As Ottawa Bluesfest closed Sunday night, I asked some local queers and allies what their favourite performance was at our city's largest music festival.  

"Snoop Dogg was my favourite. The energy from the crowd was phenomenal, and I got to essentially smoke weed with Snoop Dogg," Kat, 28.

"Doggumentary" 

"MSTRKRFT because I actually got to meet them. They were very friendly. The atmosphere was off the chain. The crowd at the electro stage is getting better," Razz, 27.

"Heartbreaker" 

"Bad Religion. I saw them in '97 at the Warped Tour, and they still have the same strong prescence," Greg, 32.

"Wrong Way Kids" 

"Tiësto. I've wanted to see him for years. His set was very exciting, and the crowd got very involved," Caroline, 48.

"Feel It in My Bones" (feat Tegan & Sara)

"LMFAO. Their set was wild, colourful and out there," Bruce, 40.

"Party Rock Anthem" 

"Current Swell. They were the closest to blues that I saw. The band was animated, and everyone had a great time even though they were sweating. They didn't have to ask the crowd to sing and clap along," Bert, 50. 

"Too Cold" 

"Metric. They had an acoustic vibe you could feel in your bones. Emily gave a speech about how her music shows her fans she loves them. It brought the crowd to an emo place. They performed a good mix of songs," Jayda, 29.

"Youth Without Youth" 

"Paul Oakenfold. Because I've been such a huge fan for years," Dawn, 29.

Bluesfest featurette

Floridian five-piece band Hundred Waters kicked off the Full Flex Express tour today at Ottawa Bluesfest with a whisper. 

That's not to say their atmospheric, electronic-tinged sound doesn't rock; Hundred Waters' music is simply very different from the other largely hard beat-based electronic artists playing the main stage today.

The Gainesville natives frequently utilize vocal harmonies overlapped with electrofied, at times haunting, instrumentation, which makes for a wholly original sound.

Although most of the masses may have been waiting for Tokimonsta or Skrillex, you could sense that Hundred Waters managed to convert some of the crowd, baptizing them in their progressive musical ocean. 

For more on Hundred Waters, visit their official site, Facebook page or catch them when the Full Flex Express tour makes its way across Canada. 

"Caverns"

I should start off by making it clear that there is nothing queer about hip-hop artist Chali 2na.

However, if you are a marijuana advocate who digs rap, Chali 2na is an act you must catch next time he's in town. If not for his smooth, electronic-infused rhymes, then for the secondhand weed fumes.

After a bouncy opener, Chali 2na asked the Bluesfest crowd, "Do you want to get high?" As any bystander could smell, the crowd already was.

Chali 2na was a founding member of legendary hip-hop outfit Jurassic 5. I recall blasting "What's Golden" from my mother's Honda Civic while driving around Kanata during my high school years. After Jurassic 5 disbanded in 2007, Chali 2na hit it out alone, releasing Fish Outta Water in 2009. 

So if you are the kind of queer who shrugs off stereotypes by disliking Gaga and listening to white rappers after Labour Day, check out this Chicago-born Islamic blazer. 

Lock Shit Down

While I was waiting for Sleigh Bells to take to the River Stage at Bluesfest, I ventured over to the seemingly quarantined Electro stage and was pleasantly surprised.

Daring California dance punkers !!! (if you must verbalize or search them on Google "chk chk chk") were playing to a small yet dedicated Ottawa crowd. 

!!! formed in 1996 when members of Sacramento bands Black Liquorice, Popesmashers and the Yah Mos joined together in a new venture. Their self-titled debut dropped in 2000, and their latest, and fourth full-length, Strange Weather, Isn't It?, was released in 2010.

I had heard a few of !!!'s songs on an indie compilation a few years back and enjoyed their upbeat sound. However, as I exited the cool comfort of the Canadian War Museum I was hit by the band's surprisingly dynamic onstage presence, which is impossible to convey through the medium of headphones.

Lead singer Nic Offer isn't gay, but his dancing is reminiscent of Mick Jagger with its flamboyance and femininity. After simulating fellatio on the microphone, Offer got up close and personal with the crowd, first from the photo pit, then venturing right into the centre of the masses twice.

Like the band's aggro-animated sound, this showmanship by Offer is a !!! staple. As their sprightly set went on, the tiny troupe of onlookers grew larger. Head nods and tapping feet seemed to be contagious. 

In an interview with the Vital Voice, Offer spoke of how he loves that his band's disco-tinged music appeals to gay audiences. 

"What was exciting is when we got into disco was how powerful it had been in the '70s to the gay community and how people found themselves when they went to those clubs in New York. They discovered they weren't weird, so this music always had this moment of revelation and freedom that felt inspiring. We recognize that the music we play is related to gay culture and we love it." 

For more on !!!, including additional tour dates, check out their official site.

Jaime, My Intentions Are Bass  

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