Night seven of Bluesfest featured a competition between punk and country fans, as rival stages stuck to their genres giving concertgoers their pick on Thursday evening.
Headlining the main stage were The Offspring, where the muddy grounds were no match for the mosh pits and crowd surfers. With probably the liveliest crowd of the festival, the group flew through their hits and new songs, even covering a chorus of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” as a tribute to the Canadian legend who had to cancel headlining the night several weeks before the festival due to health reasons. Opening were Ontario heavy hitters Silverstein and Cancer Bats, demolishing their sets in rapid fire.
On the other stages, the likes of Corb Lund and Josh Ross brought their unique country sounds to those who weren’t in the mood to mosh. Alexa Goldie was a standout on the night, as she has been working hard in Nashville and is rising in the country music world.
The final Bluesfest weekend starts tonight! Check out Apt613’s previews for the upcoming nights, as well as an interview with Ottawa’s TALK who is performing on Friday night.
RBC Ottawa Bluesfest runs from July 4-14 at Lebreton Flats, with passes and tickets available here.