Festivals
Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 – July 17 Recap & Photos
Day 6 of Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 brought a full-body workout disguised as a music festival. Between the relentless grooves, chilled-out jams, and occasional downpour, Thursday night at LeBreton Flats Park was a ride. Dancehall king Sean Paul made sure it ended in a sweaty, joy-filled mess.
Sean Paul took the RBC Stage under a Jamaican flag, hypeman in tow, and made it very clear: Ottawa still knows how to party. Even as the rain returned midway through his set, the crowd didn’t flinch. Armed with decades of hits like “Get Busy,” “Temperature,” “Baby Boy,” and “Like Glue,” he spun a high-energy, nostalgia-filled set that kept the crowd bouncing. The vibe was somewhere between high school dance and full-blown Caribbean carnival.
He shouted out the “sexy ladies” at least a dozen times but also gave a nod to moms because “they bring forth life… and they sexy too.” A true gentleman. At one point, he asked if Ottawa was ready to show the world it could still party, and judging by the jumping and screaming in the pit, the answer was yes. Newer songs didn’t land quite as hard but the diehards up front held it down.
Earlier in the night, Kardinal Offishall took his warm-up duties seriously with a lively main-stage set that was added after G-Eazy pulled out. Kardinal brought the fun, dropping hits like “Dangerous” and “Numba 1” while poking fun at Americans and questioning whether Ottawans had rhythm. He brought out Karl Wolf and even premiered a new track “SOAK, which had a sultry, summer-night energy that might’ve hit harder if the weather hadn’t cooled off so much. Still, it was a big win for the festival to have a Canadian hip-hop legend fill in.
Opening the RBC Stage was local duo DYSTOH, who set the tone early with a blast of rhythm, horns, and Afro-Latin fusion. Ray Tabana on baritone sax and Phil Motion on percussion were locked in from the first beat, blending soulful grooves and electronic textures into something that felt both deeply rooted and totally fresh. They even dropped a few SoulJazz Orchestra tracks, a nod to their shared musical past, but DYSTOH is very much its own thing.
Across the grounds, there was plenty more to catch. Over on the River Stage, Toronto’s LILYISHTHATYOU brought punchy alt-pop and Gen Z energy to her early set. She broke out with “FMRN” on TikTok back in 2021, but her newer songs like “No Favors” showed off a more confident, layered sound that’s built for big stages.
Alicia Moffet followed with something more reflective. The Quebec singer and former reality TV star leaned into the emotional material off her new album No, I’m Not Crying. Her smooth vocals and synthy ballads were a nice cooldown before the storm.
Peach Pit closed the River Stage with a jangly, lowkey set that pulled a massive crowd, including, apparently, Prime Minister Mark Carney, who tweeted that he was there. The Vancouver band mixed fan favourites like “Tommy’s Party” and “Alrighty Aphrodite” with newer material from Magpie. They’ve always walked the line between indie slacker charm and big-stage confidence, and on Thursday, they leaned into both. A few technical hiccups didn’t throw them off. They laughed them off, cracked a couple of dry jokes, and kept going.
At the LeBreton Stage, things took a more atmospheric turn. Harry Manx returned to the festival 20 years after his first Bluesfest appearance, and his set was just as hypnotic as ever. Blending Indian ragas, blues, and a bit of gospel, his performance was meditative. He was joined by singer and keyboardist Geneviève Jodoin, whose vocals added an ethereal texture. Between songs, Manx cracked jokes with deadpan delivery.
Moontricks followed with a much different kind of fusion: folk instrumentation paired with electronic beats. They’ve been refining this sound for years, and their set on Thursday showed how far they’ve come. Fans swayed, some danced, others just stood there soaking it all in. It was a vibe.
After nearly a week of sweltering heat, the cooler breeze and occasional drizzle felt like a gift. And despite the rain, Thursday might’ve been one of the most energetic days yet. From DYSTOH’s opening grooves to Sean Paul’s full-blown dance party, Day 6 of Bluesfest thrived in the weather.
Head to Ottawa Bluesfest’s website for more info on the rest of the festival.
Check out our favourite photos of Day 6 below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
SEAN PAUL
KARDINAL OFFISHALL
DYSTOH
LILYISHTHATYOU
ALICIA MOFFET
PEACH PIT
HARRY MANX
MOONTRICKS
All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Pierce The Veil
By the time Pierce The Veil took the stage at Vancouver’s Freedom Mobile Arch on September 5, the place was packed and the anticipation was impossible to miss. As part of the PNE Summer Night Concerts, the San Diego post-hardcore veterans delivered a set that mixed nostalgia and chaos.
The show opened with “May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep Tonight” and “Hell Above.” From there, the night barely let up. “Bulls in the Bronx” got the crowd going, followed by “Circles” and “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket.”
There was plenty for longtime fans, too. “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous,” “Yeah Boy and Doll Face” and “Floral & Fading” reached back into the band’s catalog, while their cover of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” provided one of the evening’s fun surprises.
Visually, Pierce The Veil made the most of the outdoor stage. Tony Perry and Jaime Preciado were constantly moving, throwing themselves around the stage with guitars in hand, while drummer Loniel Robinson provided the thunder behind them. At the centre was Vic Fuentes, whose voice still carries the emotional weight that has defined the band since its early days.
The emotional high point came with “Hold On Till May,” a song that has become deeply personal for many fans as phones went into the air and voices rose across the venue. Predictably, the place lost its mind when they ended with “King for a Day.”
After nearly 20 years, Pierce The Veil still know exactly what their music means to their fans. On this night, Vancouver gave that love right back.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
PIERCE THE VEIL
All Photo Credit: Kelli Rothwell
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Train
After almost 10 years away, Train made its highly anticipated return to Vancouver, taking the stage at the PNE as part of the Summer Nights series for an electric night of nostalgia, energy and some of the band’s biggest hits. Nearly 10,000 fans packed the venue to welcome the group back to the city.
With nearly 33 years of performing together, Train proved that its signature sound and undeniable stage presence remain as strong as ever. Currently on the Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour, the band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic album with a set that served as both a celebration of its enduring catalogue and a reminder of why these songs have remained fan favourites for decades.
Opening with “Calling All Angels,” the band quickly launched into a crowd-pleasing run of classics, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Marry Me” and “Drive By.” Throughout the night, the set balanced humour and heart, with frontman Pat Monahan connecting with the crowd and reflecting the warmth and personality that have become synonymous with Train’s live performances.
The night ultimately came full circle with the song that started the 25th-anniversary celebration: “Drops of Jupiter.” As the familiar opening notes rang out across the PNE, nearly 10,000 voices joined in, creating a fitting finale to a night that celebrated not only one of Train’s most beloved albums, but an iconic career spanning more than three decades.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
TRAIN
All Photo Credit : Jill Meagher