*thanks to Nat for the photos of Muse!*
On Saturday, we dropped of Sierra with Rob, Janice and Jenna who were super nice to take her for a few evenings while we went off to Bluesfest. Supposedly, she is the wonder child and the greatest kid to babysit. Why does she not act this way when I’m around? I am kidding, of course.
Heading out to Bluesfest sans kid…greatest Saturday of the summer? Perhaps!
We managed to score a primo parking spot off of Somerset and headed down on this beautiful, beautiful summer day. Let’s put this into perspective for those reading this as a historical record of July 14, 2017. The rain in Ottawa (if not all of Canada?) has been ridiculous this summer. In the past week, this is the only sunny day. I feel bad for all of those going to Bluefest every day. It was a wet one. So we soaked in all the sun we could get today.
Decent crowd for 5pm!
Wide Mouth Mason was up first and they put on a great show. I thought Gordie Johnson was still their touring bass player, but this for this time out, they had a new fellow on stage with them. The band still has the chops and Shawn Verreault is a fantastic, fantastic guitar player. For the last half of the set he was playing a slide guitar and he had three slides on his hand. It was quite interesting to see. I had never seen slide played that way before and now I’m wondering if that’s how slide guitar is played all the time and I just didn’t notice since it’s always on the horizontal?
Here’s a shot of him playing the slide.
I’m glad we caught the show as they had some great tunes being played, along with some cover songs of Prince (which Vero hilariously called Queen).
We met up Nat and Mel who were there for the night and we grabbed some Gabriels Pizza over near the Bluesville stage. I ended up seeing my piano teacher Kelly and Sarah and they were waiting for a pizza to bring up to the front rail of the City stage as they had been camped there for six hours to get a good spot to see Muse! I’m sure they had a fantastic time!
At the Bluesville stage, Vero and I hung around for a band called the Campbell Brothers as Shawn Verreault was coming out to jam with them. We sat up in the bleacher section to give our feet a rest and I have to say that other than the fact that the Bluesville stage is a sweatbox of heat, it’s a cool environment with standing room in the front, lawnchairs in the middle and bleachers in the back to rest our feet. Natalie and Clive ended up hanging out for a bit watching the band and then we toured the grounds together. We did find Etienne for a whole five minutes and then I lost him for the rest of the night. Sorry bro!
We checked out a band called Busty and the Bass on the Blacksheep stage for a few songs and then headed over for the main event…Muse!
Giant balls flying around during Starlight.
Muse started and never stopped once during the 2 hours they were up there! It was an aural and visual experience to the nth degree. Since they are not touring a specific album, we were treated to the greatest hits package which I am a fan of. I loved how they had video cameras on their microphones so that the video screen would have these crazy closeups of them singing. I loved how the bass guitar would just rip through you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I feel they are the modern age Queen. They know all about spectacle while delivering songs that have fists pumping and vocal cords being shredded by the end of the night.
Quite the show!
Special thanks to the dudes in front of us smoking what could be classified as the biggest object holding marijuana that we have ever witnessed. I’m pretty sure two guys needed to hold it to operate it. Poor Melissa was getting smoked out downwind and had to move at one point.
They rocked so much that glass shattered! Nah, that’s just confetti.
I would also love to point out that my favourite moment of any concert is when someone offers you a joint. While I choose not to partake, it is an honour to be offered it. It shows that you are being cool enough to the people around you that they feel you are worthy of partaking in this rock and roll ritual. PLUS, I was offered twice so clearly, I was a-ok in everyone’s books around me. Note: this sometimes is not the case with me dancing around and smoking people in the face with my elbow. Once again Nat, I AM SO SORRY! I hope there is no bruising.
This elbow got a little out of hand on Saturday night.
Great night, no rain, a few beers and off home to find Sierra asleep and well! Muse was my #1 pick for Bluesfest and they did not disappoint. Too bad I couldn’t find a tour poster at the gig. They were supposedly available on the rest of the tour so I guess the box of them didn’t show up to Ottawa.
Clearly I’m protecting Vero from hooligans. Actually, I think we were trying to clap each other’s hands. It worked out pretty well!
Poor Ryley was at our house as he was at Bluesfest earlier and someone sprained/stretched/tore? his ligaments in his knee. He had to go to the first aid tent and be stretchered out of the fairgrounds. He was in good spirits the next day and he was planning to head out again.
Good way to end a night.