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It’s always funny how depending on what day you see a concert, it can add a whole new dimension and energy to a show. We all know the woes of dragging yourself out to a Monday or Tuesday night show, and the enthusiasm and rejuvenation that a Friday night show could bring. So what about a Sunday show? And on top of that, a Sunday show in the middle of the last long weekend of summer?

Crumb is currently on their Amama tour and they discreetly snuck into Montreal in the middle of the Labor Day long weekend. It’s not that fans weren’t excited, I’m sure some were longing for this event for months, myself included. But one couldn't deny the sort of relaxed and laid-back energy in the air. To match the September night cold, concertgoers had to go through the motion of taking out their fall jackets for the first time - a yearly routine that somehow feels fresh and alien each time. 

The first act of the night was New York’s Discovery Zone supporting their new album Quantum Web which came out in March. The concertgoers who were fashionably late would have only caught the end of this lush and eclectic act. Complete with vaporwave-inspired visual effects and multi-synth setup, including the use of a theremin! The project led by JJ Weihl was met with warm applause with her last song, and then almost in sync, began the multitude of indie heads all staring down in the phones. They should really come up with a name for this phenomenon. 

L’Rain took the stage next. Her 2023 album I Killed Your Dog was a huge success amongst critics and experimental/electronic music fans, topping many album of the year lists. It was fascinating to see her reinterpret the album live and how that highlighted different aspects of her songs. With just a small group on stage, on keys, drums, bass, guitar and vocals, L’Rain took us on an intense musical journey through her subconscious. 

Much like the content of the album, L’Rain is no stranger to diving into the, let’s say, not so pleasant parts of the human experience. The music performed was dark, disturbing, and to best represent the feelings of guilt, anxiety, and shame, it was also overwhelming. The songs were long, with intentional dissonance, irregular and constantly shifting drum patterns with layer upon layer of sound until everything would come to an abrupt end. Throughout her performance, it felt as if she were tiptoeing across that line of what can be considered painful but also cathartic. Her on-stage presence was powerful and stern yet cool. Performing barefoot, and smiling in between sips of red wine, it seemed irrelevant if the audience was there or not. She was simply here to create and perform her art. 

Having L’Rain and Crumb on the same bill makes perfect sense when you sit down and plan things with a pencil, paper, map and compass. But hearing the two bands perform right after the other really showed the contrast of the group’s two approaches to music. 

L’Rain’s masterful approach to her craft allows her to dive back into her subconscious and take little notes and drawings that come out as her strange music. The end result is loose, raw and unpredictable. Crumb too is full of emotion, but in a different way. It is very evident that Crumb start with the feeling and are builders, re-creating a moment and using music as a tool to express that. The end result is dense, structured and perfect. The juxtaposition of the two bands was very apparent, and absolutely fascinating for the unexpecting Sunday night concertgoer. As Crumb’s performance began, I metaphorically dipped my hands into a bag of popcorn excited for more. 

The band started strong with the four musicians playing so perfectly in sync it seemed as if they were communicating telepathically. Despite being so few on stage, their sound was full and complex. One noted highlight was Bri Aronow’s saxophone solos floating on top of the songs. A perfect complement that you wouldn’t dare think to add, but made perfect sense when you heard it. The band played songs from their new album and flipped through their back catalogue seamlessly. In a modest approach to performing, they played their songs without many great pauses allowing little time for the audience to cheer and shout. That didn't stop the crowd as they ferociously applauded anytime there was a break in the song, with a handful of “I love you”s and “you rock”s shouted for good measure. 

When the show was over the crowd swiftly dispersed into the night. You could spot young fans already donning their Amama tour t-shirts to wear with pride on their metro ride home. I felt really grateful to catch these creative acts right after the release of both their successful albums. I left with a gentle reminder that, yes, there are people out there who still want to create art and make real lasting music, and I couldn’t help but shake the giddy feeling that I got to be part of it. 

Lisa Rupnik is the station manager at CJLO and co-host of The Last Stop. She is also an avid record collector, a “no nonsense” film lover and feels that her personality can be best defined by her two favourite bands: YMO and Sparks. 

Bad luck doesn’t begin to describe what hit the organizers of the Palomosa Festival.

First the emails to ticket holders telling then they could bring a +1 for free. Then the wave of discount ticket prices in bulk for McGill students. And finally the forecast of heavy rain for the second of the festival’s two days.

But worst of all, Kali Uchis, the coup of a headliner Palomosa got for its second day, pulled out only a few days before the festival commenced, with little to suggest that it was due to anything other than low ticket sales.

For even a well-oiled machine like Osheaga, this wouldn’t be ideal. For a festival putting on its first-ever edition, it could be fatal.

To be fair, Palomosa isn’t entirely new. It’s a successor to MEG - Montreal Electronic Groove, which ran every year since 1999 before the COVID-19 pandemic laid waste to it like it did so many parts of the arts and culture industry. Its promoters, veterans of the industry, are also responsible for Igloofest and Piknic Électronik.

Even with the rebranding, Palomosa shares with MEG the objective of gathering a constellation of artists united under “groove.” The organizers hoped the festival could become a back-to-school fixture for the post-secondary crowd, as MEG was for many years.

So, did it work?

I decided to judge Palomosa, taking place at Parc Jean-Drapeau, based on what its promoters said how to approach the festival, with “a state of mind of discovery.”

With that perspective, Palomosa was pretty successful!

On both days the festival was held - September 6 and 7 - I discovered emerging artists, veterans, and an insight about festival audiences.

Both days kicked off with local artists who deserve a closer listen. Day 1 started off with a bang thanks to distraction4ever. They certainly didn’t possess “groove” in the traditional sense, but their spiky post-punk pop brought plenty of energy despite the early timeslot.

I missed Day 2 opener Delachute, but having listened ahead of time to his greyscale pop, which I discovered thanks to his placement on the festival bill, the artist was perfect for the absolute downpour that was to set the scene for the day.

Palomosa’s, shall we say, interesting definition of groove continued with American singer-songwriter underscores, who performed on day 1. April Harper Grey’s project is a compelling mix of beabadoobee-esque grunge pop mixed with overdriven hyperpop and club beats. She’s really one to watch - based on the positive reaction to her from the crowd, either plenty of people already knew her, or they were vibing with a brand new fave.

In fact, a lot of the “groove” part of Palomosa was reserved for the numerous DJs doing sets at the misnamed du Jardin stage (it was located on the concrete concourse that hosts food trucks during Osheaga, and it was there that the low ticket sales became most visible).

I didn’t catch many acts there, but a fun discovery was German equine lover Horsegiirl. She played a terrifically high-energy set that weaved in remixes of modern club classics (“Yeah!,” “My Neck, My Back [Lick It],” “Rush”). Only the most sneeze and tear-provoking allergic reaction I’ve ever had kept me from staying longer at her set.

Another great DJ set, though on the main stage of Palomosa, came from electronic artist Yaeji. She suggested the audience "imagine like it's a backyard dance party,” though her set seemed better fitted for the backyard of the Berghain than any backyard I know.

Yaeji’s set was almost completely devoid of her own music - including anything from her acclaimed 2023 album With a Hammer - until she played new single “booboo” at the climax of the set. Even though it's only a few weeks old, it was the track that got the initially indifferent crowd most amped up and on her side.

Yaeji’s been a veteran of the electronic scene for nearly 10 years, and it was another veteran act that served as a bittersweet discovery for me. Montreal duo Pelada mix aggro political raps with harsh yet melodic production, and they played on day 2 as the rain was still relatively light.

Frontperson Chris Vargas admitted "I know not many of you know who the fuck we are,” before letting the audience know their set would be the duo’s last show after 10 years together. It’s a reminder that discovery of great art doesn’t consist exclusively of whatever’s most buzzed about currently online.

But speaking of buzz, Harrison Patrick Smith has plenty of it to go around. As indie sleaze revivalist The Dare, Smith gained significant exposure for his work with queen of summer 2024 Charli XCX, on her song “Guess” and its subsequent remix featuring Billie Eilish. Performing at Palomosa the day after his album What’s Wrong with New York came out, Smith proved he wasn’t as blasé as his image suggests.

Correctly noting that it was “a bit early to sing some of these [songs]" - his music is better suited to a dingy sweat-soaked club - Smith brought his bangers to life for a crowd that was very clearly there to see him (there were at least a few The Dare cosplayers dressed in his trademark black suit, white shirt, and skinny tie). Festival-goers were shouting along and bouncing around to hits like “Girls” even with the rain becoming increasingly Biblical.

I know I’ve mentioned multiple times the rain that added further insult to injury to Palomosa on its second day - proof that perhaps the festival’s inaugural edition was truly cursed. Unlike Shirley Manson, I’m never happy when it rains - I’m the person who runs as fast as possible to get out of the rain! - but the downpour made me appreciate its power to bring people together.

Only the truly dedicated come out when it's all wet and muddy outside; Glastonbury crowds know a thing or two about this, and the same was true of those brave enough to catch artists on day 2 of Palamosa, who didn’t let some torrential rain stop them from enjoying the “groove.”

I’m not a marketing specialist, so I won’t advise Palomosa on how to boost ticket sales next year - though charging Osheaga prices for not Osheaga isn’t a great start, especially for Montrealers already tapped out financially by all the other cultural events taking place earlier in the summer - but the festival succeeded in bringing that feeling of discovery it touted as its primary goal.

See you at Palomosa 2025?

Photos courtesy of Fabio Zaccagnini

Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your home for modern pop in all its forms, every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Montreal music has recently been granted the fresh release of Clay Pigeon’s latest LP, The Aching Taste of Blue

James Clayton, known as Clay Pigeon, is a singer-songwriter bringing us a refreshingly meaningful glimpse into his perspective through his first full release under the new moniker. A life-long musician, Clayton has played in various friend’s bands, something which led his journey along to the creation of this album as a solo artist. Throughout the course of 2020, the artist’s relationship to music was changed through a waterfall of life events and an online song-writing course led by an artist he admired. This is where he wrote the first track for the album, “Here and Now,” planting the seed for what would grow to be The Aching Taste of Blue.

The album carries a blue tinged bluntness about the fact of being sad, something we all too often skirt around. There is a sense of gentle angst woven through the lyrics and melodies, accompanied by honesty, vulnerability and comfort. Clayton lays out the feeling of sadness on the table through lyrics like “dive into the junction of our memories” [“The Stoned Song”], and “I’m just tired from sleeping” [“Bright Blue”] - all backed by stable, comforting melodies. The tone of the album ebbs and flows, with some gentle tunes, and some more 'call it as it is' heavy hitters like “Feel Okay,” but they all follow a similar overarching theme. As stated by Clayton in the album’s Bandcamp description,    

“These songs are blue and feel sad, because I’m sad, and I imagine you’re sad too, in your own way.”

And with that, I think this album is perfect to listen to wrapped in a big blanket during one of Montreal’s classic rainstorms - cozy up, ponder, have a cup of coffee and have a listen. A perfect soundtrack for feeling, well - a little blue, so fitting as we head into fall semester. Looking forward to listening more and seeing what might be on the horizon for Clay Pigeon.

Here in Quebec, there is an annual phenomenon that takes place right around this time of year.  As the summer begins to wind down there is a parallel excitement that begins to build, because for those in the know, it means that it is almost time for the Festival De Musique Émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, more commonly referred to by melomaniacs as FME. Tucked away in the quiet mining town of Rouyn-Noranda - located roughly seven hours north of Montréal, close to the Ontario border - this festival has been going strong for over two decades, shining a light on emerging artists and building a beautiful network of exchange between artists and music enthusiasts. The four day party that will see 89 artists performing on 15 stages sprinkled around town, kicks off this Thursday, August 29, and promises to be another precious jewel in the crown of achievement for this little festival that could. 

It has been three years since my first and last experience with FME and I have been pining away for my return. Thankfully that will come to an end when I jump in the car with ol’ Oncle Ian and set out for the seven hours journey to this oasis of the North. (It should be noted that Quebec is so fricken large that it is another 1600 km above Rouyn-Noranda to reach the most extreme northernmost point in Quebec, Cap Wolstenholme.) Now I have done enough of these types of festivals to know that it is a fool's game to try and predict what you are going to see and do, but I can tell you some of the shows that I am hoping to see. As with all festivals that are spread out over multiple days in multiple venues, the number one nemesis for all attendees is the dreaded overlap in scheduling. There are always difficult decisions to make when deciding what to see and what you’ll have to miss, but we won’t worry about those decisions right now. Right now we are only going to celebrate all the possibilities of this most excellent 22nd jubilee of music and fun.

Thursday, August 29

Show de la rentrée - Événement SiriusXM at Main Stage (7th St.)