OT: 2015 Ottawa Music Festival and Concerts Thread

Senscore

Let's keep it cold
Nov 19, 2012
21,484
17,131
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.
 

QuietOnTheFront

@QuietOnTheFront
Jun 17, 2011
2,067
167
Vancouver, BC
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

Don't Hold The Door
Mar 16, 2009
31,084
7,399
Ottawa
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

@QuietOnTheFront
Jun 17, 2011
2,067
167
Vancouver, BC
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

Don't Hold The Door
Mar 16, 2009
31,084
7,399
Ottawa
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.
 

HispanicAtTheDisco

Registered User
Oct 17, 2014
2,222
0
Ottawa, Ont.
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

Intangibles
Jun 19, 2010
11,863
1,781
Kanata
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.
 

MiscBrah

Registered User
Mar 16, 2012
3,551
548
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

Registered User
Apr 10, 2010
1,399
0
Ottawa
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

Registered User
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 ****. :D 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

Registered User
Great picture of the crowd for Kanye.

11062249_931687553540079_279886615182740299_n.jpg
 

SourGrapes

You Kids Out There
Dec 30, 2013
568
0
Mimico
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

Don't Hold The Door
Mar 16, 2009
31,084
7,399
Ottawa
Great picture of the crowd for Kanye.

11062249_931687553540079_279886615182740299_n.jpg

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.
 

Lenny the Lynx

Registered User
Sep 20, 2008
4,891
568
ON
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.
 

spader

Registered User
Oct 13, 2013
400
1
Saskatchewan
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.
 

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