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
All Things Go 2026 Reveal Hayley Williams and Mitski Leading D.C. Lineup
All Things Go is rolling back out across multiple cities in 2026, and the Washington, D.C.–area edition is starting to take shape with two major names already locked in: Hayley Williams and Mitski.
The festival returns to Merriweather Post Pavilion from September 25 to 27, expanding into a three-day event with more than 40 artists expected across multiple stages. This year continues the festival’s steady growth from a D.C.-based event into a multi-city run, with stops in New York and Toronto happening.
So far, the early headliner reveal already sets a clear tone: big voices, emotionally heavy songwriting, and artists with cult-like fanbases.
For Mitski, the appearance stands out. She’s been selective about touring around her recent album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, and previously said she wasn’t planning a traditional, full-scale tour cycle. That makes a festival slot like All Things Go feel intentional.
Hayley Williams, meanwhile, is deep into what fans have been calling “The Hayley Williams Show” era. The Paramore frontwoman has been staging a series of special headline performances in 2026, pulling from her solo catalog (Petals for Armor, Flowers for Vases / descansos, and beyond) with a loose, unpredictable format that leaves room for deep cuts and one-off moments. Her All Things Go set will be one of a handful of these appearances, which have leaned more intimate and artist-driven than a standard tour run.
The pairing makes sense for All Things Go. The festival has built a reputation around female-forward and artist-first lineups, often spotlighting acts that thrive on storytelling and strong fan connection.
The rest of the D.C. lineup is expected to drop May 4, with a presale starting May 6. A New York lineup announcement is set to follow around the same time, keeping the festival’s multi-city rollout tightly synced. Head to All Things Go’s website for more information
If the first two names are any hint, this year’s edition is leaning into artists that pull people in and keep them there.
Festivals
Governors Ball 2026 Release Daily Schedules
The set times are in. Governors Ball Music Festival just dropped its daily schedules for June 5–7, and the usual game begins: mapping your day, picking your battles, and accepting you can’t see everything.
Friday, June 5
Day one leans indie-pop into rap by night. Lorde closes the main stage at 8:30, opposite the tail end of Baby Keem(7:30–8:30). That’s your first big call: polished pop spectacle or Keem’s high-energy set.
Earlier, things get messy in a good way. KATSEYE (6:35–7:30) overlaps with Pierce the Veil (5:30–6:30) bleed, and The Beths (6:00–7:00) sit right in between. Indie fans will feel that pinch.
Midday conflicts are lighter, but The Dare (4:00–4:45) vs. Arcy Drive (3:30–4:15) creates a small fork in the road.
If you’re pacing yourself, the cleanest run is late afternoon into Mariah the Scientist (4:45–5:30), then pick your lane.
Saturday, June 6
Saturday is the most chaotic on paper. Stray Kids headline at 8:30, directly after Kali Uchis (7:30–8:30). That transition is smooth if you stay put.
The real trouble hits earlier. Major Lazer (6:30–7:30) collides with Blood Orange (5:30–6:30) and the start of Amyl and the Sniffers (7:30–8:30). Dancehall vs. alt-R&B vs. punk. Pick a mood and commit.
Mid-card is stacked with clashes: Ravyn Lenae (4:00–4:45) overlaps with Jane Remover (3:30–4:15), and Snow Strippers (4:45–5:30) runs right into Wet Leg (4:45–5:30). That last one is a true coin flip, two buzzy acts at the exact same time.
Sunday, June 7
Sunday might be the strongest day top to bottom. A$AP Rocky closes at 8:45, opposite the end of JENNIE (7:45–8:45) and Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist (7:45–8:45). That’s the toughest final hour of the weekend.
The lead-up is just as tight. Dominic Fike (6:45–7:45) overlaps with Clipse (5:45–6:45) and Hot Mulligan (6:15–7:15). Three different crowds, same window.
Earlier, Japanese Breakfast (4:00–4:45) and Holly Humberstone (3:15–4:00) form a nice back-to-back if you stay mobile, but Between Friends (2:30–3:15) cuts into that flow.
The takeaway
Friday is manageable. Saturday is conflict-heavy. Sunday is stacked late.
If you hate missing songs, plan short splits. If you want full sets, accept you’ll miss something big. That’s part of the deal, and honestly, half the fun.