Ottawa Bluesfest 2025: Photos and a review of The Decemberists, Amos the Transparent, and The Sarandons

July 25, 2025 Alan Cross 0 Comments 5 min read

[Zachary Resnik was there for us. – AC]

The second week of Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 kicked off to high temperatures again, but a pleasant breeze kept things cooler than days prior. Over at the River Stage again, festival-goers were treated to a triple bill of indie and folk rock.

First up were The Sarandons from Toronto. They teased they’d be playing at least four new songs for this set, so loyal fans were in for a treat. Opening to a modest crowd with a bassline that was reminiscent of The Strokes, the band was off to the races.

Starting the set out, we got the wistful lyrics of “Sightlines,” the higher energy guitars of “Say When,” and the country-like twang and Canadian-rock feel of “These Hearts.” The Sarandons cite Wilco, Kurt Vile, and Cage the Elephant as their influences, but I found these early offerings leaning towards summer dad rock – perfect for some easy backyard listening, perhaps while grilling some burgers and dogs.

“Drawing Dead” started out with some distorted guitar chords and a touch of whimsy, as the nearby Coors girls blew bubbles over the crowd, floating lazily in the sunshine. “Eye For An Eye,” one of the promised new tracks off an upcoming album, was a stripped back earworm with some great progression. By this time, the crowd had filled out more, which in turn, gave the band an extra jolt of energy.

Other high points of the set were the slower “State To State,” the gradual build of “Dream Machine,” and another of the new tracks, their next single: “Deep End.” Lead vocalist/bassist Damian Coleman introduced the song, saying this crowd would be the first to hear it, and asked the audience what they thought after (to a round of cheers and applause.)

With the breeze still blowing and the sun tucked temporarily behind a cloud, things had cooled off considerably, but on stage, things were about to heat up. Filing out for their tenth (!) appearance at Bluesfest were hometown heroes Amos the Transparent.

If you’re not familiar with Amos, let me give you the lowdown on one of my favorite local acts. Releasing their first album all the way back in 2007, Amos the Transparent is an indie band with a unique sound and inimitable storytelling style.

The current lineup is actually my favorite, particularly Jonathan Chandler and Olenka Reshitnyk both lending their strong, harmonious vocals to tracks, and Mike Yates with his mournful, rich cello… why don’t more bands have cellos?

Of particular note from this set was “Everywhere All the Time,” the title track of a long-awaited upcoming album. With captivating vocal harmonies and deliberately chosen lyrics, this evocative yarn brought many listeners into the pit, rapt with attention.

A cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” was another high point that came with an offer to sing along – one that was eagerly accepted by many members of the audience.

The River Stage’s final act of the night was The Decemberists, from Portland, Oregon. The indie rock royals graced the stage to soft, periwinkle lighting, smoke, and an eerie, distorted recording of Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”

The band made a vow to do their best to compete with Def Leppard (who had started their set on the main stage moments before) and launched into “July, July!” before the packed pit. The song started out with big organ notes and got everybody’s attention quickly.

The keyboards really shone in “Burial Ground,” and “Rox in the Box” had a sea-shanty, sing-along vibe. Lead vocalist and guitarist Colin Meloy joked about how “On the Bus Mall” (a song about two male prostitutes) would sound played under a Def Leppard track, which made me think about the old rumors of playing Pink Floyd backwards.

As the sky turned dark, the growing crowd spilled out from the asphalt of the pit, all the way to the grass. Blue lights shone over the sea of bodies, casting shadows as the band launched into “The Wrong Year.” We were treated to a brief accordion number, followed by “Eli, The Barrow Boy,” a sad, solemn song which saw the crowd slowly swaying.

A little mid set mic trouble couldn’t dampen the band’s spirits and they jumped into an impromptu blues set, with drummer John Moen providing some expert bluesman vocals.

The Decemberists bounced back with the mic issue fixed and hit us with “Make You Better” and “Severed.” By this point, they had the audience eating out of their hands, and they knew it.