Apt613 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!
In what might be one of the most highly anticipated nights of any Bluesfest in recent years, Green Day will be filling the main stage bowl with what could be a record setting crowd. But if you need some respite on the side stages, there will be plenty to keep you entertained.
RBC Stage
6:00 pm – Les Shirley
7:30 pm – The Linda Lindas
9:10 pm – Green Day
The triple shot of rock on the main stage kicks off with some strong female representation, first with all-women trio Les Shirley. If two thirds of the lineup seem familiar, Sarah Dion and Lisandre Bourdages had also been members of NOBRO up until this year, but with their long awaited new album dropping soon and tours lined up, the pair will be focusing on Les Shirley who are poised to break out with their blend of punk and garage rock, with a sprinkling of pop sensibilities for good measure.
Upping the count next are The Linda Lindas, an all-female quartet playing their first ever Ottawa show. After going viral with a cover of Bikini Kill’s riot grrl anthem “Rebel Girl,” their ascent has been spectacular, and last year’s No Obligation cements them as a front runners in the next generation of rock, considering only the lead singer is even old enough to drink. In fact, when they went on tour with Green Day last year, most of the band had to be excused from high school, including their 14-year-old drummer. Their musical sense is mature beyond their years, and singles like “All In My Head” and “Too Many Things” are expertly crafted power pop with just enough rock and punk to keep the songs well grounded. They are going to win over a LOT of fans tonight.
Finally, Green Day make their long awaited return to Ottawa. The world might have changed in the past 15 years since they played the now-named Canadian Tire Centre, but if anything, their punk anthems have only grown in significance, making them more relevant than ever. The singalongs are going to be epic, from what should be an audience that will span multiple generations.
Kardinal Offisall at Bluesfest 2025. Photo by Marc Lepage.
River Stage
6:15 pm – Four Eyed Muscle Man
7:45 pm – Los Bitchos
9:15 pm – Dwayne Gretzky
The River Stage will put a more alternative spin on rock, starting with Ottawa’s own Four Eyed Muscle Man. Having moved from SoundCloud to last year’s EP now on Spotify, the four-piece will be working on their debut album this fall, and if it’s anything like their previous work, we can expect some bluesy alt-rock with powerful vocals, and hopefully more videos like their “Grendel (I Look For You In Everyone).”
Los Bitchos are the embodiment of eclectic. With members bringing influences from Australia, Turkiye, Uruguay, Sweden, and England, that musical stew ends up churning out latin beats backing vintage guitar and synths, with last year’s album Talkie Talkie even adding disco flare on breakout hit “La Bomba,” or beach club vibes on “Don’t Change.”
If you’ve ever seen a Dwayne Gretzky show, you know how big a party that can become. It starts with the ten or so members on stage, and their ever changing setlist of covers that can range from ’70s disco to Beatles to Queens of the Stone Age, they’re essentially a jukebox in human form. To gain fame as a touring band just doing covers, with more than 100 shows, is a great indicator of just how good they are at entertaining fans who keep growing in number at every set.
LeBreton Stage
5:45 pm – The Commotions
7:00 pm – Fantastic Negrito
8:15 pm – Ron Sexsmith
Speaking of large ensembles, The Commotions will kick off the evening in the tent with their full horns section and backing band behind a trio of vocalists. Their mix of soul and funk with big band arrangements create something timeless, both at home in the ’60s and ’70s right through today.
Transitioning from the funky big band to a more bluesy roots focused performance, Fantastic Negrito makes a rare appearance in Ottawa. Over the past decade, he’s refined his sound, from his first hit “An Honest Man,” through three consecutive Best Blues–winning albums at the Grammys, to an acoustic album in 2023, and finally last year’s deeply introspective Son of a Broken Man. He continues to grow, despite already being a master of his craft.
From an artist making a first appearance in Ottawa to one who’s made countless appearances over the years, and yet making a Bluesfest debut, Ron Sexsmith closes the tent with his trademark singer-songwriter style. With releases spanning four decades, he continues to write and release new material, including a single, “Forgetting You,” just last week. Whether at the piano on “Cobblestone Runway” or guitar on “Secret Heart,” his emotive voice always remains the star as it delivers his heartfelt lyrics.
Peach Pit at Bluesfest 2025. Photo by Landon Entwistle.
Barney Danson Theatre
6:30 pm – Jahmeema
8:00 pm – N’nerjie
9:30 pm – Fantastic Negrito
For those looking to escape the large crowd outside, the theatre will provide refuge as well as a different slice of musical genres. First is Ottawa’s bilingual R&B singer Jahmeema, who has followed up her French EP Secrets with a few English singles, including last month’s standout “Kitchen (Shoop ba doop)” which takes the production and instrumentation supporting her always-on-point vocals to a new level.
A Toronto transplant to the capital, N’nerjie continues the R&B vibes with her own at times confessional, at times conversational lyrics over solid grooves. After releasing her debut EP Internal Dialogue, she has followed it up with a pair of singles, with this year’s “When You Get Lonely” showcasing her storytelling amid sultry rhythms.
While DJ Kwame returns to The Crazy Horse Saloon tonight, the Spin Stage welcomes a fresh face to the festival, with DJ ACRO taking the reins for the night.
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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