Four Nights, Four Sounds: The Burt Block Party Takes Over Downtown

Aug 27

Four nights of music, packed streets, great crowds and a whole lot of energy right in the heart of downtown Winnipeg.

The Burt Block Party brought together an impressive mix of local talent, Canadian favourites and international headliners, with each night offering its own crowd, style and atmosphere. Add in the vendors, food, summer weather and the buzz of people filling the streets, and downtown felt like the place to be.

One of my favourite parts of the weekend was seeing a local band open every night. It gave Winnipeg musicians a chance to be part of a major festival and, importantly, put our local music scene right alongside some very well-known names. It was a great reminder that Winnipeg has no shortage of talented artists who deserve to be heard.

Night One: Metal Night

The first night came with plenty of black T-shirts, metal shirts and fans who clearly knew exactly what they had come to see.

Waster opened the night and got the local side of the lineup underway. They brought the energy right from the start and had the job of getting the metal crowd warmed up — no small task when the audience was clearly ready for a night of heavy music. Seeing a Winnipeg band take the stage in front of this crowd was a great way to kick off the weekend.

Malevolence followed with a heavy, aggressive set that had the crowd fully engaged. The connection between the bands and the audience was noticeable right from the start, with plenty of interaction and energy coming from both sides of the stage.

Then Machine Head took things up another notch. Their set was a full-on experience, with major crowd surfing happening throughout the performance. Fans were packed together, climbing over the crowd and throwing themselves into the music. It was exactly the kind of wild, energetic atmosphere you'd hope for on metal night.

Closing the night was Killswitch Engage, who delivered a huge headlining performance. Their powerful sound and commanding stage presence kept the energy going right through the end of the night.

Walking through the crowd, the sea of metal shirts was hard to miss. It was clear that Winnipeg's metal fans had shown up in force, and they made sure the first night of the Burt Block Party was one to remember.

Night Two: Girl Rock and Pop

Night two was all about girl power, with a lineup of strong female artists bringing a fun, confident and energetic atmosphere to downtown.

Local band Sundayclub opened the evening, getting the crowd warmed up and showing once again why having local artists included was such a great part of the festival. They got their moment on a major downtown stage and helped set the tone for a night celebrating women in rock and pop.

LOLO brought plenty of personality to the stage with a fun, energetic performance that immediately drew people in. There was a playful quality to her set, but also a real confidence that made her performance stand out. She had the kind of stage presence that made it easy for the crowd to connect with her, and the energy continued to build as the evening went on.

Then came Lights, who brought a completely different level of production and atmosphere to the night. Her mix of pop, electronic sounds and rock influences created a polished and dynamic performance, with the stage becoming a major part of the experience. Lights has such a distinctive presence that there was always something happening — whether she was moving across the stage, interacting with the crowd or getting everyone singing along.

Her set had a great balance of big, energetic moments and more intimate ones, and you could see how engaged the crowd was throughout. There was a real sense that people weren't just there to hear the songs they knew; they were there for the full Lights experience.

Then it was time for The Beaches to headline. Their energetic rock and pop style was a perfect fit for a summer festival, and the crowd was ready to sing along, dance and enjoy every minute.

There was a great sense of confidence throughout the night, both on stage and in the crowd. It really did feel like a celebration of women taking over the stage and owning the night.

The streets were packed, people were singing along, friends were enjoying the summer evening together, and the whole downtown area had that unmistakable festival feeling. Night two was full of personality, great performances and plenty of girl power from start to finish.

Night Three: Classic Rock

By night three, the Burt Block Party crowd was ready for some classic rock, and this night had an extra special meaning for me.

Kelly Bado opened the evening, once again putting a local artist in front of a large downtown audience. Kelly brought her own sound and personality to the stage and was another great example of the range of talent Winnipeg has to offer.

Toque brought their celebration of classic Canadian rock to the stage, with plenty of familiar songs and a crowd that was more than happy to sing along. Their set had a fun, nostalgic feel and got people ready for the rest of the evening.

Streetheart continued the classic Canadian rock theme. With decades of music behind them, their set brought out plenty of longtime fans, and it was great to see people of all ages enjoying the music together.

Then came Colin James, and for me, this was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

I never miss a Colin James show. Going to see Colin has become a bit of a tradition for my dad and me, so getting to see him as part of the Burt Block Party lineup was something I was really looking forward to. Even better, the timing worked out perfectly this year, as the show was close to my dad's birthday, making it feel like an early birthday celebration for the two of us.

There's something special about having those traditions with family, and getting to combine one of our favourite things — seeing Colin James live — with a big summer festival in downtown Winnipeg made the night even more memorable.

Colin brought his unmistakable blues-influenced rock sound and years of experience to the stage, delivering the kind of performance that keeps us coming back every time. For me, it wasn't just another festival set; it was another chapter in a tradition I've shared with my dad over the years.

There was something great about seeing the crowd come together over music that has been part of the Canadian rock landscape for so many years. The streets were busy, the vendors were buzzing and downtown was once again full of people enjoying a summer night of live music.

And getting to spend part of that night with my dad, celebrating his birthday a little early while watching Colin James, made night three one I'll remember for a long time.

Night Four: Rock

The final night brought another strong lineup and a fitting way to wrap up four nights of the Burt Block Party.

Attica Riots opened the evening, giving another Winnipeg band the opportunity to start things off and represent the local music scene. Like the other local openers, they weren't simply there to fill the first slot — they were part of the festival lineup and had the opportunity to perform for a huge audience alongside some major names.

Paul Langlois of The Tragically Hip was next, bringing with him a huge piece of Canadian music history. There was a real appreciation from the crowd throughout his performance, and his appearance was certainly one of the highlights of the weekend.

Then came 54.40, and this set was a particular favourite for me. I quickly realized I knew pretty much every song they played, which made it impossible not to sing along. Hearing those familiar songs live, surrounded by a huge crowd downtown, was such a fun experience. There is something special about knowing the words to song after song and realizing just how many 54.40 songs have become part of the soundtrack of your life.

Their set had that perfect combination of nostalgia and energy, with the crowd clearly enjoying the opportunity to hear so many familiar favourites live. It was one of those performances where you could look around and see people singing along and enjoying the music right along with you.

Finally, Collective Soul took the stage to close out the festival. Their collection of rock favourites gave the crowd plenty to sing along to and provided a big finish to four nights of live music downtown.

By the final night, it was hard not to appreciate just how much the festival had brought to the city. The streets were packed, the stages were busy and people were still out enjoying the music, vendors and company late into the evening.

After four nights, the Burt Block Party had delivered an incredible mix of music, from metal and girl-powered rock and pop to classic Canadian rock and a final night filled with rock favourites.

And ending the weekend singing along to songs I already knew by heart was a pretty great way to finish it.