A Great Opening Night To Folkfest

I arrived earlier in the day and took a walk around the site as I waited for my pass. The first thing that came to mind was how gorgeous the grounds are and how much I liked the setup. The move to Hog’s Back was initially met with slight trepidation considering the picturesque quality of Britannia Park but let me assure you that at least one tradition has been kept intact. You can feel the stamp of Bluesfest at every turn which is actually quite welcoming considering the feeling of this being on a much smaller scale. What I didn’t expect came later that night. The sound on each stage was absolutely perfect. “You can hear the pressure each musician is putting on his or her fret.”

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Why Not To Miss Bruce Hornsby At The Ottawa Folkfest

For almost 30 years, Bruce Hornsby has been actively performing his unique blend of jazz, pop, classical, bluegrass - and just about any other genre you can think of. In 1987, he won a Grammy for Best New Artist thanks to the breakout success of The Way It Is, his multi-platinum debut album released the previous summer. He joined the Grateful Dead as a part-time permanent member in 1990 following the death of keyboardist Brent Mydland, quickly winning over the hearts of that iconic band’s rabid fan base thanks to his deeply imaginative and intelligent playing, as well as an emotive singing-voice. No shortage of improvisational abilities - or unwillingness to pander to less demanding audiences - “20 Fingers Bruce” will leave you wanting more at this year’s Folkfest when his set comes to an end.

Bruce performing at the Tribute for Jerry Garcia On September 24, 2005: