Bluesfest 2010: Day 6

After the unforgettable spectacle that was The Flaming Lips the night before, Day 6 of Ottawa Bluesfest 2010 (July 11) felt like a welcome return to normal. The weather was beautiful, with plenty of sunshine replacing the excitement of Saturday’s sensory overload, making for a relaxing Sunday of discovering both local and international artists.

The day’s lineup offered a mix of familiar names and musicians I had never seen before. Throughout the festival grounds, I caught performances by:

I started the afternoon by checking out a couple of Ottawa acts, catching a song from Slyde before making my way to the Subway Stage to see Garrett Mason. Although I only stayed for one song, his blues-rock sound immediately made an impression.

Next, I headed over to the Black Sheep Stage, where I stayed for the entire set by Ottawa’s The Bushpilots. I had heard that the lead singer of Good2Go would be making a guest appearance, and while she didn’t join the band until the final song, it was a fun surprise that capped off an energetic and entertaining rock set.

American singer-songwriter Shane Dwight followed with an engaging performance that blended roots rock and blues. His set proved so popular that he played roughly ten minutes past his scheduled time, causing a slight delay for the next artist.

That meant Timber Timbre took the stage a little later than expected. If I had to sum up the performance in just two words, they would be: “Bee Mask.” It was certainly one of the day’s most memorable visual moments. Beyond that, it was great to see Olivier Fairfield and Simon Trottier of Ferriswheel, along with Mika Posen of Forest City Lovers, performing as part of the band’s live lineup.

Charlie Winston delivered one of the day’s most enjoyable sets. His charismatic stage presence immediately reminded me of C.R. Avery, especially with his distinctive style of dress, and his performance was thoroughly entertaining.

One of the highlights of the evening was finally getting to see The Swell Season perform live.
Their heartfelt performance lived up to expectations and was one of the standout moments of the day.

The night wrapped up inside the packed Barney Danson Theatre, where Polaris Music Prize nominee Dan Mangan drew a large crowd. I only managed to catch three songs, but I was happy to hear one of my favourites, “Road Regrets,” performed live.

Overall, Day 6 offered a laid-back change of pace after the excitement of Saturday. Between discovering new artists, supporting local Ottawa bands, and enjoying memorable performances from The Swell Season and Dan Mangan, it turned out to be another rewarding day at Ottawa Bluesfest 2010.

Check out my photo gallery from Day 6 below.