Side by Side Weekend Marks Five Years of DIY at Club SAW

Ruby Doom, photo by Rebecca Judd

Walking through the gates of the Club SAW courtyard Friday night, palpable excitement weighed in the air just as heavily as the late-July humidity. Though performances wouldn’t start for another half an hour, a line of eager Side by Side Weekend (SBSW) festival-goers smiled ear to ear as they received their neon wristbands—an accessory worn by seemingly everyone in the Ottawa music scene all weekend long. 

July 25th-27th celebrated Side by Side Weekend’s fifth anniversary. This milestone year for the independent, genre-diverse festival saw a lineup of over 30 artists, 70 per cent being Ottawa-area-based. Returning to artist-run centre Club SAW (plus a free offsite show at the Ottawa Pumphouse!), the three days of live music from heavy-hitters and up-and-comers were curated by co-presenters Club Records, Congrego, First Crush, and Fortress alongside the Side by Side Weekend team. 

Bucko, photo by Ming Wu

On opening night, new-on-the-scene band lady grey and the phantoms served up candid, smouldering shoegaze, reminiscent of earlier sounds from fellow Ottawa group Empty Nesters. Next, local legend BUCKO turned a candle-lit performance on its head, premiering a new, dance-driven sound that raised heart rates and spirits. From there, Friday emulated heavier tones, first from Neurotypes. Fronted by multi-instrumentalist Nat Resi, the group stood out for its 80s-inspired sound à la Faith by The Cure, with a playful approach. Noise trio VICTIME engulfed the courtyard into an anti-rock whirlpool, with each member embodying the off-kilter deliciousness of their 2024 return En conversation avec. The cherry on top of Day 1 was synth-punk headliner Slash Need. Along with their entourage of lusty dancers, frontperson Dusty Lee and mad scientist synth maestro Lex Low chewed and spat out the audience with a venomous shadow show. 

Hug Mosh, photo by Rebecca Judd

Day 2 of Side by Side began with Ruby Doom, an electric femme three-piece from Brantford, ON. Uplifted by the scorching snarl of singer-guitarist Cadence Nixon, the group’s alt-punk anthems had bodies grooving throughout the courtyard. Their camaraderie and effortlessness conjured visions of Bikini Kill, leaving the courtyard supercharged for the spectacle to follow. Shortly thereafter, Ottawa hyperpop heroine (and SBSW co-organizer) Hug Mosh took to the stage, decked out in a white lace dress, brown Doc Martens, and earth-toned bolo tie. They flaunted their trademark flow across synthetic new picks from latest EP, coolest girl in the world, before descending into the crowd for beloved rager “Cool Dance.” Closing things out was Afro-rap artist Banggz, who transported Club SAW to Lagos with his skillful flow and roster of dynamic collaborators.

glowveins, photo by Rebecca Judd

Running on fumes, Day 3 of the festival called for sunscreen, shades, and Side by Side x Spark Beer Palsner, as dozens flocked to The Pumphouse for Congrego’s (free!) park showcase. The beaming golden sun grinned on partakers and performers alike, as the afternoon moved through the textured bounce of Nothing Nobody, the discordant drive of glowveins, and the twinkling electronica of Sam Aleums. Most heartening about this magic was the passersby who soaked it in—halting their bikes to linger along the pathway—and the handful of children trying to decode the sonic swirl. The park showcase welcomed not only SBSW devotees into the fold, but curious community members from every walk of life.

The last hours of the day were spent back at SAW, where Side by Side Weekend shared the grounds with Ottawa indie label Club Records. Taking to the indoor stage for her first-ever show was Alyssa Iswolsky, otherwise known as Devoter, who drew listeners in for an emotive acoustic landslide. Iswolsky took time to apologize for her “bummer music,” but her eloquence and vulnerability were welcomed by the crowd. Outside, anticipation simmered for Knitting, the Montreal slacker-rock troupe led by pensive frontperson Mischa Dempsey. Between selections new and old, including springtime release “Nite Lite,” Dempsey took time to spread their appreciation for SBSW and the Ottawa arts scene – a message that lingered in the courtyard air.

Los3r, photo by Rebecca Judd

And to cap the festival off, back in Club SAW, the time had come for Los3r – the Ottawa glitchcore trio whose prolific sincerity has stoked a cult following. Los3r powered through a colourful 45-minute set—at one point teasing the prospect of “100 more songs”—and left every last grain of energy on the stage. Their performance—a sweaty, euphoric freefall—marked not a closing, but a release. It etched the fifth edition of Side by Side Weekend into hearts across the city.

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Side by Side Weekend

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Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She is currently based in Ottawa.

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Sustaining Pique: Debaser’s Summer Success and the Road Ahead

Arriving at Pique, photo by Rebecca Judd

At Also Cool, we remain steadfast champions of Pique – Debaser’s quarterly music and arts festival, staged within the walls of Arts Court in downtown Ottawa. Since its inception, the festival has ballooned in both scale and stature, drawing thousands to experience rising talents and scene fixtures from across and beyond North America. Pique has transcended the realm of party to become a platform for artistic revolution and a lifeline for community-rooted creativity.

The summer 2025 edition of Pique welcomed 1,400 festivalgoers and offered a diversity of performances and exhibitions. Though outdoor programming moved indoors due to air quality concerns, the spirit of summer shimmered throughout the venue for all those who came to play. Standout moments included the Produced by Youth and Pass the Vibes open decks, alongside captivating performances by Silla, Orchidae, Bells Larsen, HiTech, and Also Cool co-founders Flleur and Lamb Fatale.

Aligned with the festival’s ethos of accessibility and inclusion, Debaser offers subsidized tickets to ensure a dynamic experience for all who wish to partake. Earlier this month, the organization shared that nearly one in three attendees accessed subsidized tickets for the summer 2025 edition. Of these, 42% were subsidized by attendees who opted to pay at the higher end of the suggested range, while Debaser covered the remaining 58%.

To uphold these values—and ensure fair compensation for the artists and cultural workers who bring the festival to life—Debaser has launched the Pique Sustainability Fund. It invites those in a position to give to extend the experience, nurturing a vibrant future for Ottawa’s arts and cultural landscape.

As fall looms (yes, already), Pique’s next edition is slated for September 27. While the lineup has yet to be announced, audiences can expect electrifying appearances from both local and international taste-makers. Tickets are now available, with a suggested price range of $45-$75, or at a subsidized rate by contacting Debaser directly.

In the meantime, scroll on for a glimpse at summer 2025 Pique’s highlights, including our co-founders’ delightfully chaotic interview with HiTech.

Silla, photo by Rebecca Judd

Orchidae, photo by Rebecca Judd

fanclubwallet, photo by Rebecca Judd

Bells Larsen, photo by Rebecca Judd

47Chops of HiTech’s birthday cake, photo by Rebecca Judd

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Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She is currently based in Ottawa.

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skulK!d Lights a Match in Ottawa's Downtown Core with Rage Rap-Focused Event GHETT0 G0THIC

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With an aim to provoke the 9-5 lullaby of the National Capital Region, rage rap artist skulK!d invites you to the second edition of GHETT0 G0THIC on Friday, February 28th at Club SAW. When night falls, GHETT0 G0THIC’s lineup of disruptive performers and DJs hailing from so-called Ottawa will swarm the beloved artist-run centre’s stage. This next installment of GHETT0 G0THIC will see performances by Treus Jones, Wes Calliope, Namix Kilowatt, skulK!d, Expired Youth, and a B3B DJ set from GothBitch, TTRILLS, and PC. 

Conceptually celebrating the unity of hip hop, punk and gothic aesthetics, the night also features a pop-up shop from local punk-inspired brand The Craaft and encourages attendees to embrace its crepuscular theme: Fuck Marry Kill. Suggested attire includes wedding dresses, veils, leather, lace, blood-soaked and tattered clothing, and red/black/white monochrome. 

The event series is the brainchild of skulK!d, the moniker of Ottawa-based hip hop artist, producer, DJ, event programmer and youth mentor, Tafari Hall. Paying homage to the New York warehouse club movement of the same name—created by Harlem’s DJ Venus X in 2009—Hall’s rendition of GHETT0 G0THIC acknowledges the relationship between tenets Black culture and gothic culture, previously reflected on by the concept’s original founder.

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Tafari Hall AKA skulK!d, photo courtesy of the artist

“Venus X’s thoughts on the connections between Black and Gothic culture have had a huge influence on me as an artist,” explains Hall. “Despite Black artists exploring darker themes through music, the space hasn’t been claimed historically by Black people. Suffering and trauma have followed me, and other Black artists, throughout our lives, and I wanted to create a rebellious outlet to explore these experiences while immersed in a thematic environment, as gothic elements have always intrigued me,” he adds. 

Like Venus X, Hall’s beginnings in the music industry began with DJing. Now performing predominantly as a solo artist, Hall is inspired by alternative rappers dominating cloud rap and trap circles, such as Playboi Carti and Trippie Redd, fashion brands like HPA, as well as filmmaker David Lynch. Having recently retired his previous pseudonym Yung Heat in favour of his skulK!d persona, the spirit of GHETT0 G0THIC wholly personifies Hall’s stylistic shift and musical aspirations. 

“With Yung Heat, I felt like I was going down a road of conformity. I wasn’t having fun, I like to call it selling out. skullK!d is embracing my inner child; my act of defiance against parts of myself that prioritize the needs and feelings of others over my own,” says Hall. “I think the hip hop scene [in Ottawa] has been very curated. I don’t want to subscribe to that, both in my sound and with what I bring to the community. Of course, I’m extremely privileged in my ability to experiment with my music. It’s not my means of putting food on the table and paying the bills.” 

While Hall moonlights with his artistic and curatorial pursuits, his primary calling is leading Produced By Youth, a by-and-for Black youth music mentorship program, of which he is a founder. While Hall notes that hip hop and its practitioners are being more widely celebrated in Ottawa, he feels there are few outlets that encourage experimentation and challenging the status quo. 

“While Produced By Youth is a space for people in hip hop and rap to experiment and rebel, we are limited in our ability to reach the entire Black community of Ottawa. I also don’t think GHETT0 G0THIC is necessarily going to solve all the issues affecting the local music scene, whether it be the lack of venues or opportunities. That said, I can lead by example and share the resources available to me to help others push the envelope, perform, book events and make noise. I’m hoping it will be enough to inspire others to continue the work or do more,” explains Hall. 

As the original stomping grounds of Produced By Youth, Club SAW continues to be Hall’s venue of choice to host GHETT0 G0THIC and other programming. A longstanding resident of Ottawa’s historic Arts Court building (the former Carleton County Court House, now home to artistic organizations of all disciplines) SAW Gallery and its adjacent programming spaces has supported politically and socially engaged mediums since its inception in 1973. Since relocating to Arts Court in 1989, the artist-run centre’s activism-oriented mandate has rendered evermore palpable due to the history of its walls.  

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skulK!d performing at Club SAW, courtesy of the artist

On Club SAW, Hall shares: “Being able to operate and reclaim radically in this institution, a City of Ottawa building, where unthinkable atrocities were brought upon Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour, is truly one of the most unique experiences of programming [arts events] Ottawa. The space nurtures creativity and gives back to the community,” he adds. 

Acting as the connective tissue for Ottawa’s subversive and gloomy, GHETT0 G0THIC will see protégés and collaborators from Hall’s inner circle deliver “unholy, unruly and unforgettable” performances from 8:00pm ‘til late. General admission tickets are available for $15 for a limited time. 

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Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (she/her) is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, and a radio host & DJ.

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