Ottawa Bluesfest is back for 2022

[A report from Ottawa correspondent Ross MacDonald. – AC]

It’s been a long and difficult past two years, especially for the music industry. The best way that artists connect with their fans is through live shows, which have been severely hampered by the COVID virus. Yes, there have been some smaller shows between the lockdowns and restrictions; but just in time for summer the virus and corresponding restrictions are finally waning.

And one sliver of good news in the past few months is that Ottawa Bluesfest has announced its lineup. Bluesfest is one of Canada’s preeminent summer festivals and the lineup for this year’s long-awaited return is full of established and younger alt-rock and indie artists (as well as blues, folk, pop, and country acts). The festival will run for ten days from 7-17 July at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa, directly in front of the Canadian War Museum.

Artists headlining different days of the festival include Rage Against the Machine, Alanis Morissette, and The National, joined by newer acts like Grandson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Beaches, and Aysanabee.

“We’re happy to finally be able to roll out a fantastic lineup of live acts that will reward the collective patience of so many music fans. To show our appreciation for that patience and support, we intend to stage one of our best fests ever,” says Mark Monahan, co-founder and executive director of Ottawa Bluesfest. “This year’s festival will launch a new beginning for the live music industry in Ottawa. We’re hoping to re-establish a sense of normalcy by continuing with the wave of success that characterized recent years in the live music business.”

A one-day presale will run from 10:00 am to 11:59 pm today (Wednesday, March 9). More information can be found on the Ottawa Bluesfest website.