A Sea of Sailors: Conan Gray at Ottawa Bluesfest
July 15th, 2026, at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Words & Photos by Edie Olender
In a sea of sailors, who is leading the way? I wondered this as I watched thousands of Conan Gray fans dressed up in the exact same sailor outfits enter the festival grounds. I was taken aback by the extreme dedication of these fans. One individual was holding a sign that read that they had driven 900 miles to see Conan. This was intense. This was serious.
In a world in which everyone is trying to be unique and different, this sea of conformity felt oddly strange. It was not only today, but each day of the festival had their own archetype to it. The day headlined by Limp Bizkit is a swarm of black T-shirts and baggy shorts. The day The Lumineers headlined was hoards of teenage girls in flowy skirts and hippie belts. Lord Huron and Lucy Dacus brought in a queer crowd. Angine de Poitrine fans were dressed up in black and white polka dots. Gwen Stefani brought in fans wearing bikini tops over T-shirts. We want to be ourselves, but we also want to fit in.
Conan Gray
How did the night all fit together? On the RBC stage, Natasha Bedingfield started the night off with her feel-good classic “Unwritten,” which had everyone signing along. Myles Smith was up next and had the crowd smiling as much as he was. Conan Gray closed off the night with a lively performance as he danced to the music and perfectly posed to the beat. Over at the other stages, Reuben and the Bullhorn Singers offered a refreshing sound that included a drumming and singing group from the Kainai Blood Tribe. Sons of Legion also had the crowd moving to their soulful rock music.
Perhaps in these moments, it is okay to meld into the world around you. When else will you be standing with thousands of others who share in your love of that one special thing, that thing being this music. Watching the Conan fans line up along the barricade, you would not be able to tell who came with who. There were no longer individual groups watching the show, but one big community, which was a very beautiful thing indeed.
Sons of Legion
Myles Smith
Natasha Bedingfield
Reuban and The Bullhorn Singers
Edie Olender (she/her) is an Ottawa based photographer and content creator. Growing up in a creative household, she was given her first digital camera at the age of six. By age ten, she started experimenting with film photography and has continued to pursue both digital and film throughout her high school and university career. Inspired by the likes of Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, she also contributes to Indie/Alt through her conceptual reviews. Outside of photography, she is pursuing her degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ottawa and is a proud cat mother to her son Stripey.