Tag: Live music

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Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Los Bitchos [2025]

Los Bitchos performing at Ottawa Bluesfest 2025

Artist: Los Bitchos
When: July 18th, 2025
Where: Lebreton Flats Park, Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa
Context: Sick of me blabbing about Ottawa Bluesfest yet? Last one*, I promise… A couple of days ago, I posted some photos and words about the early set by LA’s The Linda Lindas but what I didn’t mention is that I cut out a few minutes early so that I could catch the last half of the side stage set by Los Bitchos. As much as I love the opportunities the festival creates to see bands I wouldn’t normally do, I find the schedule conflicts difficult to navigate and the choices hard, like the other one of the evening: to miss party group Dwayne Gretzky (again) in favour of the opportunity to see Green Day. I don’t often like to split up sets because it feels like you are not getting a proper sense for either band but in this case, I was truly glad to catch even a portion of the performance by the London, England based instrumental act. Three of the four proper members originally hail from elsewhere, ranging from Australia to Uruguay to Sweden, bringing with them disparate experiences of different cultures. The resulting rock has a Latin feel but ultimately, is an instant party.
Point of reference song: “Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie”

Agustina Ruiz making noise with keys
Serra Petale and her serious guitar face
Josefine Jonsson of the mean bass lines
Nic Crawshaw keeping the beat
Serra doing the bongo thing
Augustina and Nic
Serra and Josefine
Nic peeking out between Augustina and Serra

*For now…

Categories
Live music galleries

Live music galleries: The Linda Lindas [2025]

The Linda Lindas live at Bluesfest 2025

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, bass
Bela Salazar, guitar
Lucia de la Garza, guitar
Mila de la Garza, drums
Bela and Mila
Lucia and Eloise rocking out
The French Horns performing with The Linda Lindas
Mila, Eloise, and Bela going for it

*The oldest member is 21 and the youngest is 15.

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Live music galleries

Live music galleries: Pixies [2025]

Pixies live at Ottawa Bluesfest July 12 2025

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 bass
Joey Santiago guitars so good
Frank Black aka Black Francis, the frontman
David Lovering, drummer and magician
David and Emma
Joey and Frank
David driving the beat
Joey showing how its done
Emma taking the mic
Frank screams so good
Taking 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.