Another glorious night of music in the books, and hopes that the weather continues to cooperate in making each of these festival nights some of the most enjoyable to date. With a growing number of artists each day, today marks the first with a full slate on each stage, with a wide divergence in genres between the main stage and the tent, so there’s bound to be a spot for everyone.
CityFolk Day 3: Friday, Sept. 13
Main Stage:
6:00: Soen
7:20: Explosions In The Sky
8:45: Rise Against
Tonight’s lineup is devoted to an interesting mix of rock subgenres that don’t get anywhere near enough mainstream attention.
First is Soen, a Swedish progressive metal band that puts melody front and centre. Founded by ex-Amon Amarth and ex-Opeth drummer Martin López and Willowtree vocalist Joel Ekelöf, their six studio albums document a progression in sound amidst lineup changes, from the early darkness of 2012’s Cognitive to 2017’s atmospheric Lykaia, and most recently, last year’s Memorial, which finds the sweet spot in combining the power of metal with the sweetness of melody. If you happened to catch them at The Brass Monkey in 2022, you’ll no doubt want to see them on the big stage.
From soaring vocals to no vocals at all, Explosions In The Sky will take over the main stage with their lush instrumentals. Described as ‘post-rock’, every track is an emotional journey, which is why it’s no surprise they’ve been enlisted to produce numerous soundtracks in addition to their own eight albums. To say their return to Ottawa is long overdue would be an understatement, given their last show was over 20 years ago, at Club SAW. And in a setting like CityFolk, where fans can find a patch of grass and go along for the musical journey, the pairing is a perfect match.
Rise Against. Photo: Landon Entwistle/Apt613
Closing out the main stage is a band that’s a much more frequent visitor in town, as Rise Against cranks up the intensity for their first CityFolk headlining spot after headlining Bluesfest in 2018. Last here in 2022 opening for Billy Talent at TD Place, they proved that after almost a quarter century, they haven’t lost an ounce of power, but instead have matured as performers. And sadly, if anything, their message resonates even more in today’s political landscape than it ever did, which explains why the title track off the last album, 2022’s “Nowhere Generation” hit #1 in Canada. Word to the wise: if you want to get up close for this set, be ready for a mosh pit to form at any given moment.
Fasken Stage:
5:30: Amanda Lowe Warnakulasuriya
6:30: Kellie Loder
7:40: Cat Power Sings Dylan ‘66
If all of that rock seems a bit too intense, the Fasken stage has you covered with a much more subdued folk-leaning lineup. First up is Ottawa’s own (by way of the islands of Sri Lanka, then Prince Edward) Amanda Lowe Warnakulasuriya. Well known on the local music scene already, the folk singer will be enthralling listeners with her distinctly soft voice that hovers over her dreamy melodies, exemplified on her deluxe version of Birthmarks and Collarbones released in 2022.
Taking folk up a notch or two in intensity, next up is Newfoundland’s Kellie Loder. Juno-nominated and Canada’s Got Talent finalist, their newest album sets a somewhat more subdued musical backdrop, but that only serves to showcase the power of their voice and deeply personal lyrics. While it might be more polished, there’s no doubt their live performance will continue to captivate fans.
Closing out the tent stage is a special performance by Cat Power, performing her Sings Dylan ‘66 album. With classics like “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Like A Rolling Stone”, the song selection itself is impeccable, but moreso, the fit with Power’s voice is even better. At times gruff or soft, powerful yet controlled, you’ll be forgiven if you think the unthinkable: these sound even better than Bob himself.
Keep checking apt613.ca for all your festival news, daily previews and pics!
Ottawa CityFolk takes place from Sept. 11 to 15, on The Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park, behind TD Place. Passes available here.
As a reminder, parking is extremely limited, so make sure to use your festival pass for free OC Transpo rides to and from the site.
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