OT: 2015 Ottawa Music Festival and Concerts Thread

[Senscore]

Wilco and Built to Spill on the same day is just a treat.

Anyone who's a fan of 90s alt/indie rock (not post grunge) should give Built to Spill a shot. Keep It Like a Secret and Perfect From Now On are two of the best albums of the decade.

 

[stempniaksen]

Surprised this hasn't been bumped. Did anyone go last night? How was it?

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

I know I'm not from Ottawa, but I just booked my tickets to see Modest Mouse in Vancouver. Is anyone else going to see them on this NA tour or has seen them before?

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

I know I'm not from Ottawa, but I just booked my tickets to see Modest Mouse in Vancouver. Is anyone else going to see them on this NA tour or has seen them before?

I saw them in a small club in Kingston about 5-6 years ago when they were touring for their We were dead album. They are a pretty amazing group live and have a massive discography at this point, while I like their new album, I hope for your sake they dip into the old catalogue.

That show was one of my top of all time. Their music had a really special place in my life at that point and I still feel that way from time to time when everything I do do seems completely meaningless. I hope you enjoy!

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

I saw them in a small club in Kingston about 5-6 years ago when they were touring for their We were dead album. They are a pretty amazing group live and have a massive discography at this point, while I like their new album, I hope for your sake they dip into the old catalogue.

That show was one of my top of all time. Their music had a really special place in my life at that point and I still feel that way from time to time when everything I do do seems completely meaningless. I hope you enjoy!

Yeah man I completely agree. Songs like Trailer Trash and Little Motel have helped cope with some parts of my life.. Isaac Brock's lyrics are a bit unconventional but at the same time you still find places to connect and relate.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Yeah man I completely agree. Songs like Trailer Trash and Little Motel have helped cope with some parts of my life.. Isaac Brock's lyrics are a bit unconventional but at the same time you still find places to connect and relate.

If you like Bluegrass there's a cover band called Iron Horse who did a full album of Modest Mouse bluegrass covers, it's surprising how well Brock's lyrics work with the style. I'd recommend checking it out.

 

[QuietOnTheFront]

If you like Bluegrass there's a cover band called Iron Horse who did a full album of Modest Mouse bluegrass covers, it's surprising how well Brock's lyrics work with the style. I'd recommend checking it out.

Thanks I'll definitely check that out!

 

[David Suzuki]

how was kanye? I was supposed to go but ended up getting time off to visit my brother next month instead, typical.

 

[HispanicAtTheDisco]

Really curious about Kanye as well. Everyone I know who went said it was anywhere from good to the best show ever put on. I'd like to hear from someone a little less biased though.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

It was incredible. Sound seemed a bit off but at festivals Kanye plays all of his popular songs and it's just an insane time. Disappointed that he closed with only one but I had an amazing time.

 

[J-Dog]

What time did the concert finish at?

 

[KA BLAMO]

What time did the concert finish at?

Between 11:15-11:20.

 

[MiscBrah]

Great concert by Kanye. 100x better than snoop last year and drake 4 years ago. Only rapper who I think put on a better show at blues fest was Lupe Fiasco a couple years ago.

My #1 question about the night though, "Where is everyone walking to?

These youngins' can't seem to stand in one place for more than 30 seconds.

 

[Lazarrr]

Kanye put on a great show.

Probably one of the least enjoyable concerts I've ever been too though. The place was crowded with 14-16 years olds, I could barely move I was so squished, and I was getting pushed non-stop. I couldn't see Kanye from where I was standing and I was literally 50-ft from the stage. I went on Thursday night to Jason Aldean and had a much better time. Much more enjoyable. If I go to a rap concert at Bluesfest again next year I'll probably buy VIP tickets so I can sit down and watch or at least have some room to move.

The music was very good though and Kanye knows how to put on a good show.

 

[littleD]

I'm biased, but Kanye was ****ing amazing. I thought his 2007 show in Ottawa was amazing, last night blew that one away (recency bias be damned).

Probably one of the least enjoyable concerts I've ever been too though. The place was crowded with 14-16 years olds, I could barely move I was so squished, and I was getting pushed non-stop. I couldn't see Kanye from where I was standing and I was literally 50-ft from the stage. I went on Thursday night to Jason Aldean and had a much better time. Much more enjoyable. If I go to a rap concert at Bluesfest again next year I'll probably buy VIP tickets so I can sit down and watch or at least have some room to move.

For the 90 minutes before the show, I honestly feared for my life in that crowd lol. I found that once the music started, it didn't bother me as much. Yeah, I had zero room. But where I was, didn't seem like I was ever getting pushed, and I wasn't getting gallons of water sprayed on me anymore. (Really, the guy spraying water in my general area went way overboard at one point.) I got a lot more jostled and pushed and punched during Childish Gambino last year.

Runaway was highlight of the night for me. Love that he did Through the Wire. Only One isn't a very good finisher though.

Did two nights in a row at the festival (Thursday-Friday), and that beat me the **** down. I'm getting too old for this ****. My pass is for three more nights, unsure whether I'm going tomorrow or not though. It was my throw in day for the 5-day pass anyway.

 

[littleD]

My #1 question about the night though, "Where is everyone walking to?

These youngins' can't seem to stand in one place for more than 30 seconds.

My friends, they're right over there!

 

[littleD]

Great picture of the crowd for Kanye.

 

[SourGrapes]

Probably one of the least enjoyable concerts I've ever been too though. The place was crowded with 14-16 years olds, I could barely move I was so squished, and I was getting pushed non-stop. I couldn't see Kanye from where I was standing and I was literally 50-ft from the stage. I went on Thursday night to Jason Aldean and had a much better time. Much more enjoyable. If I go to a rap concert at Bluesfest again next year I'll probably buy VIP tickets so I can sit down and watch or at least have some room to move.

Yup. I got to Lebreton around 6:00 and headed straight for the main stage. Ended up around 30 feet away. By the time Chance finished, it was insanity. People were fainting and it was next-to impossible to get them out. This stuff went on for an hour or so, lots of pushing and shoving. I thought I was going to pass out, it was impossible to breath. I'm still surprised they didn't cancel the show and even more surprised someone didn't get severely injured.

Kanye puts on one hell of a show, though. All of the hits, and seemed to stay away from the persona that irks people the wrong way (or maybe I just didn't pick up on it). Looking at some VIP pictures from the show, I think it would have been more enjoyable from a distance and with some breathing room.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Great picture of the crowd for Kanye.

Wow. I'm bummed I missed that. Out of town for all of Bluesfest this year but I just got 17 dollar tickets to go see Rush on Wednesday so that makes up for it slightly! Hoping to see Stevie Wonder tomorrow at the Stampede as well.

 

[littleD]

Who should I go see on Saturday at Bluesfest?

Only thing on my list so far that day is Interpol.

 

[Senscore]

Who should I go see on Saturday at Bluesfest?

Only thing on my list so far that day is Interpol.

Same with me. Thats why I decided to skip it on my pick 3 pass.

I do like Interpol though.

 

[Lenny the Lynx]

I saw them in a small club in Kingston about 5-6 years ago when they were touring for their We were dead album. They are a pretty amazing group live and have a massive discography at this point, while I like their new album, I hope for your sake they dip into the old catalogue.

That show was one of my top of all time. Their music had a really special place in my life at that point and I still feel that way from time to time when everything I do do seems completely meaningless. I hope you enjoy!

I saw them in MTL around that time, probably the same tour. Right when Johnny Marr joined, and they also had 2 full kit drummers. Was a really cool show - so much energy.

They've never been my #1 favorite band but I do give them a lot of respect and I listened to it a lot back then. Its a very unique sound with amazing lyrics. Lonesome Crowded West is a 10/10 album to me.

I don't care for Iron Horse as I'm a massive bluegrass fan and I find that pop/rock cover stuff too hokey, but also wanted to mention that cover album by Sun Kil Moon, it was pretty good too.

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

Thought this was a cool pic from when KISS played Bluesfest in 09.

This is the concert that is in the record books for one of the loudest concerts ever recorded at 136 db. I think Hansen once hit 140, and Manowar hit 139 in a sound check. But it's still cool that one of the loudest concerts ever was in Ottawa of all places.

 

[16w]

Great picture of the crowd for Kanye.

if you zoom in to that picture's top left corner you'll see this intense looking dude rocking out

 

[spader]

Really curious about Kanye as well. Everyone I know who went said it was anywhere from good to the best show ever put on. I'd like to hear from someone a little less biased though.

It was underwhelming. He had a minimalist setup (dynamic light bank, but nothing else on stage), the backing music/DJ/vocals were all canned. He barely engaged with the crowd, and when he did it was kind of confrontational ("I heard you hate me in Ottawa, but I don't care").

I've seen a lot of shows (I volunteer backstage just about every year), and this one was nothing special. The crowd was absurd, but the show was just ok.

One thing I thought was neat (more in theory than in practice) was how he was obscured the entire show. He had smoke machines going the whole time and the way the lights were set up, he was basically in shadows for the majority of the show. It was interesting because he's so visible normally (through media, mostly), but when you see him live he's like a shadow.