The audience at the RBC Main Stage was in a party mood for Bluesfest’s final Saturday night on July 18, and Gwen Stefani could feel it.
“I’m getting a super energy from you guys tonight,” declared the blonde dynamo early in her headlining performance, taking a moment to survey the crowd that stretched across the plaza in front of the Canadian War Museum.
It wasn’t as big as a country crowd, partly because a late-afternoon rain drenched the site and likely contributed to a last-minute dip in attendance for the second-to-last night of this year’s Bluesfest.
Happily, the skies cleared and thousands made it to LeBreton Flats Park, dedicating themselves to having a good time. They danced, made noise, sang along and held up their phones to capture every moment of Stefani’s Bluesfest debut.
“I’m pretty sure this might be the greatest concert I’ve ever had in Canada,” remarked the 56-year-old, her slicked-back ponytail framing a mega-watt grin. She wore the best outfit of this year’s fest, a plaid number in pink, black and a touch of sparkle that was artfully shredded to allow for movement.
Believe me, she needed the shredding for ventilation. Stefani was a livewire of constant motion, whether bouncing back and forth across the stage or joining the vigorous routine of her dancers. A pared-down but powerful band, featuring women on bass and guitar, anchored the athletic show.
There was a funny moment when a couple of signs in the crowd caught her eye. Spotting a pair of women in ridiculous banana costumes, armed with signs saying ‘This sh– is bananas,’ Stefani demanded they get on stage with her. Another young woman had a sign that said it was her first concert. “Get up here,” Stefani ordered, lining her up for a selfie.
The setlist was a dopamine-filled crowd-pleaser, ranging from old No Doubt tracks to solo material and fun covers. And like all the artists that have been featured on the main stage, Stefani was enthusiastic in thanking fans for their support. “I have so much love to give you,” she said, “because this IS my life right now.”
Earlier in the evening, Shaggy took it upon himself to get the party started by presenting the catchiest of tunes. In The Summertime was an ideal starting point for the night, followed by the 90s-era bangers Boombastic, Oh Carolina and That Girl.
Settling in for a singalong medley that included snippets of Bad Boys, Red Red Wine, Mad Mad World and more, Shaggy traded vocals with his MC and hyped the crowd by calling out to the “lay-dees,” as well as the reggae people and the dancehall devotees.
The Jamaican star’s daylight spectacle also included some colourful language and suggestive moves that were more suited to a late-night dance floor than the family outing that Bluesfest has become.
In light of Sunday’s uncertain weather, which veered from pouring rain to humidity-laden heat to downright chilly, the LeBreton Stage offered the shelter of a huge tent, and the draw of a couple of unknown acts with potential.
My first discovery of the day was Grace Bowers, a teenage phenom from San Francisco who plays electric blues-rock guitar like she was born for it. In a Ramones shirt, the curly-haired, baby-faced lass looked more like the neighbourhood babysitter than the latest blues sensation, but she played with badass passion and a whole lotta volume, not to mention a solid band of musical pals behind her.
Here Come The Mummies was another band with a gimmick that turned out to be tight, talented and extremely entertaining. Like Angine de Poitrine, the gimmick was that they perform anonymously, in costumes that cover their faces. Instead of black-and-white polka-dots, though, the aesthetic was ancient Egypt and the schtick was that they’ve been dead for thousands of years.
But there were no mournful dirges with these folks. Nonsensical lyrics aside, they were dead serious about digging into the horn-laden funk and making the real-life bodies move. As one of the undead musicians observed: “It’s okay to feel good and dance.”
