Artist: The Linda Lindas When: July 18th, 2025 Where: Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa Context: I’d heard tell of The Linda Lindas, the all female punk band from Los Angeles, and had heard their cover of “Found a job” on the recent Talking Heads tribute album but that was it. Still, I had marked them as an artist of interest at the festival because I’d heard good things, definitely words that suggested no one should or could hold their ages against them*. The heavy crowd that I found myself amidst were mostly there early to stake out a prime spot for headliners Green Day and spent the first few songs talking loudly amongst themselves but before long, the four “Lindas” had caught their attention with their youthful earnestness, exuberance, and energy. Now I don’t listen to punk all that often any more but I also was hooked by their performance. They certainly had this writer’s old bones hopping to their beat and singing along whenever they called for it. Point of reference song: “Nothing would change”
Eloise Wong, bassBela Salazar, guitarLucia de la Garza, guitarMila de la Garza, drumsBela and MilaLucia and Eloise rocking outThe French Horns performing with The Linda LindasMila, Eloise, and Bela going for it
Artist: Pixies When: July 12th, 2025 Where: Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa Context: I’ve now seen Pixies live three times, each time the circumstances and setlists were quite different and each time they had a different bassist in their ranks. The first time was with the original lineup after reforming, Kim Deal was still on good terms with the group and happy to be playing bass with them again, and the band was touring in support of the anniversary of their classic album “Doolittle”. The second time was only a handful of years later when they were headlining the final night of the sadly now defunct Toronto Urban Roots Festival, this time featuring Paz Lenchantin on bass, and though I don’t remember* all the songs they played, am pretty sure it was a mix of some of their classics with some of their newer tunes. The most recent experience was just a few days ago at Ottawa Bluesfest where they were introduced as the ‘legendary punk band’, Emma Richardson had replaced Lenchantin on bass, and it seemed the quartet were determined to play as many of the songs from the period pre-breakup as they could fit in their hour and fifteen minute time slot. Given the majority of those tunes were less than three minutes in length and that they wasted no time bantering between songs, launching directly into the next tune even before the feedback from the previous had faded, they managed to squeeze practically** everything a long time fan would have wanted to hear. As you might tell from the photos, I managed to get myself pretty close to the front of the stage and was surprised at how many of the young folks that had joined me at the front were actually singing/screaming along to most of the tunes, just as loudly as I was. Amazing performance? Oh yes. Did I enjoy it? Silly question. Point of reference song: “Wave of mutilation”
Emma Richardson on the bassJoey Santiago guitars so goodFrank Black aka Black Francis, the frontmanDavid Lovering, drummer and magicianDavid and EmmaJoey and FrankDavid driving the beatJoey showing how its doneEmma taking the micFrank screams so goodTaking a final bow
*I might have had a few too many Boneshakers.
**Including “Wave of mutilation”, “Here comes your man”, “Debaser”, “Where is my mind”, and their cover of the JAMC’s “Head on”. Missing, of course, was “Gigantic”, co-written and perfectly voiced by their original bassist.
Artist: Amigo the Devil When: July 11th, 2025 Where: Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa Context: A few days in to this year’s edition of Ottawa Bluesfest and I’ve already been treated to a number of unforgettable performances that have not only introduced but quickly made a fan of this humble music nerd to their respective artists. One example of these pleasant surprises was the 7:45pm set by Amigo the Devil on Friday night on the River stage. It was my friend Josh and the fact that this artist was the only reason he was attending the festival on this night that pushed me to have a look into the music of the noir folk artist beforehand. A few spins of their tunes had me looking forward to the set as well but I was woefully unprepared for how blown away I would be. Frontman Danny Kiranos’s immense stage presence and storytelling prowess had the crowd wrapped up with him, laughing and crying and singing along. Especially poignant were the duet with his girlfriend Abbey covering the John Prine tune “In spite of ourselves” and in introducing “It’s all gone” with a crack that he wished he had never wrote the song after losing most of his possessions in a house fire last month. I can’t wait to start digging further into his catalogue and wouldn’t hesitate to see Amigo the Devil, solo or full band, live, again and again and again. Point of reference song: “Murder at the bingo hall”
Carson Kehrer on the drum kitKaterina Kiranos adding some percussionDanny Kiranos playing banjoDavid Talley on guitar
Carson rocking outDanny and Abbey duetDavid TalleyKaterina playing the melodicaAmigo the Devil taking it away
My (life in) music lists 