Osheaga Music and Arts Festival finally returned to Montréal for its 15th-anniversary edition after a forced 3-year break. Between July 29th and 31st, Montréal’s île Sainte-Hélène (Parc Jean-Drapeau) was the centre for music fans from the nearby areas and abroad; a total of 120,000 attendees made their way to the festival over the 3-day weekend.

The area near the festival grounds becomes so busy the city has to bring in extra police forces to manage the metro traffic. As the music fans spill out of the train stations at Parc Jean-Drapeau the sounds of Osheaga immediately grab their attention, funnelling the crowds into different entrances all of which were getting progressively busier leading up to Sunday.

A roundup of one hundred artists played over the weekend, needless to say, it would be impossible to see them all but given the different genre representations, the crowd was always divided into fluid groups: those mostly staying at Coca Cola stage for electronic music, indie band fans at the SiriusXM stage tucked away on the side, top40 headliners were split in the main area between two stages, and the close follow up performers were on the other side of the park. A total of 6 stages is a lot of ground to cover so between them, and the bathroom lines or drink quests, we all got our steps in for the week. 

Music is what people come here for but there is a lot to do between the sets. Various artists were working on installations throughout the weekend creating living backdrops for all those insta shots. Food stations (from niche trucks to hot dog stands) were located within close proximity to every stage, some were full-on restaurants. Hammocks and mixed resting areas were filling in the gaps while elevated VIP areas were located near the main stage, looking over from the side and in some instances, allowing concertgoers to go as close to the stage as the photo pit.

J Shantz Art in front of his mural

Sunday crowd relaxing to Tove Lo

People napped on the crisp green grass while waiting for their favourite artist to start, sipped on Apparel Spritz, played games in various branded activation booths, made TikToks, and gathered in groups around moving minibars (1-2 people passing through the crowds with coolers and premixed cocktails). Every day I would still find something new – a new bar, a new area, a secret bathroom. Parc Jean-Drapeau turns into an Osheaga city for 3-days and once you get past the sheer size of it, it becomes a home. 

This year’s performer lineup brought together a wide range of artists across genres and from around the globe. Crowds gathered to see Kygo (and friends) and hear party anthems like “Stole The Show,” “Freedom,” and “Forever Yours” Avicii tribute with a dash of “Satisfaction” by Benny Benassi. Elevated to the centre of the stage on a platform Kygo was easy to spot from anywhere on this side of the park, he danced, talked to the fans, and was generally a really fun set to see, despite the rather quiet sound delivery.

Kygo, image by Tom Snow, Osheaga

French electronic music duo Polo & Pan performed on the nearby stage and came with their latest tour set up, disco ball and vocal performances by Victoria Lafaurie included. But most electronic music fans stayed put at the Coca-Cola stage, tucked in between two main areas and away from the main crossing path. During the day we got to hear Chicago’s John Summit,  playing his mix of feel-good dance tracks and classic house music tunes, and the Italian songwriting/DJ duo Giolí & Assia who put all their musical skills on display with tracks like “I’ll Be Fine,” “Fire Hell and Holy Water,” and their edit of the “Creep” (the duo have also just released a new single “Playing Chess”). 

Giolí & Assia, image by Benoit Rousseau, Osheaga

Malaa, image by Benoit Rousseau, Osheaga

In the early twilight hours, the party picked up with French electronic DJ/producer Malaa. Geared up in his usual black balaclava Malaa immediately got dark and deep with tracks like “How It Is” but pivoted his set to suit the sunny summer vibes matching the bouncing pool noodles with his cover of Moby’s “Natural Blues”.  Sébastien Léger’s Modular Live set was certainly one to remember. For 90 straight minutes, Léger played banger after banger in the peal afternoon sun. AURORA’s “Running With The Wolves” was an anthemic song to hear in this setting and a perfect bridge to take us into the evening.

Sébastien Léger, image by Benoit Rousseau, Osheaga

Sunday standout electronic performance was by the British-born Norwegian DJ Alan Walker. This was by far the busiest stage all weekend with bodies packed in shoulder to shoulder at the edges of the stage corridors. Dressed in a yellow hoodie and his signature black facemask Walker owned the stage like the pro that he is, commanding the audience’s participation throughout the set. Fans got to hear a range of tracks of his latest release Walkerverse, Pt. I and some juicy remixes and older songs like Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”. Having chatted with Alan just an hour before his set it was amazing to see his personality animate on stage. Stay tuned for the interview.

Alan Walker, image by Benoit Rousseau, Osheaga

For the second year in a row Glass Animals walked out on the Osheaga to some misfortune: last time the band got rained out and today they were faced with some technical difficulties. Dave Bayley did his best to entertain the audience but a small break was necessary to course correct the stage. Soon enough Glass Animals came out for take two and proceeded to own the main stage much like one of their odd music videos. We all joined the band in their universe for a short time and were taken on a journey, hand-held by Dave Bayley who really blossoms in the spotlight. Naturally, Dreamland was the main focus of this set but we did get to hear “Gooey” (2014) and as one of the long-term Glass Animals fans I was here for every bit of it.

Glass Animals, image by Pat Beaudry, Osheaga

Tove Lo, image by Pat Beaudry, Osheaga

Pop queen Charli XCX, joined by two dancers, had a very engaging and fairly complex set, it was kind of hard to tear your eyes away from the world of Charli XCX. Tove Lo took the torch the following day, quite early in the afternoon. Her set time certainly caused some traffic around the metro stations but the entry lineups were worth the wait. Tove Lo, dressed in leather chaps and embellished bikini set, was constantly dancing and teasing the crowd, causing roars of applause. Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ return tour was also a memorable one. The songs themselves are quite catchy but what stole the show is Karen O’s outfit (costume?) which with its many thrills and layers of complexity kept surprising us all.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, image by Pat Beaudry, Osheaga

Burna Boy, image by Pat Beaudry, Osheaga

And then there was Burna Boy. It certainly felt like maybe Montréal is not his biggest fanbase but a good few of us fanned out to Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu like it was a Christmas morning when “Last Last” came on. Suited up in bright orange pants Burna Boy danced around the stage in front of a burning fire projection and other fast-moving visuals. Dancehall and Afrobeat is a heavily underrepresented genre at Osheaga so this was definitely a treat and hopefully a path to better representation next year.

The rap and hip hop lineup highlights featured the legendary likes of Future who came with his own t-shirt gun, Big Sean who managed to rise above his sound issues with tightly dialled-in vocals, Sampa The Great with a fantastic live band, and French rapper Laylow who brought his own thunder to the Osheaga stage.

Houston music trio Khruangbin played the main stage and their sound certainly carried well through this space. The band took us on a musical adventure back in time to when music festivals and psychedelics were joining hands as one in America’s flower fields. There was no chit-chat or commentary, just song after song fluidly mixing as the band members vibed with each with completely unmoved facial expressions.

Khruangbin, image by Pat Beaudry, Osheaga

While there were quite a few options for the weekend close out I followed some friends to see Bristol’s Idles, a five-piece rock band that had a much smaller but a very, very dedicated audience. Vocalist Joe Talbot, who came out kind of looking like a small town preacher, is a force to reckon with. Talbot spent his time sharing his various opinions, shutting down drunkens in the crowd making absurd demands of him, and just generally kicking ass. The band was not far behind – the entire five-piece was very engaged, jamming, crowd surfing, and dripping pure musical energy sweat. Meanwhile, people were blissfully spinning away on a carousel at the back, enjoying the Montréal skyline.

Idles, image by Tim Snow, Osheaga

Much like the two days prior people flooded out of the festival grounds into the metro station. This train ride was a flow of controlled chaos with buskers playing Beatles’ “Come Together” in the halls, drunk and tiered people singing along. It’s a cheery time for anyone who is not trying to get home from work. 

When “reflecting on the weekend festival representative Nick Farkas shared: “It is hard to describe the feeling we had when the gates opened – there has been so much planning to make this an unforgettable 15th anniversary, and when we saw the joy of all these people returning to their favourite festival, it reminded me of exactly why we do this. It is just so great to be back, but most of all to be back, TOGETHER!” and it was certainly nice to be there to witness this comeback.

Idles, image by Tim Snow, Osheaga

The post Osheaga brought a hundred acts to Montréal and here’s how it went appeared first on Quip Magazine.

The London-based band wasted no time riling up the impatient crowd. The thumping bass and crashing high hats of “Ducter” echoed through Union Park. The first half grabs your attention with its funky baseline while the breakdown deteriorates into chaos causing a raucous. Vocalist, Geordie Greep, sounded like he unleashed his inner demons when he hyperactively muttered the words for “Bmbmbm.” The bulk of lyrics repeat the phrase: “She moves with a purpose, what a magnificent purpose” yet the uncontrollable shift in tones with frantic pace made it seem more like he was speaking in tongues. Although the Pitchfork volunteers were able to get rid of most of the water near the stage, there was still a large body of it left over. People danced around the edges until the breakdown prompted them to mosh in the disgusting pool during “Years Ago.”

Covered in dirt from the waist down listeners migrated to the Red stage to witness JPEGMAFIA. Rocking black overalls the loudmouth rapper stomped on stage spitting his verse from Denzel Curry’s “Vengeance.” Being his own DJ, JPEGMAFIA ran back and forth to his laptop after each song to change the instrumental. The rambunctious artist yelled out the words of “Thugs Tears” as he sprawled over the edge of the platform swinging his arms wildly. His aggressive style kept everyone on their toes. Showing he had the most guts JPEGMAFIA was the only artist the entire weekend to crowd surf, during “1539 N. Calvert”.

Midday through the event the skies finally cleared up once Clairo graced the stage. She charmingly stated,: “The sun came out just for us.” Now sporting red hair the petite artist oozed swagger walking across the floor. Diehard fans sang along the words for “Flaming Hot Cheetos.” Proving that she’s more than a talented singer Clairo threw a guitar strap over her head and strummed the chords for “Bags” and “Bubble Gum.” Fans grasped onto every word Clairo said as if she spoke directly to their souls. Her soothing voice put them in a trance as they swayed not wanting her set to end. Clairo also debuted her new track “Sinking.” She concluded the performance with her hit songs “Pretty Girl” and “4Ever.”

Looking back over at the Red stage the audience noticed two large yellow 3D cubes had been set up. The crowd were more than ready to get the party going with pop artist Charli XCX. Of course it being summer Charli had to get the festival jumping with fan favorites like “I Don’t Care” and “Vroom Vroom.” The carefree artist also showed a softer side by going down memory lane that everyone could relate to with “1999.” Fans lost their minds when Charli brought Cupcakke out for their collaborative jam “Lipgloss.”

Finally, with Pitchfork Music Festival coming to an end this year it was only right that it be closed out by a superb artist like Robyn. She had the most luxurious set this weekend: gigantic white sheets were draped all around the stage flowing freely in the wind and sets of stairs were placed with a statue of a pair of hands in the center. The Swedish singer took control of the night with spaced out tacks “Send To Robin Immediately” and “Beach2K20.” While songs like “Missing U” talked about loneliness and heartbreak, Robyn kept the crowd moving with “Dancing On My Own.” Synth-heavy sounds kept the listeners zoned in. Equipped with a large band, Robyn showed off her dance with a ballerino. Even when one of they sheet fell onto her she never lost her composure. Instead she wrapped herself in the large fabric and dragged it across the stage. Robyn was a goddess on stage, yet she carried enough humility to pay respect to Chicago saying Deep House music is what helped inspired her sound years ago.

Overall Sunday’s lineup was much more of a mixed bag next to the previous days. The fact you had pop artist like Robyn and Charli XCX made the last day a true celebration. Better weather conditions made getting through the day an improved experience. Even with all the craziness Pitchfork did a fantastic job catering to everyone’s musical needs – there was something for everyone to enjoy. Leaving the event you may have picked up a new genre to give a listen. While you may not have liked everything, you could appreciate the variety of talent showcased. This makes us look forward to see how they plan to top themselves next year.

The post Robyn, Charli XCX, JPEGMAFIA, and , lo-f end Pitchfork with a muddy bang appeared first on Quip Magazine.

And that’s where reading Charli’s performance becomes a different story. Her most eager fan was a singing along (to every song), pigtailed, hands in the air, fangirl-squealing late twenties man with a beard and a dark umber on his lips. He knew every word and shouted them passionately like poetry trapped in his aching troubled heart. His performance mirrored Charli’s, the intensity that she gave to the crowd was reflected back by the crowds.

Charli XCX was a teenage fetish with youthful exuberance. Her lyrics apart from her performance– 
”Don’t go to sleep/Don’t go to sleep/Let’s go out tonight”—are typical party anthem, grab a buddy and shout them out and her performance and audience muddle the matter.

Every inner teenage girl was on display as Charli impelled us to quiver and jump around. Her attempts at adult comments—“I was so hungover I almost didn’t make it out tonight”—felt as overwrought as they sounded, she was playacting an adult and her much older audience was playacting an adolescent. The two were somehow meeting in the middle and finding room to dance. Her encore was just that, a 90s pop song that Charli would have been too young to have even really heard for the first time when it came out, but the crowd instantly reacted to it.

There was an unsettling discomfort at being at a 21 plus venue where the performer is singing to a younger crowd about younger issues, but it didn’t speak to her talent. And then there are the other “but”s: her vocals were aggressive but she didn’t miss a note, her songs are catchy and fun, they don’t spark the imagination but they move an audience to ecstasy, her comments on the stage are often banal but she shows promise for a future filled with talent.

Charli XCX felt at home in Brooklyn, just a suggestion of adolescent aimlessness with a desire to make the most out of any night.

The post The party anthems of Charli XCX, live in Brooklyn appeared first on Quip Magazine.