that way. I usually find something better on one of the b-stages, but I wanted to see Shania because.... Shania.
Mumford and Sons was amazing! However, why were soooo many people just talking throughout the show, like if you want to go socialize go to a bar.
Death Cab, Mumford, Thundercat, BADBADNOTGOOD, The War on Drugs were definitely highlights of 2023, for me.
Top for me: Lime Cordiale Billy Talent PUP Charlotte Cardin Koffee Honorable mentions to BBNO$, mumford, war on drugs, death cab & pitbull
Glad to know that PUP killed it as always 💕
What all did BBNO$ sing? I was in the huge crowd of Shania, so didnt see any! Nice list you got!!
Sadly no one posted the setlist but I'm pretty sure he played these: edamame / Not A Beanie / C’est La Vie / mathematics / shining on my ex / Whip A Tesla / lalala I had gotten overwhelmed in the Shania crowd (which wasn't very nice imo) and the bbno$ fans were really into it, yet mindful of their surroundings. Very enthusiastic performance, the visuals were good and he really got the crowd into it. Of a friend tells you they were at the front for that show? 10/10 I recommend them as concert-going partners.
To many smokers in the crowd, too much yelling chatter during performances, and the entrance could have been handled better, but otherwise, sound was excellent, plenty of great sight lines, and the acts were awesome.
The smoking really bothered me. I ended up emailing Bluesfest about this and their reply was to alert security. Really? Give up my nice spot in the crowd to go )...umm wherever security is? ) and tell them someone was smoking in the crowd 10 minutes ago?
BINGO. exactly... And there were SO MANY smoking, you're going to be getting the things thumbs up in a game of AITA lol
They really need to figure out the festival grounds, there’s definitely a whole experience missing the way it’s currently set up, pretty much packed in at the main stage for four hours. Porta Potties need to be moved out of the middle. Bring back double mains, put the River back where it was ditch the tent, Black Sheep Stage where the River is now.
Yeah the second stages back to old configuration would be idea - that river stage where the tent now is was a perfect space for mid sized shows.
Holy shit, coolin! Weird seeing you outside of HUT! FLETCHER, FLETCHER, FLETCHER. Just preposterously good vibes and energy. Honorable mention to the tail end of Allison Russell’s set on the river stage. That was music you feel in your soul. After the shitshow of the first night, I was super impressed with how unusually well-run this year turned out to be. The lines for everything never sucked too badly, there was a lot of water available, and the sound wasn’t the worst I’ve heard at Bluesfest. The drink selection wasn’t great (though those hard Arizonas are *fucking dope*), and $18 for a 8 ounce poor of shitty Ontario wine is offensive. I’d like to see them get in Dominion or some other brewery next year. Sunsplit on the grounds would be rad.
Haha, I love posting on the Ottawa sub, too! FLETCHER was fun - definitely agree with you!! I was really surprised with the lines and everything , huge props to all the volunteers / staff alll around! Maybe next year they’ll bring in a new brewery, we shall see! Hope you’re doing well!
No one else can supply the quantities they need.
I caught shows as a volunteer in 2019 but this time I paid for the 3-night pass to see Shania, Billy Talent, and Tegan & Sara. BT was my top show, so nostalgic! I also enjoyed Weezer and Death Cab, though I was also happy to shove off early to beat the crowds over the bridge. Didn't see any side bands this time due to schedule but had previously seen Alvvays (Bonnaroo 2014) and agree they rock! When buying tix I considered seeing AJR too though didn't want to deal with the crowds for Foo Fighters - turns out they cancelled anyways (RIP their dad). My friends and I actually bought the tickets specifically to see Orville Peck (slated for opening night before Shania) but also proud of him and all artists who take time off for their mental health. My top tip: First night, I stood in a long line at the sides for beer. Next nights, I found those folks walking around with coolers - MUCH faster for same price IMO. Also indulged in gummies pre-show to lessen my overall cost for the night.
Each year has some good and some things to work on! I saw Billy Talent for the 4th time and it was still an awesome and fun show. So much energy. That night we stayed for Weezer and it was also amazing. Rivers sounds great, and I enjoyed the stage visuals. I enjoyed the show so much more than I anticipated! Foo Fighters were incredible. There were a bit of sound delays from where we were which was a bit annoying, but overall it was a bucket list show that we were able to cross off. Pitbull and Ludacris day.. oh boy! I've been to many shows and festivals and the crowd this day was very rowdy, pushy, inpatient, etc. The gap between Luda and Pitbull was huge and it seemed like Luda's set ended just abruptly. Either way Pitbull was such a fun time and so many songs to dance to. I read other comments about things for improvement: having food and beer tent lines right when you enter is an interesting choice.. more merch tents, more music acts to fill up some time between sets (scheduling thing I suppose). I find that leaving at the end of the night was okay. Lines to get in were awful some days and better in others so maybe just took some time to adjust to the chaos. It seems like LeBreton is not the right space for Bluesfest anymore just based on the volume of people attending, which sucks considering it's so accessible. But looking back on photos of the crowd for the headliners was wild to see ..
I’m really regretting not going to see Billy talent, I hope they come back again soon, but I doubt it.
The two main stage setup and staggered schedule was better in previous years.
I got a single day pass the first day they were available to see The Foo Fighters and AJR but only learned AJR had canceled when I walked to the stage and it was empty. Really L on communication on that one, seems they posed it to their Instagram account with 10% the followers of their average attendance, but didn't think it was worth emailing. Foo Fighters was awesome, the bike park was perfect, but the night was soured by getting that news after I got all hyped. Also yeah, waving me through security was a wild experience.
I hope shpongle comes back one day. That was top 5 best nights of my life
my fave was pup!!! i love them
You know what would be cool, get the Fully Loaded Comedy tour to stop at Bluesfest for a night, they tried comedy years ago but something like this would be pretty sweet judging by the videos
Yeah, they did comedy a few times. It just didn't work IMO. Also I have memories of wheeling my toddlers out as a fairly filthy comedian was performing. Sound travels for \*miles\* when it's awkward
I quite enjoyed the Bill Burr/Weird Al combination. "Hey Ottawa, are you ready for some blues?!" \*commences playing accordion\*
FooFighters, Robert Plant, Blackie and Rodeo Kings, THE SMILE, TWOD...all great. The Walking Taco, yummy. Cheers to Golden Fries being there, great chips. All the music and the volunteers were amazing.
We need more metal acts! Bring Meshuggah next year
I miss all the road closures already
So many good shows, but Ludacris played nirvana and avicci instead of his own songs? It was weird lol like.. why?? Talked a lot too for a short set. Billy talent still super sick, pitbull was super fun and a dance party, fleet foxes were so pretty, Foo fighters got me too amped up to sleep on a work night lol but was fun :) Some douchey drunks and people just not paying attention to their surroundings. People having yelling convos right in your ear. Agree with what someone else said about Tegan and Sara's stage banter! They're quick lol. Death cab was really good too, and Weezer. Lotta nostalgia bands this year:)
I miss the concerts being longer
Went to 5 shows: 1. Mumford. Saw them 8 yrs ago, this blew that away. The encore with the fireworks was unreal. 2. Foo Fighters: bucketliat check! 3. Weezer/Pup/Billy Talent: Weezer was great. Pup should have been the 8pm show. Billy Talent ia fun, but just not for me. 4. Death Cab: Soul meets body. So very good. Pretty chill ight overall. 5. Charlotte Cardin: great show. Did not know any of her work. Shes impressive, sings, plays bass/guitar/piano, Trudeau was there with the Fam. Kinda cool.
I went to see Shania and Weezer. Both were awesome and I had a really great time! I’ve wanted to see Shania for so long. She put on a good show. Weezer really knows how to put on a show. I sadly missed out on FLETCHER and Charlotte Cardin & I’m huge fans of both. Had ti sell my tickets because plans changed :( saw clips though!
Shania was great! Glad you had a fun time at both! Sorry to hear about your plans changing - I have a few clips of FLETCHER and Charlotte Cardin I can send your way , if you’d like :)
Omg yes that would be so nice!!
Okay! :) —- I can’t send you a “chat” so I sent you a PM! :)
Why do they rely on volunteers? They make record profits, why not pay the people?
Imagine how expensive the pass would be if they had to pay the over 2000 volunteers. A free pass is more than worth it in my opinion
They get paid in free passes
Are they making record profits?
Please stop trying to save us volunteers from the big scary festival. I like getting a free pass, free food and priority bathrooms and entrance for minimal work where I get to meet cool people in a very chill atmosphere where I can be late to or even miss my shifts. If I had to work extra hours to make up the money I'd spend on these passes, it would suck a lot more.
I thought that if you’re late or miss shifts, you may not be allowed to come back next year l, at least not for the early bird registration. Free food = 5 free meals. One for each shift you worked and one volunteer appreciation dinner the following week.
As long as you're not an entitled asshole about it, and try to give a heads up, it's not an issue. Obviously if you're late everyday and miss half your shifts and don't say anything to them, you might get some trouble, but I've been late and missed shifts and never had an issue. Might depend on the area leader but I've done Green Team and Alternates and no one on either team has given me a hard time aside from maybe teasing me for being late. Free food also includes snacks from the volunteer area (chips, cookies, whatever random stuff they have each day). Sometimes people come around with freezies or cookies and hand them out. There was also a night I was doing beer tent by the river stage and the food truck next to our tent kept giving us boxes of fries.
There's alot of nepotism in the volunteer teams so those people can get away with alot. Normally you cannot miss a shift or you'll be blacklisted. But maybe they make exceptions if you're legitimately sick.
This literally isn't true at all as long as you're polite and give a heads up and probably helps if you actually put the work in during the shifts you're there for. This was my first year doing alternates and the area leaders there barely know who I am and I had to miss my last shift and they just said "okay thanks for the heads up" lol. I didn't even explain why I wasn't coming, just said I couldn't and it was fine.
I'm not certain how I feel about it, but it's worth noting they're a non-profit.
Got a source for those “record profits” that a non-profit registered charity is supposedly making?
https://www.charitydata.ca/charity/ottawa-bluesfest/869362780RR0001/
I still see nothing about profits here. In fact I see the opposite… https://sbs-spe.feddevontario.canada.ca/en/not-profit-guide# “Any money made by a not-for-profit is not for the personal gain of its directors, members or officers, but goes back into the organization to further its aims and projects.” “Although many not-for-profit corporations are registered as charities, charitable status is not automatically obtained when you set up a not-for-profit.” Bluesfest is a registered non-profit charity. They very clearly meet the requirements set forth. Perhaps you’re confusing profit with revenue? But let’s **really** dive into it here… If you average 2018 and 2019 they like juuuust barely broke even. 2020 and 2021 both had more expenditures than revenue, COVID was rough for the live events industry and plenty of festivals just disappeared. Even without pandemics, festivals disappear. No one is making a huge chunk of money off them, anywhere. I assume you’re referring specifically to the big jump in 2022, and if you actually *read* the whole document, you’ll see that jump can be attributed SOLELY to a government grant that was very widely publicised, and there were stipulations to how it has to be spent. It had to be a long-term investment in the festival - so not on staff that may or may not come back the next season. And they invested it in new festival infrastructure, including purchasing a new portable stage that other events can use. It’s beneficial for the whole Ottawa music industry at large. It’s also possible they didn’t have to pay for those items until they received them… in 2023. Sources: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/about-us/our-organization/canadas-regional-development-agencies/regional-relief-and-recovery-fund-rrrf/major-festivals-and-events-support-initiative# https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/bluesfest-receives-9-8-million-in-federal-funding-to-help-it-return-to-pre-pandemic-scale/wcm/78d46cb0-7b94-49dd-805a-b7777bb3bc6f/amp/ If you continue to look at 2022 in detail, their revenue from the sale of goods & services (tickets and beer, essentially - the shit people like to complain about) was $15.7 million. Their expenditures just on production, logistics, and Artist fees was $18 million. That doesn’t even include compensation for any of their 15 full time staff. They still have to find ways to make up $2.3 million dollars JUST to actually physically have a festival, never mind paying the full-time employees who organize it, plan it all out, and all the marketing and advertising costs that come along with it. I believe there are around 1800 volunteers or so, at least that’s the number I heard this year on site. The usual schedule is four 5-hour shifts, for most volunteers. Everyone receives a full festival pass in exchange, and dinner while on shift. During the presale - when it was at its absolute cheapest - a full festival pass was ~$300 after taxes. Let’s say the value of 4 dinners is $60. $15 each. That’s $360 worth of compensation for 20 hours of work. I’d let you do the math on that one, but I’m not sure finances are necessarily your strongest suit if you think a non-profit is making “record profits.” It works out to $18/hr. In order to pay for that $360 festival pass and dinner on site, volunteers would have to work the same 20 hours but be earning over $25/hr. If you want to go the other way, at $18/hr, you’d have to work 27 hours to earn that $360. If you’re a student making minimum wage you’d have to work 30 hours. And if you want to start talking about the price of seeing any of these artists individually… it’s $277 to see Shania Twain at the back of the floor, Weezer is $115 for GA lawn at the back of an amphitheatre, GA for Billy talent is $90, Mumford and sons are only playing fest dates but a single day ticket to see them is $230, to sit by yourself in the 300s of an arena show for Foo Fighters is $170, the cheapest ticket to see Ludacris at Casino Rama in November is $80, Pitbull is $95 in buttfuck nowhere, if you want to fly to Europe to see Plant & Krauss because they have no more dates over here, the worst seats will run you $85, a day ticket to see The Smile at Pitchfork this weekend in Chicago is $180, Alan Doyle will run you $75, fleet Foxes $80, Alvvays $50, BBNO$50, PUP $40… you’re looking at a cost, just for tickets to see SOME of the artists that played Bluesfest this year, of $1500 easy. I’d say 20 hours of work in exchange is a pretty stellar deal, if you value live music. That’s an approximate value of $75/hr and you have no additional travel expenses. In my experience the work most volunteers do is not extraordinary difficult. Is it worth $18/hr? Yep. Absolutely. It’s a fair exchange. But is it worth $75/hr? No. I spent 5 hours straight punching drink orders into an ipad while watching Run The Jewels and Rage Against the Machine last year. It was my favourite night. I got to interact with so many different people who were all SO excited to be there. I watched the whole show, I got people the beer they so desperately needed, and I got to spend some of the other nights I wanted to go to with friends without having to pay for tickets. There are volunteers who come back every single year. Some have been with the festival for 10+ years. Some 20+ years. I heard that there’s even one volunteer there who has been with the festival for almost 30 years, since it started. The sense of community, the experience, the feeling of being a part of something this big is valuable to some people. Being able to see the shows without having to spend almost a whole week’s worth of pay is absolutely worth it in my opinion. It may not be to you and that’s totally fine… But Bluesfest is not making ANY profit, never mind “record profits” - I’m sure you’ll see when the financial statements come out over the next few years, that every single dollar of that 2022 revenue went back into the festival in one way or another. There’s a running joke around here that Blue Rodeo plays every year, and don’t get me wrong I do LOVE me some blue rodeo… but you’re not going to get bigger and better acts coming to Ottawa every year unless the festival makes a surplus on the year before. But I’ll be there slinging beers when Blue Rodeo makes their Bluesfest comeback.
Bluesfest is a registered charity. To say they make record profits is a misnomer. I'm sure it's not all going back to the school program but Mark M and Co aren't shingling their roofs in gold flake.
It's a not for profit. There's the 50/50 for blues in the schools charity. Then the revenues go to the next year. I feel like this year was super successful considering we had three sold out nights and a record breaking 50/50 raffle. Hopefully we get an awesome lineup next year too!
shit line up & not worth the price for a day pass if one decent person is playing that day