Zeds Dead and Keys N Krates
As the Bluesfest entered its first Saturday, Zeds Dead gave the Ottawa crowd, who were in the mood to rage, exactly what they wanted. They certainly did not disappoint as they took us through some of their biggest hits while dropping their most recent tracks and of their contemporaries. (Click here to read the full review including Keys N Krates)
Baauer B2B RL Grime and Thugli
The pace didn't stop on Monday as trap superstars RL Grime and Baauer kicked off their Infinite Daps tour with their special back to back set. The tone was set by Thugli, who started off with playing some hip hop but transitioned into some heavy trap that set the mood in the right place before the main event. Baauer and RL Grime weren't messing around with their Infinite Daps tour as they brought along their special rig fitted with a giant LED wall that served as a DJ booth. The results were good as their energy behind the decks, the music, and visuals all intermingled into one of the best Monday nights that I've ever seen in Ottawa. Fans that came out that night were up for a party and they certainly got one.
A Tribe Called Red and Grandtheft
This local trio from Ottawa did not disappoint as they came armed with a brand new album and sick visuals by Bear Witness that electrified the crowd. Grandtheft was a last minute replacement as Bondax had to cancel but it turned out to be a good choice as his sound was perfect for warming up the crowd. Having played his latest tracks including "Miley" and his new track with Diplo, Grandtheft's momentum into the second half of 2013 should continue.
A Tribe Called Red really brought the house down with a well thought out high energy set that blended their own tracks and others' perfectly. The visuals were fresh as they used aboriginal imagery from popular TV shows and movies like Back to the Future with saturated colours. ATCR got the crowd moving from the very first moment they got on stage to the very last beat. It was one of my favourite sets of the entire Bluesfest.
