On the plus side, I got a chance to see Ottawa's much-raved about twisted pop combo The Peptides. As you can see they're snappy dressers. I like weird pop and 1950s music, and I have to say they offer up a pretty able combination of the two.
The Peptides at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
Then it was time for a short trip to the Deep Dark Woods. I last caught the Saskatchewan combo a Bluesfest or two ago, and here they are again. Come to think of it, I think that's the same shirt Ryan Boldt was wearing the last time. Anyway, they still love The Band, and it was all good.
Deep Dark Woods at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
Next, i popped over to the River Stage to see Jim Campilongo (there was also a brief foray to view Walk Off The Earth, not really my thing, though they had a big enthusiastic audience). Campilongo was not so fortunate. I fear he was suffering the curse of Marcia Ball, being the odd man out, musically speaking. The New York instrumentalist starts with some 1950s-style picking and then goes way out. Some of those guitar sounds wouldn't have been out of place on a Wipers album. I picked up his 2009 effort Orange and it's quite edgy.
Jim Campilongo at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
Oh, and here's the one photo of the Walk Off The Earth folks. They did look like they were putting on a good show.
Walk Off The Earth at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8 2012
It's a good thing the weather was so nice yesterday, because an improbable portion of the performers were wearing ties. Here's Jeff Rogers, who was fronting The All Day Daddies over at the main stage. You can catch him regularly performing around town with his soulful combo.
Jeff Rogers & The All Day Daddies at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
With little better to do, I then went over to check out Lukas Nelson on the Electro Stage. I had checked out his writeup a few weeks ago, then promptly forgot it entirely. For the first chunk of his set I saw I was scratching my head, trying to think of who his voice reminded me of. Then it hit me. Willie Nelson! And if you figured out immediately that he is in fact Willie's son, you're a might sharper than I am. He likes the classic rock and snuck some Pink Floyd and Cream snatches into his tunes before launching into Sympathy For The Devil, complete with picking the guitar with his teeth.
Lukas Nelson at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
And was there classic rock jumping? Why, yes! An electrifying set and a Bluesfest standout so far.
Lukas Nelson at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
That brings me to yet another top-ranked performance. just over the hill at the Black Sheep Stage, from Irish folkie James Vincent McMorrow. I know a lot of folks have heard of him - he's made a big splash on the other side of the Atlantic - but he was entirely new to me. He made me think a bit of a folkier Jeff Buckley or Antlers, and has also garnered comparisons to Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens. Lovely voice on the lad. The crowd was suitably rapt.
James Vincent McMorrow at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
While he was playing the sound of the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Star Band was drifting over from the River Stage, so I went and checked them out. Pretty good stuff which made me miss the headlining world music acts that used to grace Bluesfest stages all the more.
Sierra Leone's Refugee Allstars at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
I went back to watch the Royal Southern Brotherhood on the Black Sheep Stage. They band features a bunch of ace musicians, starting with Meters man and Neville brother Cyril. Devon Allman of the Allman family provides some guitar; the rest of the band is similarly ace.
Royal Southern Brotherhood at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
Finally I went to see Orgone on the River Stage. They were lauded to me far and wide, and though I certainly found them funky, I found them working out every song a couple of minutes longer than strictly necessary. Or maybe it was the sun starting to cook my brains.
Orgone at Ottawa Bluesfest, July 8, 2012
Anyway, cooked brains will be my excuse for missing Nickelback tonight (or maybe I'll go - in disguise of course!).
- Show reminder: Capital Grass & The No-Men, The BOMARCS and Shannon Roe rock for Elliot Lake at the Elmdale. The Oli Brown Band plays the first of two nights at the Rainbow.
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