On Day 2 of Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, the talk surrounded many men – Ben Harper, Jose Conde, Keys and Krates and The Roots(!), to name a few – while the festival played out, but only one after it was all said and done. Twenty-three-year-old electro-house and dubstep sensation Skrillex absolutely destroyed the crowd as the closing act on the headlining stage this night. The chatter in and around the capital since has been something like, ‘when’s Skrillex coming back to town? That dude was is sick, dope, wicked etc… An all-round good day and second night on festival grounds.

The introduction of Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest’s most impressive lineup to date, on a beautiful summer afternoon in Canada’s capital city, was met with unadulterated satisfaction. Whether looking for a local blues act to follow or an international powerhouse of a metal band to rock out with, or a folk duet to nod the head and bob the foot to, Bluesfest packed a little something for everyone on this, the festival’s 18th opening day.

Before The Flaming Lips even took to the stage with some retro swag, up-and-comers Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros lit up the headlining MBNA stage with an electic, electrifying and esoteric set that roused even those camped up three hours early to catch prime spots for the night’s main course. Lindsay Ferguson and Ras Lee, local folk hero and reggae legend, respectively, set the day off with animated performances that no doubt turned the head of one or two of those unknowning of their names, but impressed by the sound coming from the stages.

Though massive crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Canadian rockers Tegan and Sara and, on a nearby stage, Parliament-Funkadelic alumn Bootsy Collins, there was no questioning who most on the grounds were out to see. After a near 15-year break-up, Soundgarden took to the MBNA stage and did not miss a beat. On this perfect opening night, neither did the festival.