Cody Johnson gave a rousing performance at Ottawa Bluesfest’s RBC Main Stage on Thursday, kicking off the 32nd edition of the festival with a generous helping of country music that was as American as apple pie.
On the front lawn of the Canadian War Museum, the musical imagery included horses, trucks, cowgirls and Jesus as the 39-year-old singer cranked out a set that was refreshingly down to earth. Instead of relying on auto-tuning and electro beats, this Texas star delivered his stuff with a top-notch band, a confident swagger and a manly baritone that no software could replicate.
“By the way, this is live music up here,” he said at one point. “There ain’t no computers. If it sucks, it sucks.”
Happily, it didn’t suck. In a white shirt, blue jeans and cowboy hat, the former rodeo-riding Republican dug into his saddle bag of hits, coming up with tunes that not only told the story of his life, but also bore the influence of past generations of country stars, such as George Strait, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.
Up until a surprise fireworks show capped off the night, it was a gimmick-free concert. Highlights included Johnson’s twang-filled latest single, Horseback, a romantic ballad written for his wife, The Painter, a song of persistence called ‘Til You Can’t and the church-drenched By Your Grace. He didn’t rush through the music, and took his time between songs to establish a rapport with fans.
“I remember thinking I’m so far away from home, and nobody’s gonna care that I’m here,” Johnson said, expressing his gratitude to Canadian country-music fans. “For the last 20 years, every time I stepped foot across the border, you guys have made me feel right at home.”
Earlier in the evening, another talented American, Jessie Murph, introduced herself to the Bluesfest audience with a sound that was decidedly not country, even though her set was sandwiched between two country acts on the main stage. Her style was far more eccentric and offbeat than any country artist, a tortured soul who reminded me of Amy Winehouse or Janis Joplin. She was fantastic.
A twist in Murph’s show came when she invited an unsuspecting fan on stage. The lucky dude in a cowboy hat said his name was Curtis and immediately shed his shirt, revealing a large chest tattoo of a dog. Murph sat him down and began applying blue paint to his chest as she sang, a sort of performance art that gave her messy emotions a cathartic but non-violent focus. Then she hugged him, walking away with blue paint on her frilly white dress.
The honour of opening the main stage went to Jade Hilton, a Toronto country singer with a big voice and a touch of sass. The Chinese-Canadian did a terrific job entertaining the soggy crowd, at one point recalling her first concert in Ottawa, a club gig at the Rainbow Bistro two years ago.
Attendance on the first night of Bluesfest seemed a little low, likely because the rain deterred some passholders. There was also a reconfiguration of the main concert bowl that made everything seem extra far apart.
The food vendors, for example, used to be the first thing you encountered when you entered the gates at Booth Street. They’ve been banished to the southwest corner of the site, leaving plenty of space in the back-middle part of the main field.
While most folks jammed themselves as close as possible to the stage, some of us checked out one of the festival’s new features: A section of bleacher seating towards the back of the main concert bowl, where the eating area used to be.
From this elevated perspective, the sound was amazing. And although I couldn’t actually see the stage, I could see multiple big screens showing exactly what was happening on stage. It was also a welcome escape from the thick of the crowd and the mud underfoot.
But the best part was being “seen” by Johnson in his upbeat tune, People at the Back. Our little bleacher section came alive when he gestured towards us and sang, “You’re just happy to be here drinkin’ cold beer. In your cheap seats, on a Friday night.”
It was a Thursday. But yes. Yes, we were.
Bluesfest continues Friday with a main-stage program that features Limp Bizkit, Cypress Hill and Ottawa rockers F!TH, along with many more acts on the side stages.
