Apartment613 will have wall-to-wall coverage of the festival, with daily previews, occasional interviews, and the best photos from each set, on each stage, on each day. We’ve got you!
Day 1 now in the books, we move from a country theme to a somewhat common thread throughout the entire lineup — an exceptional rarity for the eclectic festival. If you like folk, you’ll have every possible take on it on every stage Friday night, from traditional to modern to eccentric and everything in between.
RBC Stage
6:00 pm – Claude Munson
7:30 pm – Charlotte Day Wilson
9:20 pm – HOZIER
Opening the main stage is Ottawa transplant Claude Munson. A regular on the local circuit, the singer-songwriter can transition seamlessly from stripped down introspective ballads like “Sweet Love” to more textured productions like “Broken Stairs,” adding depth to the sound without washing away the feeling in his voice. A perfect starter for what’s to come.
Up next, Toronto’s Charlotte Day Wilson takes the singer-songwriter set into the R&B direction, adding a dash of extra soul, which comes through on her major breakthrough single “Work” and “Mountains.” Her versatility has made her an in-demand collaborator, working with artists as varied as Kaytranada and BADBADNOTGOOD. Yet again, an à propos lead-up to the main act.
Irish powerhouse Hozier makes his triumphant return to an Ottawa festival, and if you missed out on his stellar set at CityFolk in 2023, do yourself a favour and don’t make the same mistake this year. With his debut mega-hit “Take Me To Church” now well over 3 billion streams on Spotify, and last year’s chart dominating “Too Sweet” already halfway to matching that total, it’s fairly impossible to NOT have heard his booming voice at some point. But to hear it live is a completely different experience, and not one to miss. Again.
Charlotte Day Wilson at CityFolk. Photo: Landon Entwistle/Apt613.
River Stage
6:15 pm – Vikki Gilmore
7:45 pm – Amigo the Devil
9:15 pm – The Dead South
While the main stage is home to poppier folk artists, the River Stage has some of the most eclectic types ever assembled. First up is Montreal’s Vikki Gilmore, who sets the bar with more straightforward indie-folk that showcases her personal reflections in her songwriting. Her latest single “Getting Old” is a perfect example of that introspection, painted over acoustic guitars, accentuated with a plaintive slide guitar and piano.
If Gilmore’s indie-folk is straightforward, Amigo The Devil’s is anything but. In terms of instrumentation, his sound remains fairly faithful to the standard guitar approach, but his lyrical themes are where he carves a space all his own. With songs such as “Murder at the Bingo Hall,” “Dahmer Does Hollywood,” and “Hungover in Jonestown,” to say he delves into darker subject matter would be an understatement. Yet, his masterful lyricism and delivery draw you in despite the darkness. Or because of the uniqueness of it.
Somehow fittingly, next up is Regina’s The Dead South. As far as sound, they draw more from Americana and bluegrass with their banjos and mandolins, but still their songs also veer into the ominous (such as “In Hell I’ll Be in Good Company”), and the unexpected, such as their EPs of covers that include artists from System of a Down to Monty Python. But once the surprise wears off, fans are left with a group of truly talented musicians that have the creativity to reinterpret anything they choose to, and do it well.
LeBreton Stage
5:45 pm – Kristine St-Pierre
7:00 pm – The Claudettes
8:15 pm – Sarah Harmer
Under the big top, Ottawa’s Kristine St-Pierre will undoubtedly blend French and English songs, much like she did at CityFolk, creating a bilingual blend perfectly representing Ottawa’s duality in one artist. In either language, her well-crafted folk ballads will reach listeners, whether they can understand the messages or not.
Ensuring the mandatory dose of blues on the day’s lineup, what better import than a band from Chicago? The Claudettes fit the bill perfectly, given their blues origins, while also imparting a slew of influences that create combinations that keep listeners on their toes. They can go from a traditional blues sound like “Tremblin’ Blues” to a manic jazzy cabaret number like “24/5” or a 60s pop inspired “I’m Bad at This.” No matter which direction they take, they’ll keep listeners on their toes, either in suspense or on the dance floor.
Closing out the tent is Ottawa festival mainstay Sarah Harmer. With appearances at the Folk Festival dating back to 1999, and Bluesfest starting in 2002, she continues to release new music sporadically, her latest being the 2020 album Are You Gone, adding to her collection of material to draw from. If Bluesfest wanted to host a folk night, you could not have a better poster child for it.
Barney Danson Theatre
6:30 pm – Sophie d’Orléans
8:00 pm – Emilie Steele & The Deal
9:30 pm – The Claudettes
Much like St-Pierre in the tent, the theatre will kick off the evening with a bilingual local, in this case Sophie d’Orléans. Making her Bluesfest debut, the folk pop singer-songwriter has been making the rounds in town, with many more planned this month already as she prepares to launch her first EP.
Next up is Kingston’s Emilie Steele & The Deal, who bring a more indie-rock set to the indoor stage. Having just dropped their much anticipated debut full length album Cut The Deck last year, following up on their eponymous EP in 2019, they’ve built on that foundation in the years since, and feel more free to lean into the fun rockabilly of “Sliver” or the driving rock of “Buzz.”
The DJs are back tonight, with the Spin Stage featuring DJ Karyen, while The Crazy Horse Saloon will have DJMC keeping tunes spinning.
Keep checking Apt613 for our daily previews to get you ready for your excursion to the festival, and then again afterwards for our daily photos to either jog your memories — or instigate FOMO.
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