RBC Royal Bank Ottawa Bluesfest – Day 10 by the numbers

Main Stage Headliner: Blue Rodeo

Party factor: 6 – beat the heat!

Band 1: Jordan Cook was just finishing his set as we walked in today, so we (unfortunately) did not see his entire show. Sounded really col though! Big fat guitars and pounding drums.

1st time we’ve seen a DJ sing: NYC’s Drop the Lime mixed everything together from huge room house to 50’s rock and roll and doo-wop, and even his own singing… which was really impressive and brought a HUGE new dynamic to the big room build-up. Loved this set, and love this guy as both a DJ and a producer. Super-impressive.

1 band with big hype that didn’t really ‘do it’ for us: Young the Giant. Not that we had amazingly high hopes for the Mountain Dew band, but we found them a bit… pretentious? It sounds unfair, because there was a big crowd, and people seemed really into these guys… so let’s say – it’s not YOU, it’s ME. And I admittedly didn’t know this band too well before we saw them. They were playing hard, but their songs lack an energy that I expected based on the stuff that I’ve heard before.

2 cool things about A-Trak: First, this guy brings heat – tons of new mixes of big tunes. 2nd, he makes more live re-mixing noise on the decks than most DJs (also a compliment). I get the feeling that no 2 A-Trak shows are alike. Am I right? Can’t wait to see him again to find out!

The Blue Rodeo Rule: If you are from Canada, you have seen Blue Rodeo at least 5 times in your life, and anything we type here is irrelevant. You have already formed your opinion.

If you are NOT from Canada,  perhaps you’ve never heard of Blue Rodeo, and you should listen. Bluesy country musicians at their best when they are mellow. Lead singer Jim Cuddy has one of the best country music voices not currently on the country circuit.

Tomorrow – HUGE day coming up. Diplo, Mastodon, Pretty Lights, Koan Sound, TOKiMONSTA, Tyga… HUGE day.