Appropriately, for the 25th anniversary of what was once the Ottawa Folk Festival, CityFolk opened the festivities with Steve Earle, a 30-year veteran of the Americana, folk & rock scene. Paying homage to 25 years of great music, CityFolk also featured many other veteran performers, including Michael McDonald of Dobbie Brothers fame, former Talking Heads front-man David Byrne, Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmour, as well as Janis Ian.
In what the festival’s executive and artistic director, Mark Monahan described as “a nod to the future,” there was also a focus on some great international stars, including: Kaleo (Iceland); Hozier (Ireland); Nick Murphy, a.k.a. Chet Faker (Australia); and The Decemberists (USA).
Blessed with incredible weather and a top-notch lineup, the festival welcomed tens of thousands of music fans from Ottawa and beyond, while showcasing a beautiful festival site adjacent to the historic Rideau Canal at Lansdowne Park.
“All and all, the success of this year’s event definitely bodes well for the next 25 years,” concludes Monahan
