Fancy taking a break from Prideand want to head on down to Hog’s Back for the Ottawa Folk Festival? Xtra has highlighted some hard-hitting acts that are not to be missed.
Fri, Aug 26
City and Colour
The man with the heart-melting voice that’s comforted many a breakup (and make-out, for that matter) plays soft rock music. If you have Little Hell, his platinum new album, you can sing along to “Fragile Bird,” or the ever-romantic “The Girl.”
CUPE-SSFP Stage, 7.30pm
Sat, Aug 27
Basia Bulat
The Polaris prize-nominated singer/songwriter plays a banjo like no other on A Heart of My Own. Bulat creates mostly acoustic songs but backed with a full band with violins, her music becomes larger than life.
Ravenlaw Stage, 7:30-8:45pm
Bright Eyes
Connor Oberst’s vulnerability has won him many fans. Songs like “This is the first day of my life,”invoke the spirit of Elliott Smith and even a little Lou Reed. Since his debut in 1998, Oberst’s soft acoustic-guitar rock music has become anthems for the confused and heart-broken that have even won over fans like Neil Young.
CUPE-SSFP Stage 9.30pm
Sun, Aug 28
Serena Ryder
Toronto-born Juno-award winner Serena Ryder plays rootsy-rock rounded out by her five-octave vocal range. Ryder has the same girl-power as Alanis Morrisset and the raspy vocal quality of Melissa Ethridge. Ryder has shared stages with Leonard Cohen and Xavier Rudd but will be closing the last night of the festival.
Falls Stage 9.30pm
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