After four days of perfect weather, the forecast for today’s grand finale is just as ideal. While organizers and fans might be rightfully disappointed that Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit won’t be able to perform, the conditions are still going to be perfect for those who will be closing out the festival.
CityFolk Day 5: Sunday, Sept. 15
Main Stage:
6:00: Billianne
7:10: Alejandro Escovedo
8:45: Maren Morris
You would think the trip to perform in Ottawa for Milton’s Billianne would be fairly short. Still, given she is just back from a European tour opening for Hollow Coves, including a show in Germany on Thursday, it’s been anything but. Not one to stay still for long, she’ll be heading to the west coast for a few shows next month before heading back to Europe for her short tour. The singer first rose to prominence online for her stripped-down covers, including Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best,” which she’s parlayed into launching her originals, starting with her 2023 EP The Things We Talk About, she’s continued to release more singles this year, including her latest, “Crush,” which launched last month and is already over 700,000 streams. It’s a bit of a departure from her more subdued EP, taking a bit more of a pop turn, while still showcasing her captivating voice.
Billiane at Bluesfest, July 2023. Photo by Landon Entwistle.
Next up, organizers enlisted Alejandro Escovedo who had been scheduled to play in the tent. The man has done it all: from a pioneer on the punk scene in San Francisco in the 70s, to becoming a pillar of the Austin music scene in alt-country, to collaborating with legends including Bruce Springsteen, Escovedo has a virtually unlimited supply of songs to draw from. His newest album, Echo Dancing, features reimagined versions of a handful of his songs across his five decades of recording, either solo or as parts of his many bands. These are more than just ‘recycled’ songs, or a sampler of his storied career, but somehow fit together in this new form despite being originally written decades apart, thanks to Escovedo’s driving guitar and storytelling vocals.
Maren Morris, another Texan who’s been promoted, this time into festival headliner, comes in with an outstanding pedigree. Starting as a songwriter in Nashville, she quickly made the jump to performer, and right from her first EP, she hit it out of the park, featuring on Global charts and earning her a record deal. She hasn’t looked back, releasing a string of hits, not just on country charts, but expanding into other genres as well, including the multi-platinum hit “The Middle” in collaboration with Zedd and Grey. Her transition to pop has brought with it even more collaborations, with artists such as Hozier, Teddy Swims, Diplo and Taylor Swift, and was cemented with last month’s EP Intermission. No matter the genre, her ability to craft great songs will ensure continued success, and a solid set to close out CityFolk.
Fasken Stage:
5:30: CityFolk Slam: A Spoken Word Showcase
Much like the tent stage on the last day of Bluesfest is dedicated to community-building projects like Be in the Band, the Fasken Stage will feature a special hourlong showcase for spoken word slam poetry, in partnership with Urban Legends Poetry Collective and House of PainT.
Ottawa CityFolk takes place from Sept. 11 to 15, on The Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park, behind TD Place. Passes are 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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