Musical feast cooking up for the Glebe this summer

By Trevor Greenway

Eats, beats and grilled meats. That’s what will be cooking up at TD Place July 11 when Canadian DJ Skratch Bastid rolls into town with a busload of beats, burgers and big name DJs for an all-day outdoor dance party.

The Canadian DJ scratch master is travelling across the country for his Bastid’s BBQ tour – a cross-country dance party celebrating food, music and, of course, soaking in the sun. He stops in Ottawa July 11 for the first-ever DJ show at TD Place.

If you’re already dreading hearing the typical thump thump club music on repeat all weekend, you need not worry about this party – Bastid and crew aren’t just typical DJs who mix from club anthem to club anthem; they’re talented turntablists who mix up everything from the Beatles and Jackson 5 with more modern day dance beats. There will be something for everyone at this musical feast – kids, adults and everyone in between.

“It’s a great opportunity to animate the space and create some events for the community that are all-ages,” said TD Place Booking and Event Marketing Manager Erin Coyle. “Especially if you have a family, it’s difficult to do these types of things sometimes. It’s a great opportunity for the whole family to get out and dance.”

If you are unfamiliar with Bastid’s work, a quick YouTube search is all you need to understand his diversity on the decks. He runs the gamut when it comes to musical genres and seamlessly blends everything into one dynamic set that keeps the floor bouncing. His show at TD Place will be no different. “He is a great DJ, very diverse,” added Coyle. “This is yet another opportunity to introduce the community to the space.” The tunes will start in the early afternoon and run into the evening with tickets at $15.

But that’s not the only thing happening at TD Place this summer, not by a mile. Glebe residents and Ottawans from beyond will be serenaded by the amazingly talented Serena Ryder July 3 and get this: the entire show is free. TD Place is putting on the show to kickoff home opening weekend for the Ottawa RedBlacks and the Ottawa Fury. “What a chance to showcase a great artist and do it by throwing a big free weekend party,” said OSEG CEO Bernie Ashe. “This gives us a chance to open our doors to people in Ottawa who otherwise might not have come.”

Ottawa will be “Thunderstruck” on Sept. 3 when Aussie rockers AC/DC blast into town for a massive outdoor concert at TD Place Stadium. Angus Young and crew are hitting the road this summer with their Rock or Bust World Tour and they are stopping by to play some new tunes and classics in the Glebe this fall.

And if you couldn’t get enough of that 80s love song, “Lady in Red,” then you probably already have your tickets to Chris De Burgh on Sept. 25. De Burgh is on tour with his new record Hands of Man – the 20th studio record of his impressive career.

And things will get wild all along Bank Street this fall. You’ll think you’re in Austin, Texas during its SXSW music festival. Eighty local bands will spill out into various venues along Bank Street from September 18 to 20 as part of the CityFolk festival. It’s called Marvest and promises to deliver an eclectic menu of food, music and culture to the Glebe.

The idea was spawned from CityFolk and Ottawa Bluesfest Executive-director Mark Monahan’s visit to Austin’s SXSW festival last year, and seeing how the vibe of a festival can be spread out into entire neighbourhoods, he wanted to replicate it here in the Glebe. Bands playing at Marvest won’t be only rocking traditional music venues either; think bike shops, hair salons and specialty shops. Everyone in the Glebe will be bobbing while they eat, shop or stroll.

“When you see people on a dance floor, everyone is smiling from ear to ear,” said Bluesfest Communications Director and former co-owner of the Rainbow Bistro AJ Sauvé. He expects the festival to bring the entire neighbourhood together to celebrate art and culture in the Glebe. “Everybody who is there has something in common. Music brings people together and that is what Marvest will do.”

There are also tons of local shows happening at music joints in the Glebe this summer. Irene’s Pub has music every Thursday through Sunday with bands like Ottawa rockers Small Black Dog hitting the pub July 3. Ottawa soft rock kings PleasureCraft will be bringing all the “yacht rock” the Glebe can handle when they cruise into the pub July 11.

FarmTeam Cookhouse & Bar offers up grub and tunes every Friday and Saturday nights, with a DJ spinning “lounge party tunes” on Fridays and a local live band on Saturday nights.

So pick up a pair of festival shoes, a decent backpack, a good water bottle and just spend your time strolling through the Glebe this summer; there will be lots to see – and hear.

Trevor Greenway is communications officer at the Glebe Business Improvement Area (BIA).