Day 11 of Bluesfest was without doubt electro-fied with a lineup that included the Full Flex Express Tour featuring Tokimonsta, Koan Sound, Grimes, Diplo, Pretty Lights and Skrillex. Ironically though, the latter artists performed on the Main Stage as opposed to the Electro Stage where Tyga of all people was performing.
We started Day 11 by seeing Diplo on the Main Stage. The founder and producer of Mad Decent Records played everything from the Major Lazer project to his latest single Express Yourself. It goes without saying that the electro DJ from Philadelphia made the crowd dance despite the blazing heat. Diplo represented Ottawa by wearing an ATCR Electric Pow Wow t-shirt to my greatest delight! The highlight of Diplo’s set was definitely when he surfed over the crowd aboard a transparent inflatable hamster ball. Now that’s what you call crowd-interaction!
Diplo at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest
After Diplo’s set, we made our way towards the Electro Stage to catch YMCMB rapper Tyga. The american artist of Vietnamese and Jamaican descent performed tracks from his two studio albums in front of an impressive crowd of festival-goers. We stuck around until he delivered his popular ‘Rack City’ track after which we returned to the Main Stage for the end of Pretty Lights, an American electronic music artist.
Skrillex at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest. Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Sun.
At 9:35 pm, as we waited for Skrillex to start, a countdown appeared on the screen behind the stage indicating that the dubstep artist was coming on in 5 minutes. The huge crowd that had gathered in front of the Main Stage for the final performance of the night counted down the last 10 seconds that kicked off Skrillex’s set. Skrillex didn’t waist anytime as he delivered track after track of hits from Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites to My Name is Skrillex without forgetting Promises, Bangerang and Cinema which he ended the night with. The impressive stage set-up and visuals included pyrotechnics, pressurized smoke canons, colourful light lasers and a moveable platform on which he mixed from that reminded me of a spacecraft. On his Twitter account this morning, Skrillex posted “Ottawa last night could go down in my top 5 crowds ever…so amazing thanks to all you comin out!” And we thank you Skrillex for making us dance our asses off!!
- Skrillex at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest. Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Sun.
Keep it locked for a review of Day 12, the final day of Bluesfest, which featured K’Naan, The Weeknd and Metric!!
Skrillex said the same thing last year, that it was one of his top 5 shows he had played.