Event Review: Boogat Brings his El Dorado Sunset to Ritual Nightclub

Montreal-based artist Boogat stopped by Ritual Nightclub this past Saturday, March 30, for a live performance meant to promote his latest and fourth album El Dorado Sunset released entirely in Spanish this past February.

The French Canadian latin rapper, known for his collaborations with DJ Ghislain Poirier and Ottawa’s own A Tribe Called Red, performed in Canada’s National Capital in an effort to spread his good vibes and ultimately to gain a wider audience within Anglophone Canada.

It was Boogat’s second time in Ottawa, following a previous guest appearance at A Tribe Called Red’s Electric Pow Wow party at Babylon in 2012. This time around however, he had center stage as he headlined the show, following a performance by Ottawa’s own Missing Linx who opened the night with their mix of hip hop and spoken word.

Boogat’s style is quite unique as it offers listeners a latin groove infused with urban rhythms. He liberally mixes reggaeton, salsa, cumbia and moombah to hip hop, allowing him to produce versatile and distinct sounds. There’s nothing quite like him at the moment within Canadian music, which is why he’s had the opportunity to perform at many festivals and in numerous venues across the country. He’s definitely something else and accompanied by a talented group of musicians and equipped with a charismatic personality, he sure knows how to engage with his audience regardless of the size of the crowd.

Unfortunately, as it so often happens in Ottawa with underground and indie music shows, hardly anyone showed up for the event, which can be rather discouraging for artists. However, the lack of concert-goers didn’t stop Boogat and his musicians from delivering a vibrant performance with high energy from beginning to end.

Boogat’s set was just short of an hour, but his stage presence and overall performance kept the audience dancing throughout. The band, comprised of Trombonist Etienne Lebel and Percussionists Kiko Osorio and Sergio Barrenchchea, played along to some of Boogat’s more popular material namely Moviembre, Dos Cervesas, Que Viva and Wow along with new songs from El Dorado Sunset like Romados and Natural including lesser known tracks from previous EPs.

This is really an underrated artist that deserves to be heard and recognized for the quality of his sound and for his refreshing take on urban latin music and I’m glad that I was there to experience Boogat’s excellent live performance.

Check out Boogat’s official website to discover what he does and take a look at his official video for Moviembre below.

End March in the National Capital with Masta Ace, Spirit Tracks, Teen Daze and Double Barrel

There are only a few days left in March, and although it’s been a good month in Ottawa-Gatineau, it’s also been a bit rough since Winter is lingering and very slowly making way for Spring.

With the end of March comes an early Easter Break, and as we’ve come to realize, long weekends usually equal numerous exciting events to choose from. So if you’re sticking around the National Capital Region this weekend, you’ll be happy to know that there is no shortage of shows and fun events happening.

For example, this Tuesday, March 26, Kisagiyan is taking place at Pressed Cafe as of 7pm. Kisagiyan, which means love in Algonquin, presents an eclectic evening of spoken word poetry, flamenco guitar, aboriginal songs, theatre performance and more. The event will feature artistic performances by Moe Clark, Balam Santos, Naomi Athena, Jeremy Sills and Jacqui Du Toit. If you’d like more information click on the poster below.

Also on Tuesday, March 26, Fau Mardi is taking over the Petit Chicago for a FREE night of electronic music and visuals. This week’s event will feature Andre et Michele, a collaboration between Singer/Songwriter Michael Glenwright and DJ/Producer Andrew O’Malley. Combining an array of instruments, from retro synth sounds and club beats to soaring melodic guitars, Andre et Michele weave together real-time improvised soundscapes using live performance looping. Fau Mardi will also include Guillaume Nolin and residents Phil Beauch and Sacha Vreca. For more info, just click below. 

This Wednesday, March 27, DNA Presents and TheKnwldg.com bring you the Execution Tour featuring Excision of Rottun Records alongside special guests Paper Diamond and Vaski live at LS Live. The Execution Tour is described as a new submersion into bass music accompanied by an intense audiovisual experience that will completely blow you away. For details on this event, click on the below poster.

On Thursday, March 28, the Mercury Lounge presents Bombay Records Sessions WMC Closing Party with special guest DJ Awaaz of Bombay Records. DJ Awaaz, known for his musical style mixing Tropical, House,  Afro, Soul, Deep Disco sounds will be spinning live alongside resident DJ Lance Baptiste. Grab details by clicking on the wildly beautiufl event poster below.

Also on Thursday, March 28, on the hip hop side of things, Masta Ace will be performing live at Ritual Nightclub as part of the Son of Yvonne Canada Tour. This hip hop pioneer from Brooklyn will be joined on stage by Wordsworth, Stricklin, The Bundies and Canadian artists Citizen Kane, Grindhouse Project and Ill Tone & The Kids.  For more info, click on the event poster below. 

Over on the Quebec side, Les vendredis complètements malades present Party de Perruques at the Petit Chicago, a fundraising event to raise for Cancer research. The organizers encourage you to bring your wig to dance the night away to the sounds of DJs Jas Nasty and Grumpy B, all for a good cause. If you would like additional information, simply click on the event poster. 

Also on Friday, March 29, Artengine and the Electric Fields Festival present Spirit Tracks: a special twist on the Electric Pow Wow with A Tribe Called Red, Cris Derksen, Rhonda Doxator, and Lorenzo. The unique event, taking place at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts  will premier a new collaboration between aboriginal artists from across the country and re-organize the dance floor in a special location, rich with its own spatial history. For everything you need to know, click on the event poster below. 

Also on Friday, March 29, Vancouver-based DJ/Producer Teen Daze will be doing a live set at Mercury Lounge thanks to a collaboration between IndieMontreal, CHUO FM and the venue. Teen Daze, known for his ambient/dance/electronic/lo-fi/pop sounds will be stopping by the National Capital to promote his second full-length album The Inner Mansions. If you would like to know more on this event, click on the poster below.

If you’re looking for something more vintage, head over to Mugshots this Friday for Double Barrel, Ottawa’s only night of soul, funk, retro reggae and motown strictly played from 45s. The March edition of Double Barrel will feature special guest DJ Eric Roberts of Timekode.  Grab details by clicking below. 

This Saturday, Mach 30, World Famous Music presents Boogat live at Ritual Nightclub. The Montreal-based artist characterized by his unique take on latin hip hop will be performing live in Ottawa in an effort to promote his latest album entitled El Dorado Sunset. Boogat will be accompanied by opening acts Missing Linx of Ottawa and DJ Nom de Plume of Radio Radio. For details, click on the poster below. 

If you’re looking for a great place to go dancing on Sunday night, look no further than the Mercury Lounge for the Afro Beat party with a live performance by special guests the Berekete Afrobeat Band.  Afrobeat, which is a mix of jazz, funk, psychedelic rock and African rhythms, is guaranteed to make you move your feet. If you want to know more, just click below on the event poster.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include the Journey of Nishiyuu that Ottawa will be welcoming this Monday around noon. This is a group of originally six courageous Cree teens under the age of 20 accompanied by a very wise guide who walked from Whapmagoostui in Northern Quebec to their final destination of Canada’s National Capital. Many others have been joining them along the way from Cree & Algonquin communities on their path. The youth are essentially partaking in this walk to raise awareness regarding pressing First Nations issues and parallel to the Idle No More movement. Find out more information on their arrival and get involved in the celebrations being organized to welcome them to Ottawa.

If you like to support local artists, check out Jazz and Poetry at Pressed Cafe this Saturday, March 30.  This event will feature young jazz vocalist Renee Yoxon and guitarist Mark Ferguson along with spoken word artist Brandon Wint who will deliver a performance of original poetry.

Another event worth mentioning this week for the hip hop heads out there is Pac Div live in concert at Ritual Nightclub on Sunday, March 31. The trio originating from Southern California will be performing in Ottawa for the first time in an effort to promote their latest album entitled GMB. Pac Div will be accompanied by After The Smoke and Johnny Polygon.

So there you have it, these are my suggestions of events for the upcoming days. I hope you enjoy your week wether you’re in Ottawa or the Gatineau area and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the exciting events happening in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

From January to February: Winterlude , Winter Jazz Festival, the Daft Punk Tribute and more!

With the frigid weather giving way to more seasonal temperatures, it’s now the perfect time to enjoy winter in the National Capital Region. The Rideau Canal Skateway, a Unesco world heritage site, officially opened last week and is currently fully accessible and in good to very good condition. For daily ice conditions, visit the National Capital Commission’s website here.

Among other things this week, the Revealed Canadian Bus Tour stops in the Capital City as Hardwell, named the #6 DJ in the world by DJ Mag Top 100, is set to perform live at LS Live alongside supporting acts by Dyro and Dannic. The event, which takes place this Tuesday, January 29, is sold out, however tickets can be purchased  online by people who are selling theirs. For more info, click on the poster below.

This Thursday, January 31, the Up and Up Concert Series presents The Marlow Beat Kings live at the Mercury Lounge. The psychedelic R&B soul funk boogaloo experience guarantees to make you groove to the rhythms of the Marlow Records house band. According to the organizers, during a single night, you can hear the instrumental organ trio jump from rhythm & blues to classy hard bop, from funk to boogaloo, from hypnotic rocksteady to psychedelic rock, all without missing a single beat. Grab details on this event by clicking on the poster below.

This Friday, February 1, the Ernest Dawkins New Horizon Trio will be performing live at Mercury Lounge as part of the Ottawa Winter Jazz Festival, which takes place from January 31 to February 2. You can catch the trio, made of up saxophonist Ernest Dawkins, bassist Junius Paul and drummer Isaiah Spencer starting at 10:30 pm. For ticket information and details, just click the below poster. 

To access the entire Winter Jazz Festival lineup and to purchase tickets, you can visit the official website by clicking the poster below.

The 35th edition of Winterlude kicks off this Friday, February 1 and runs until February 18. This annual festival which celebrates the joys of winter, will take place at several key locations namely Confederation Park, Jacques-Cartier Park and the Rideau Canal Skateway. The annual event will include the classic ice and snow sculptures competitions, the snow slides and playground for the youth and young at heart and Winterblast, a weekend of events for teens and young adults. This year’s opening ceremony will be held at City Hall on Friday, February 1 and will feature local DJ Collective A Tribe Called Red. You can access the full programming by clicking below.

This Friday, February 1 is the 3-year anniversary of Frenzy and it all goes down at Babylon starting at 11pm. For the festivities, special guests Kaytranada and High Classified of Montreal and Illo and Iggy Smalls of Ottawa will be doing a special 2 vs 2 sets. Grab more info by clicking below.

This Saturday, February 2, DNA Presents and theknwldg.com present Downlink at LS Live. The Canadian dubstep producer will be performing in the National Capital for the first time for a live set. For details on Downlink’s performance, just click on the event poster.

Also on Saturday, February 2, The Daft Punk Tribute will be back in Ottawa for live show at Ritual.  If you like electronic music and Daft Punk, this is an event you won’t want to miss. The Daft Punk Tribute is basically a 9-piece band who reinterprets Daft Punk’s music with a horn section, rhythm section, vocals and electronics. Based in Toronto, the band is known for throwing contagious dance parties at Canada’s most prestigious clubs and concert halls. In other words, if you want to dance, you know where to go!

Lastly, singer-songwriter Elisapie Isaac will be kicking off her Travelling Love Tour this Saturday, February 2 with a live show in the Theatre at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. If you like folk, pop and electronica music, you will definitely enjoy Elisapie Isaac’s English and Inuktitut melodies. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by clicking on the poster below.

Late November in the Capital City: From the NuJazz Fest to Fedde LeGrand and AraabMusik

If you’re into music and you live in the National Capital Region you may want to read ahead as this coming week is packed with a variety of amazing shows happening around Ottawa!

To kick things off, hip hop heads will be happy to know that the Cunninlynguists will be performing live at Ritual this Monday, November 19 as part of their Canadian Tour. The trio from Southern USA, will be giving a much-anticipated show alongside Tonedeff, Sadistik and DJ Flipflop. For more info, just click on the poster below.

This Wednesday, November 21, Two Guys With Beards present the 20/2o Speed Dating Night at Shanghai Restaurant. The concept is simple: you pay $20 to go on 20 speed-dates with people between the ages of 25 and 35. If you’re single, looking for a date, and not interested in online-dating, this may be the concept to try out! For more info, simply click on the poster below. 

Also this Thursday November 22, Sailor Jerry presents Death Row Rumble: Rockabilly, Burlesque and Ink in the Clink, taking place at Mugshots starting at 9:30 pm. This unique event will include music by Ottawa’s leading rockabilly-country group Dang Guilty, entertainment by premiere burlesque troupe Capital Tease and free tattoos by Gorgeous George of Planet Ink in a cell courtesy of the event’s sponsor Sailor Jerry Rum who will also offer rum drink specials. Grab everything you need to know by clicking the poster below! 

This Friday, November 23, Spectrasonic presents Mother Mother and Hannah Georgas live at the Bronson Centre starting at 8:00 pm. Mother Mother and Hannah Georgas will performing in Ottawa as part of the Sticks Tour. You can grab more info by clicking on the poster below.

From Thursday, November 22 to Saturday, November 24, head over to Mercury Lounge to check out the first edition of the Ottawa NuJazz Festival, an extension of the Toronto NuJazz Festival. Presented by the Mercury Lounge, House of PainT and World Famous Music, this 3-day festival will feature live performances by the Jazz Amnesty Sound System, the Soul Motivators and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. A festival not to be missed for those who love new jazz, funk and soul music! For more details, simply click on the two following posters.

 On Friday, November 23, The Queer Mafia and Bustedlimb present Oh My Jam: Shake Ya Azz Edition with special guests A Tribe Called Red. The event, which takes place at Babylon Nightclub, is a fundraiser for the families of Sisters in Spirit, an initiative that raises public awareness on the alarmingly high rate of violence against Aboriginal women in Canada. This is the perfect opportunity to go out and have fun with A Tribe Called Red while contributing to an important cause that truly needs all the help it can get! Find out more by clicking on the poster below.

This Saturday, November 24 is the monthly-edition of Grind Party at Babylon nightclub. The November edition will feature Montreal-based DJ Maysr alongside residents Jon Deck and Selektah Skillz. If you’d like more info, you can get it by clicking the below poster.  

DNA Presents is celebrating its 1-year anniversary this month and as part of the festivities, they are putting on several exciting shows to thank the National Capital Region for its ongoing support! For example, Pleasurekraft, a techno house duo based out of Washington DC, will be live at Era this coming Saturday, November 24 to make you dance the night away. Check out the details by clicking the poster below.  

Another show organized by DNA Presents to celebrate their 1-year anniversary is taking place this Sunday, November 25. None other than Fedde Le Grand will be taking over LS Live for the new music venue’s opening night as part of his Dark Light Sessions North American Tour! To get more info on this event, simply click on the poster below. 

Last but certainly not least on this week’s list of events is the one and only AraabMusik who will be performing live at Ritual alongside Baauer. The American hip hop music mogul will be supported by DJs Iggy Small and Samo Sound Boy. This is a huge party for Ottawa and it shouldn’t be missed by hip hop lovers! Grab more info by clicking below.  

October in the NCR: Ottawa Fashion Week, French Montana, Electric Fields Festival and the One World Film Festival

From October 8 to October 14, there are plenty of events happening in the National Capital Region that are sure to be of interest to some of you. From the Ottawa Fashion Week to the One World Arts Festival, you’ll definitely find something fun to do!

Tonight, Monday, October 8, French Montana will be live in concert at Barrymore’s with opening performances by Swisha T and City Fidelia and sets by DJ AK and DJ Mes. The American rapper of Moroccan and Somali descent will be in Ottawa to promote his first studio album Excuse My French, set to be released in December. Tickets are still available and you can grab all the info by clicking the poster below.

Fashion junkies will want to check out the Ottawa Fashion Week, which takes place between October 9 and October 14 at Sala San Marco located in the capital’s Little Italy neighborhood. Designers will present their Spring/Summer 13 collections during the runway  shows taking place on October 12, 13 and 14. To see the list of participating designers and for more details simply click on the image below.

Artengine is back in full force with the 2012 edition of Electric Fields, a festival placing emphasis on the fusion between electronic music and media arts. This year’s festival includes performances by Nicholas Bernier, Jesse Stewart, Digital Territories and A Tribe Called Red, installations by Donna Legault, Chris Payne, Evan Dysart, and Britta Evans-Fenton along with a symposium and a Miki-Maker Faire. For details, please click below.

This Thursday, October 11, DNA Presents the monthly edition of Static with special guest Congorock. The recurrent event, which takes place at Babylon Nightclub, will feature music by the Italian electro, house and dance-punk producer. 300 promotional tickets are available for FREE, a rare offer for an event like this. Grab everything you need to know by clicking the poster below.

Starting this Thursday, October 11 and running until Sunday, October 14 is the 23rd annual One World Film Festival of Ottawa. This year’s edition, which takes place at the National Archives, focuses on the theme Uncommon Journeys. The festival is tailored for those who have an interest in human rights and environmental sustainability and it presents documentary film screenings, panel discussions, Q&A’s with filmmakers, kiosks, and presentations from various NGOs. For more information, simply click below. 

This Friday, October 12, head over to Fall Down Gallery as of 8pm for the Herd Magazine release party. According to the creators, Herd Mag will be  raw, organic, provocative and offer freely distributed literature covering local arts & culture on a quarterly basis in both print and digital. The launch includes performances by Amos The Transparent, the Bread Crumbs Crew, VJ Ina, DJ Greg Reain and an art show by the Collective Seen Artists. The official after party takes place at Babylon for Grillz & Glam. Get all the info you need below.

That’s it for this week ladies and gents! Have fun around town Ottawans and Gatineau peeps alike!

Summer is Not Over: Ottawa-Gatineau Events to Start September!

Be careful what you say, because summer is NOT over. Yes, you (or your kids) may be headed back to school, vacation has come to a brutal end and the nights are slowly but surely becoming cooler , but September still equals summer so enjoy it while it lasts people! And be ready for fun times because September is actually a pretty busy month event-wise. There’s a bunch of things happening throughout the month and it’s just getting started

Here are some event suggestions for the first week of September!

Taking place today, September 1, is the first-ever Ottawa Rhythm Festival celebrating the best in Carribean, Latin and Soul music from around the world. The inaugural event aims at celebrating the Jamaican and Trinidadian 50 years of Independence, with special performances by its leading artists.  The event takes place at Twin Elm Rugby Park in Nepean. You can get all the details by clicking the poster below.

A reminder that the the 25^th edition of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival kicked off this Friday, August 31 and runs until September 3 at the Parc de la Baie. This annual festival, which celebrates hot air balloons of different colours, shapes and sizes, also offers an array of on-site activities including shows, a classic car exhibition, buskers, fireworks and an amusement park. This year’s headliners include Simple Plan, KC and the Sunshine Band and Eric Lapointe. This event guarantees to be packed with entertainment for everyone! Get more info by clicking the image below.

Another festival starting this week is the FOÉ also known as the Festival Outaouais Emergent, a 5-day event that puts emphasis on local emerging talent from around the Outaouais region. Now in it’s 5th year, the festival has grown to include programming which combines music, visual arts and performing arts. This year’s highlights include performances by Ariane Moffatt, Qualité Motel, La Bronze, Nomadic Massive and Tricia Foster just to name a few. Although festival bracelets are $35, there are several free activities worth attending throughout the 5 days so enjoy the FOÉ and discover new sounds emanating from Québec!

To encourage local talent, what better way than to attend an album launch? This Thursday, September 6, La Cavale, a new group from Gatineau, will be launching their first album entitled Le Coureur des Voix at La Basoche in Aylmer. The happy-folk-meets-Bob-Dylan sounds so unique to La Cavale will surely enchant you! Take the risk and take a dip into the unknown musical world of La Cavale The show is free and as a bonus there will be an art exhibition by local artist Dinorah Catzalco. Get all the details below!

If you love folk music then you definitely don’t want to miss the Ottawa Folk Festival, which happens between September 6 and 10 at Hog’s Bag Park. This year’s edition presents four days of live performances by some big names of the folk music world including Ben Harper, Matthew Good, Bon Iver, Dan Mangan, Great Big Sea, and Patrick Watson. We the people have been excited about this lineup ever since it was released by the festival organizers. It might help that the mastermind behind Folk Fest is Mark Monahan, the man responsible for the Ottawa Bluesfest Love it and live it Ottawa-Gatineau. This is sure to be a good one! More info if you click below.

Brace yourselves Wu Tang affiliates, Wu Wednesdays is back in full force with Jon Deck starting this Wednesday, September 5 at Mugshots. This night solely dedicated to the Wu Tang Clan won’t disappoint the sleeping Shaolin ninja in you. All Wu-bangers, all night long. Grab all you need to know by clicking the poster below.

This Friday, September 7 head to Ritual for Fortune if you’re looking for hip-hop because DJs Dave Cee and Laocapone promise the very best in hip hop music from classics to the obscure to the most current club bangers. If you want more info, simply click the poster below.

A Tribe Called Red is back with another Electric Pow Wow happening at Babylon next Saturday, September 8. This special edition will feature Montreal-based musician Boogat and his unique French and Spanish urban music. This is a guaranteed good-time if you’re looking to dance the night away.  Check out the event’s Facebook page by clicking the Electric Pow Wow poster.

Just in August in the National Capital Region: From the Mega Show to Wakefest

Yes, summer’s almost over. Yes, you’ve used up all your vacation time from work. Yes, it’s somewhat depressing. Having said this, those are all great reasons to get out and enjoy some of the events taking place in and around the National Capital Region this week, trust me, it’ll feel a bit like you’re still on vacation. Several of this week’s fun events are taking place on the Quebec side, which is a great opportunity for some of you to cross over the river and check out something different around the Outaouais region.

For starters, the City of Gatineau presents the Sirius XM Canada Mega Show tour this Wednesday, August 22 in the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. For only $10, fans of francophone music will get to see and hear live performances by Louis-Jean Cormier, Malajube, Galaxie and Gatineau’s own Pierre Lapointe in an effort to promote emegering and independant Quebec talent. Tickets are selling fast but they are still available and you can obtain all of the details by clicking on the image below.

The 2012 Wakefest Arts Festival is happening from August 23 to August 26 at various locations in Wakefield, Quebec and it includes music, film, theatre, dance, visual arts and literature. Wakefest, which celebrates local artists has for objective to inspire and engage creativity within the community. You can find out more on the official Wakefest website by clicking below.

 

Also in Gatineau starting this Saturday, August 25 is the 15th anniversary celebrations of Le Troquet, a restaurant/show bar/exhibition space located in the Old Hull area. To thank its long-time regulars and new customers, Le Troquet is offering a special exhibition along with a couple of free shows including live music, slam poetry and even a very special Piknic Electronik with Montreal’s DJ Poirier. You can get more info by clicking on the link below.

 

If you want to go out and dance for a good cause, head over to Babylon Nightclub this Friday, August 24 for Oh My Jams Whine and Grind Edition with special guests Yes Yes Y’All Crew and A Tribe Called Red. All proceeds will go towards the Venus Envy Bursary Fund and the families of Sisters in Spirit. You can grab more details by clicking on the poster below.

This Saturday, August 25 is also the monthly Grind Party at Babylon Nightclub in Ottawa. This month’s edition features Big Toes HiFi from Scotland alongside Jon Deck and Selektah Shellz. Doors open at 11:00 pm and entrance is $8. More info below.

Also this Saturday, August 25, Kapacity Entertainment presents Ritual Nightclub’s 3-year and Straight Good’s 5-year anniversary party with Sinjin Hawke, Grandtheft, and Iggy Smalls. There are 200 free tickets available online, first come first serve. Click here to find out more.

Enjoy your week and make sure you do something fun!

Event Review: Bluesfest Day 5 with the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, A Tribe Called Red, Seal and Chromeo

For Day 5 of Bluesfest, I decided to check out the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, A Tribe Called Red, Seal and Chromeo.

I especially attended Day 5 to see the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars whom I simply adore. If you don’t know this band’s story, you should definitely check out the documentary film that was made on them titled Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. Their sound is a mix of African music and reggae, which is extremely contagious and impossible to resist. Their music is definitely captivating and inspiring and it sends a positive message of hope and that anything is possible if you have the will and the determination. The group performed in front of a good crowd of people that had gathered at the River Stage. For some, seeing the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars was a way to discover new world music and for others, it was an opportunity to dance and sing along to the songs from the group’s three studio albums. The gentlemen from the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars made me travel back to the Motherland on a beautiful summer afternoon and I can’t thank them enough for the wonderful feeling

The Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest

Afterwards, we went straight to the Electro Stage for Ottawa’s-own A Tribe Called Red. My favorite local deejays were opening for none other than Chromeo! These boys have been working very hard to get where they are at and it definitely shows. They prepared a unique audio-visual experience for their Bluesfest crowd that left many wanting more. The creators of the Pow Wow Step gave festival-goers track after track of that unique sound that is true to them and them only and they even played some new material to everyone’s delight. Their one-hour set flew by very quickly and I’m happy I was there to celebrate A Tribe Called Red’s success  Keep making us proud ATCR!

A Tribe Called Red at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest

Before Chromeo’s set, we had a bit of time on our hands so we decided to go see part of Seal’s performance on the Claridge Stage. The British Soul and R&B singer attracted a much larger crowd than I had expected. Having said this, he was the biggest name featured on Day 5′s lineup along with being an experienced performer. Seal took the time between songs to speak to his fans and even shook some hands and smiled for the photographers on hand. I didn’t get to here my favorite song of his Fly Like an Eagle, but Seal did sing his famous single Kiss From a Rose and the popular Crazy. 

Seal at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest. Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Citizen.

Once Seal finished his performance, we headed back to the Electro Stage for Chromeo while Norah Jones was getting ready to start her show on the Main Stage. Having seen Chromeo perform twice in Ottawa before, I know how great they are on stage. However, since Dave 1 and P-Thugg were only playing a DJ set for Bluesfest, things were different and not as exciting as when the duo sings and plays live instruments. Nonetheless, Chromeo attracted a large audience and their audio-visual set clearly pleased the crowd who danced to their music selection. Still, I was a bit dissappointed given that they are one of the best (if not THE best) Electrofunk group around. Why a DJ set as opposed to a performance? Is that what Bluesfest organizers wanted from the Montreal-duo? Maybe, maybe not but this was in my opinion a bad call for Chromeo.

The Electro Stage at the 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest

Stay tuned for more reviews as we head into the second of Bluesfest!

The 2012 Ottawa Bluesfest Officially Kicks Off!

Courtesy of the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest

The build-up to all my excitement will finally be put to rest this week as the 2012 Bluesfest officially kicks off this Wednesday, July 4 at Lebreton Flats across from the Canadian War Museum. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this is by far the most exciting time of year for me and one of the highlights of my summer. The Bluesfest organizers recently announced that this year’s logistical set-up has completely been re-designed for efficiency and security reasons. You can check out the new layout on the map here.

THE festival of the national capital launches with a first week that promises to please and impress festival-goers. Bluesfest opens tomorrow with electronic DJ and producer Tiesto making a strong statement on the first night that this year’s edition puts the focus on electronic dance music.

Tiesto

 

On the second day, July 5, highlights include party rockers LMFAO, Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, Canadian  electronic group Dragonette, Paul Oakenfold, and Montreal indie rock trio Plants and Animals who find themselves headlining the River Stage.

Dragonette

 

As fot Friday, July 6, festival-goers can expect performances by Canadian-favorite City and Colour, dance-punk duo Sleigh Bells, and Tommy Lee and DJ Aero (yes that’s right, as opposed to Tommy Lee and MÖTLEY CRÜE) just to name a few.

On Saturday July 7, the lineup includes Alice Cooper and legendary British group Iron Maiden, Marcia Ball, Toronto’s-own Philly Moves and DJ Illo of Ottawa along with electro Toronto-duo MSTRKFRFT (pronounced Master-Craft) concluding the night on the Electro Stage.

MSTRKRFT

 

Highlights for Sunday, July 8 include American singer-songwriter Norah Jones, British soul and R&B singer Seal, the Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, Irish songwriter James Vincent McMorrow, Ottawa’s-own Aboriginal DJ trio A Tribe Called Red and a DJ set by Montreal-duo Chromeo.

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars

 

Based on this sole selection, it’s basically guaranteed that the first week of Bluesfest will be electrifying! What bands and singers will you be checking out?

Be sure to read my review of days 4 and 5 next week! Until then enjoy Bluesfest to the fullest

Too Soon For the End of June: Ziggy Marley, Escapade Music Fest, Ajapai and DJ Premier

So it’s already the end of June, where did the time go? With the amount of exciting events, shows, festivals and other activities that took place this past month, no wonder it’s almost July!

Before we leave June behind us though, there are a couple of noteworthy events that you should be aware of as we get closer and closer to Canada Day festivities.

The five-time Grammy-winning musician, actor, artist and humanitarian Ziggy Marley will be performing at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival this Tuesday, June 26 on the occasion of his Wild and Free tour. The eldest of Bob Marley’s sons, Ziggy is expected to present songs off his latest solo studio album titled Wild and Free along with classics and perhaps some pieces from his legendary father’s repertoire. If you love reggae music, don’t miss out on this performance, which promises to be memorable!  The show is set to begin at 7:30 pm and tickets are still available online on the festival’s website.

Later this week, lovers of dubstep music have the chance to see Ajapai live at Ritual on Saturday, June 30. This japanese DJ and producer hailing from Tokyo has built a solid reputation amongst the international bass/dubstep scene and it just keeps growing as he consistently releases hit tracks on the charts. Ajapai will be joined by Liondub, Vilify & Maysr, and Rainman. You can grab all the details by clicking on the poster below.

Also this week is the start of the Escapade Music Festival dedicated to celebrating Electronic Dance Music in its many shapes and forms. Now in its third year, this festival has grown exponentially since its inauguration and has now moved to the Ottawa Stadium to accomodate the growing number of festival-goers that attend the 2-day event. Headlining this year are the likes of Avicii, Eric Prydz, Afrojack, Alesso, Chuckie and more. 70% of tickets are now sold out so if you intend on going make sure you grab yours fast! You can get more details by clicking the festival poster.

Happening on Saturday, June 30 is the Grind Pre-Canada Day Party at Babylon which begins at 11:00 pm. This edition of the monthly event will feature resident DJ Jon Deck and Montreal’s D.R.one. For those who attend Grind, you know that the music is off the hook and that it tends to be one heck of a night. That’s about all the info available at this point.

On Sunday, July 1st, to celebrate Canada Day, Kapacity Entertainment presents the legendary DJ Premier alongside Bumpy Knuckles aka Freddy Foxxx. Having seen Premo in Ottawa twice I can guarantee that this is sure to be an amazing Canada Day party and if you’ve seen him too you know I’m not lying. This is definitely the event to attend if you love hip-hop and Gangstarr because it doesn’t really getter better than this. Premier is basically one of the best producers in hip-hop history if not the best.  You can get all the info by clicking the poster below.

Also on Canada Day is the Piknic Electronik taking place in the River Park behind the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau from 2 to 9pm. This Sunday’s edition will feature Manalogue, The Gulf Stream, Math Rosen and A Tribe Called Red as the headliners. Entrance is $10 and there is a BBQ and beer available on site. You’ll get all the details if you click below. Enjoy!