Ottawa Bluesfest

06/24/2025

🎶 If you haven't purchased your passes yet, now is the time. ⏰ There will be a price increase as of Thursday, June 26th at 11:59PM ET. Buy now to lock in at the best current price PLUS July 3rd is the **last date** to purchase and have your passes couriered to you 🏃‍♀️(TIP: skip the onsite box office lines!) 🎟 BUY NOW: ottawabluesfest.frontgatetickets.com
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🎶 Si vous n’avez pas encore acheté vos laissez-passer, c’est le moment. ⏰ Il y aura une augmentation de prix à partir du jeudi 26 juin à 11 h 59 ET. Achetez maintenant pour bénéficier du meilleur prix actuel. De plus, le 3 juillet est le **dernier jour** pour acheter vos passes et les recevoir par coursier 🏃‍♀️(CONSEIL : évitez les files d’attente aux billetteries sur place !) 🎟 ACHETER MAINTENANT : ottawabluesfest.frontgatetickets.com

06/24/2025

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Darrell Nulisch!

Darrell Nulisch is set to play not once, but *twice on Sunday, July 13: 7:00 PM on the LeBreton Stage & 9:30 PM at the Barney Danson Theatre.

Darrell Nulisch (born September 14, 1952, Dallas, Texas) is an American blues singer and harmonica player. A two-time Grammy Award Nominee, Darrell was a key member of The James Cotton Band, founding member of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets and member of Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters. Nulisch's repertoire incorporates soul combined with R&B and Chicago blues, redesigned to complement his distinctive vocals. Nulisch was raised listening to Texas radio, soaking in the sounds of soul, blues and R&B. In 1978 he was a founding member of Anson Funderburgh's Rockets and sang with them until 1985. He was then part of Mike Morgan's Crawl, before moving to Massachusetts and joining up with Ronnie Earl's Broadcasters in 1988. He began his solo career late in 1990, relocating to Boston. James Cotton then asked him to sing with Cotton's band on tour, after Cotton had lost his own voice. Nulisch recorded and toured with James Cotton for 10 years and sang on James Cotton’s critically acclaimed and Grammy Award Winning release “Cotton Mouth Man”. Darrell Nulisch, renowned for his captivating "blue-eyed" soul and blues vocals takes center stage, showcasing his powerful voice and exceptional harmonica skills rooted in the heart of Texas. Supported by a stellar, world class lineup featuring guitarist Chris Vitarello (Vanessa Collier, Jimmy Mcgriff, Bruce Katz), organist Dave Limina (B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Ronnie Earl), drummer Lorne Entress (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ronnie Earl, Big Al Anderson), and bassist Mike Law (Kim Wilson, Lurrie Bell, Jerry Portnoy), this quintet promises an unparalleled evening of pure blues and soul.

06/23/2025

JUST ANNOUNCED! ✨ We are thrilled to announce Kardinal Offishall will perform July 17th on the RBC Stage!

After years of earning global respect as one of Canada’s most energetic and innovative emcees, Kardinal Offishall has been a staple in the global music scene. He has collaborated on hit records such as “Beautiful” with Akon, “Just Dance” with Lady Gaga, Numba 1 with Rihanna and made history with his monster classic “Dangerous” which scorched to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, making him the first rapper from Canada to do so in history.

Kardinal has added tv star to his repertoire, serving as a judge on Canada’s Got Talent alongside Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh and Trish Stratus. He has also continued to be a cultural and musical ambassador for a new wave of Canadian superstars and has had the pleasure of working with everyone from the likes of Drake, K’naan, Daniel Caesar, Boi 1da, and Glenn Lewis to even finding himself as one of the few to land music on the end credits on one of Dave Chappelle’s comedy specials on Netflix (“Equanimity”). As an artist, Kardinal has participated early on in the careers of Rihanna, Alex Da Kid, T-Pain, Vybz Kartel, Estelle, and Sean Paul, to name a few. Diversifying his portfolio, by adding executive to the already proven titles of Rapper, Producer and Philanthropist was done without hesitation. “What I do naturally as a creative allows me to also view the corporate structure with a unique lens. It is very rare that one learns how to master both the magic and science of the music industry”.

Kardinal is continuing to lead and inspire by releasing his own creative projects, as well as the work of the artists he signs and mentors. He has quite literally ran with the torch during the Olympics, performed for Nelson Mandela, was federally appointed one of Canada’s ambassadors during the country’s “150th anniversary of its confederation” and proudly serves as Global A&R at Def Jam Records. Forever pouring into the minds and hearts of current and future legends, Kardinal is the definition of excellence, “coming from the cold”.

Full lineup & tickets at: 🎟 ottawabluesfest.ca

06/22/2025

Six albums into their lauded career, The Claudettes (of Chicago) continue to put a fascinating new spin on American roots music.

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... The Claudettes!

The Claudettes will perform not once, but *twice on Friday, July 11: 7:00 PM on the LeBreton Stage & 9:30 PM at the Barney Danson Theatre.

Blues and R&B are laced with punk spirit and film-noir moods to create the band’s singular “garage cabaret” sound. The Claudettes have earned worldwide acclaim with their recordings and concerts that are equal parts heart, musicianship and theatrical flair. Force-of-nature vocalist Rachel Williams (who dominates the stage like a glam-rock rebirth of Annie Lennox) and renowned pianist/songwriter Johnny Iguana join the positively heroic rhythm section of Zach Verdoorn (bass, guitar, vocals) and Michael Caskey (drums). Outside the Claudettes, Iguana has toured with Junior Wells and Otis Rush, played on many Grammy-nominated albums and recorded with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Derek Trucks, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Johnny Winter and more. Johnny is also composer of the score for the Emmy-winning smash FX/Hulu series “The Bear”.

06/21/2025

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Melbourne Ska Orchestra!

Melbourne Ska Orchestra will play on the River Stage on Thursday, July 10 at 7:45 PM.

Formed in 2003, Melbourne Ska Orchestra is an orchestra with a difference. Comprising up to 26 members this juggernaut contains some of Australia’s finest musicians and performers. Helmed by the energetic and charismatic Nicky Bomba (John Butler Trio, Bomba, Bustamento) Melbourne Ska Orchestra are more than just a band, they are an experience to behold.

The band's debut self-titled release resulted in sell-out national shows, multiple major festival appearances, three international tours, and many awards and nominations. Their sophomore release Sierra-Kilo-Alpha, secured that band its first ARIA award in 2016. Never shying from a challenge the band set a high bar by undertaking the mammoth mission to release a song every week - for an entire year. The resulting 52 songs compiled into a four-album box set, One Year Of Ska earned the band a second ARIA award in 2019. Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s live performance is explosive and infectious. Their unique take on the genre of Ska has wowed audiences all over the world. From Montreal to New York, Istanbul to London, Tokyo to Mexico and with the approval of Reggae and Ska pioneers like Stranger Cole, Owen Gray, Carlos Malcolm, Ranking Roger and Neville Staples the Melbourne Ska Orchestra sound is resonating with audiences worldwide – young and old.

06/20/2025

Happy Friday, OBF Fans! We're getting so close to the festival now... 😍

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Darren Kiely Music!

Darren Kiely is set to perform on the River Stage at 7:45 PM on Sunday, July 20.

Hailing from a quaint town in Co. Cork, Ireland, Darren Kiely's folk-infused pop sound originates from his inherited love of traditional Irish music, intertwined with modern influences such as The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Noah Kahan. At just five years old, Darren learned the tin whistle, and at eight years old, he picked up the fiddle, eventually teaching himself to play guitar as well. Darren began singing in 2019, quickly garnering attention for his raw and fervent vocals and emotive delivery. After winning numerous honors at a national level in Irish traditional music, Darren found his way to NYC in 2022 to continue developing his own music and sound, and soon after, headed to the songwriting hub of Nashville. Signing to Free Flight Records, Kiely’s unique presentation of folk-infused pop and lush storytelling, which echoes the backdrop of the Irish countryside where he was raised, is the forefront of his debut EP, Lost. The seven-track project explores the triumphant war of overcoming self-doubt, struggling to find himself, questioning emotions and seeking answers, while his follow-up, EP 'From The Dark', Kiely takes his craft to new heights as he explores the harsh realities that come with growing up and moving on. Lost features track "Mom & Dad,” which debuted in the Top 40 on the Irish Singles Chart and Top 5 on the Irish Homegrown chart, as well as a fan-favorite "Sunrise" which reached No. 1 on the charts. Kiely took his new music on the road with his headline THE ROAD HOME TOUR & THE LOST TOUR, where he sold out shows across his home country of Ireland and in North America and has toured with the 502s and Mat Kearny.

06/19/2025

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Lou Phelps!

Lou Phelps will play on the RBC Stage at 6:00 PM on Sunday, July 20.

A longtime fixture of the Montreal arts scene, Lou Phelps is one of Canada's foremost purveyors of club-rap bangers. Lou started making music in 2011 with KAYTRANADA, forming a future-rap group called The Celestics, releasing their debut project, Massively Massive. Using the moniker, Lou Phelps, Lou developed a reputation for creating tasteful and danceable hip-hop music, releasing Supreme Laziness in 2014 and curating Cause I Wanna, an 80-minute DJ mix that featured tracks from innovative electronic artists like DJ Rashad, RP Boo, and Kyle Hall, showcasing his excellent taste and long list of influences. In 2017, Lou released 001: Experiments, his debut project which racked up millions plays on SoundCloud, featured appearances from Bishop Nehru, Innanet James, KALLITECHNICS, and earned a nomination from Canada's JUNO Awards for Rap Recording of the Year. In September 2018 Lou shared his sophomore album, 002 / LOVE ME, via Last Gang Records. 002 / LOVE ME sees Lou's older brother, Kevin, aka the Polaris Prize-winning producer, KAYTRANADA, as executive producer, with guest spots from BADBADNOTGOOD, JAHKOY, Planet Giza, Pony and drum master, Karriem Riggins.

06/18/2025

Don't forget! You could win HALF THE POT in this year's 50.50 raffle. 💰 Last year's winner took home approx. $105,000 (tax free)!
🤑 BUY TICKETS ONLINE: https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/ottawabluesfest25
*You do NOT need to have festival tickets to participate in the online raffle.

Join thousands of community organizations - big and small - who raise more funds for their worthy causes with Rafflebox.

06/18/2025

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Tim Baker!

Tim Baker will perform on the River Stage at 9:15 PM on Sunday, July 20.

Tim Baker is best known as the writer and front man of Hey Rosetta!, a Juno-nominated, Polaris-shortlisted, and multi award-winning band based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. With over 15 years of performing their high-energy spectacle in stadiums, clubs, theatres and major festivals all over the world, Hey Rosetta! called it quits in 2017. Baker has since transitioned from being the leader and songwriter of a major indie rock band, and ascended to a profound songwriter and producer. His solo LP, Forever Overhead (Arts and Crafts), garnered him a Juno nomination for Songwriter of the Year, three East Coast Music Awards (and several nominations), and a Polaris longlist. In 2019, he released The Eighteenth Hole Variations EP, the Side Door Sessions LP in 2020, and that same year, he released the Survivors EP. The Festival was released October 21, 2022 and saw Tim play his biggest headlining shows to date, including a sold-out performance at Massey Hall in Toronto. In fall 2023, he embarked on his first coast-to-coast solo tour in support of his Along The Mountain Road EP, selling out nearly all of the dates. In 2024, he released Full Rainbow of Light, a holiday album centered around themes of home, nostalgia, love and family. Through this extensive musical output, Baker showcases his skills as a songwriter and storyteller, and cements his status as one of Canada’s leading troubadours.

06/17/2025

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... BADBADNOTGOOD!

BADBADNOTGOOD will play on the RBC Stage on Sunday, July 20 at 7:30 PM.

At the start of 2024, BADBADNOTGOOD were brimming with creative energy. Having just come off a run of one-off international tour dates and a series of sessions for projects with artists Daniel Cesar, Charlotte Day Wilson, reggie, Baby Rose, Arthur Verocai, and Turnstile, the Canadian-trio of Al Sow, Chester Hansen and Leland Whitty were eager to get back into the studio to create. The trio called on some of their closest friends and collaborators, BADBADNOTGOOD touring member Felix Fox-Pappas (keys) and a few key players in the Toronto jazz scene including Kaelin Murphy (trumpet), Juan Carlos Medrano Magallenes (percussion) and LA musician Tyler Lott (guitar), for an intensive and productive one-week of recording at Valentine Studios in Los Angeles in February 2024. The result is the Mid Spiral suite: Chaos, Order and Growth, released across three weeks (May 15, 22, and 29).

06/16/2025

Bob Log III is a one man band slide guitar party... 🎸

Your Ottawa Bluesfest Featured Artist of the Day is... Bob Log III!

Bob Log III is set to perform not once, but *twice on Saturday, July 19: 7:00 PM on the LeBreton Stage & 9:30 PM at the Barney Danson Theatre.

A perverse product of the Arizona desert, Bob Log III has been diligently travelling the globe since 1996, showcasing his incomparable talents and developing a devoted following along the way. A whirlwind of dexterous limbs and digits, this super star sonic showman has to be seen to be believed. Clad in his cannonball man, extra tight jumpsuit and signature motorcycle helmet with telephone/microphone attached, Bob Log III unfailingly sweats up a river while kicking on a kick drum, stomping his homemade foot cymbal and playing slide on an old archtop guitar. His endless pursuit for musical mayhem and a downright party has seen his unique talents utilized for children’s birthday parties, obscure beer barns, mammoth music festivals and everything in between. Yet, beyond these mesmerizing visuals, lies the true reason for Bob Log’s international cult status and superhero adoration. It is quite simply the guitar playing - finger-picked lightning, sliding up and down, stopping when it wants to, then starting again when it feels like it, all in a way that makes people move uncontrollably, smile and reel.

06/16/2025

🎟 TICKETING UPDATE!
Starting today, digital print passes for all single-day ticket holders are being sent out-so keep an eye on your inbox! Hardcopy, multi-day pass mailout is still well underway with 24 more days until ! 👉 Check out our Ottawa Bluesfest Help Centre to plan your trip: support.ottawabluesfest.ca