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The 30^th edition of the Francofolies de Montréal festival—now called the Francos de Montréal—is upon us. From June 8^th to June 17^th, the Quartier des Spectacles will be filled with the cream of the crop of Quebec’s Francophone music scene and artists from the international Francophonie. As an Anglophone, puzzlement may be the reaction to most if not all of the acts on the bill at this year’s Francos. Have no fear though, because CJLO has got you covered on the most worthwhile shows to catch during the festival. The best part? All the below recommendations are free to see!

Paupière (Friday, June 8 @ 8 PM, corner of de Maisonneuve and Clark)

There’s no shortage of artists in both French and English that mine the sound of 80’s synth-pop, but Paupière deftly update the genre for the 21^st century. Released last fall, the Montreal trio’s debut album, À jamais privé de réponses, included an enticing mix of decadent dancefloor numbers (“Sans elle,” “Défunte lune de miel”) and sincere pop anthems (“Rex,” “Nouveau jour”). Having collaborated with stage director Félix-Antoine Boutin in order to bring theater and visual arts to the traditional live experience, Paupière will likely bring a distinctive blend of the esoteric and playful to the Francos stage.

Klô Pelgag (Sunday, June 10 @ 9 PM, Place des Festivals)

The cinematic and symphonic songs that made up Klô Pelgag’s second album, L’étoile thoracique, were rightfully given lavish praise upon its release in fall 2016. The album manages to create its own world for listeners to inhabit, with a balance between the wistful sounds of songs like “Les animaux” and the more grandiose sounds of tracks like “Samedi soir à la violence.” Pelgag’s performance at this year’s Francos might be the most striking of the lot, as a full-blown orchestra will flesh out the singer-songwriter’s baroque folk compositions, making it one of the can’t miss shows at the festival.

Jesuslesfilles (Wednesday, June 13 @ 8 PM, corner of de Maisonneuve and Clark)

Fresh off last month’s release of their third album, Daniel, Jesuslesfilles come ready with new material to captivate audiences. Their latest LP sees the addition of Yuki Berthiaume-Tremblay on vocals alongside those of lead singer and guitarist Martin Blackburn, a pairing that works wonders on songs such as the thrashing yet irresistibly catchy “Parasol.” That, coupled with an expanded sonic palette consisting of keyboards and saxophone, brings depth to Jesuslesfilles’ already energetic garage rock sounds. Expect nothing less than an intense and lively performance by the Montreal quintet.

Corridor (Wednesday, June 13 @ 10 PM, corner of de Maisonneuve and Clark)

Corridor is the perfect act for Anglophones who don’t understand French to follow, as their songs are filled with blurred vocals that defy language. Last year’s Supermercado was a leap forward for the Montreal quartet, with a compelling mix of earnest melodies and layers of sinewy guitars. The murky atmospherics that call to mind the lighter side of 80’s post-punk (think R.E.M.’s first album) are still present, but it’s the matured songwriting abilities on songs like “L'histoire populaire de Jonathan Cadeau” and “Data fontaine" that are the most pleasantly surprising feature of Corridor’s sophomore album. Audiences should expect a dynamic set from one of Montreal’s finest groups.

Lafayette (Wednesday, June 13 and Thursday, June 14 @ 7 PM, Place des Festivals)

One of several artists performing at this year’s Francos hailing from France, Frédéric Lafayette will bring his melancholic yet upbeat songs with him from across the ocean. With arrangements that conjure the most timeless elements of 80’s pop, Lafayette’s songs are perfect for Montreal’s rising heat, with songs like “Décapotable” and “Une fille, un été” evocative of endless summers (and he’s even got a song based on that too). Lafayette will be performing back to back shows on June 13 and June 14, so there’s no excuse to miss what will be a surely entertaining performance of both kitsch and poignancy.

LaF (Friday, June 15 @ 8 PM, corner of Sainte-Catherine and Jeanne-Mance)

While Quebec rap staples Alaclair Ensemble and Dead Obies are the biggest draws in hip-hop at this year’s Francos, LaF are the rising act not to miss. Fresh off their win at last month’s Francouverts competition (netting a $10,000 prize in the process), LaF’s three MCs and three beatmakers bring a palpable and irresistible energy to their songs. The group released their excellent Jello EP last fall, and whether it be smooth tracks like “Éternelle” to kick back to on a Sunday morning, or tunes like “Simple” to amp yourself up, LaF have the versatility to make them rap québ’s most exciting act to watch.

Montreal's St-Ambroise Fringe Festival is finally here! For nearly three weeks, be ready to watch and hear the best and weirdest of local and international culture, both in English et en français. CJLO will be covering the best of Fringe, and to launch our series of articles, here are our Fringe Team's top picks for this year's Fringe festival. 

Erica’s picks

Fliers and posters covering every available surface, people walking around in strange costumes, familiar faces, music, excited crowds. Small tables parked on the sidewalk, with a friendly face inviting people into their venue. Step into any of them, and you’ll be transported to another world, as you witness something birthed from a stranger’s love of theatre. The strongest sense of community I have ever experienced; I love everything about the Montreal Fringe Festival.

Dance Side of the Moon: The festival hasn’t even started yet, but there are already a number of things that I am extremely excited to see. For starters, Dance Side of the Moon (Freestanding Room) is a dance piece set to Pink Floyd’s album The Dark Side of the Moon. I love Pink Floyd and I love dance, so this really sounds like a winning combination to me.

4’33” in Baghdad (venue 9) calls itself an “immersive and interactive academic strip tease.” After hosting The F Hole for so many years and constantly promoting the idea that behind every pretentious classical music attitude is a deceivingly immature sense of humour, it would feel like a personal betrayal to not attend this play.

Justice On The Ropes: A Clint Hacker Mystery (venue 11) promises to be a creative interlocking of the professional wrestling world with a classic film noir mystery. I know absolutely nothing about wrestling, but the Fringe Festival is a time to learn new things and have different experiences. Plus, there is something oddly enticing about a film noir mystery done with a wrestling theme. Maybe the real mystery will be, “why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?”

There are so many more plays that I want to see, and I am now faced with the difficult task of deciding what can fit into my schedule. Wish me luck, and I hope I see you out there.

Chris' picks

Chris hosts Sewer Spewer, every Monday at noon.

[…]morph: I really enjoyed the absurdity of A David Lynch Wet Dream from two Fringes ago, so when I heard that the same people will be putting on a play this year, I knew I had to see it. I have no idea what it’s about, I just want to see something that’s dark, bizarre and completely unpredictable.

Betch A Sketch: Here’s another play I don’t know too much about, I’m only familiar with the creators; Montreal’s own alt-rock band Pope Joan (who will also be performing at the Fringe Park). The play is described as “five women on a mission to hijack your imagination,” so that makes it all the more intriguing.

Slaying In Suburbia: An Interactive Murder Mystery: It seems like the only way to shake up the monotony of suburban life is to have a killer on the loose. But wait, an interactive murder mystery? Does this mean that the audience has to crack the case? What happens if we choose wrong? Only one way to find out.

Patricia's picks

Patricia hosts Fatal Attraction, every Thursday at 11 AM.

Apocalipsync: Humanity is a Drag: Montreal’s legendary House of Laureen is back at it again with a post-apocalyptic lip sync extravaganza. Starring Laureen’s Uma Gahd, Dot Dot Dot and Anaconda LaSabrosa as well as the iconic Peaches Lepage, this show is guaranteed to snatch your edges and leave you gagging! Don’t miss these stunning queens challenge corrupt politicians and oppression within society!

Greasy: A Lesbian Love Story: Glam Gam Productions subverts Grease’s problematic narratives in this smutty, queer parody. They’ll teach you about gender identity, polyamory, homosexuality, consent and more in the sexiest ways possible! They even have a live band and intensely choreographed fight scenes! But most importantly, Greasy features an amazing cast with our city’s most talented and empowering performers!

What The Hell Happened To My Patio Furniture: With such a bizarre premise, I’m dying to see this show! Come watch this epic furniture mystery unfold at Montreal Improv Espace B. This thrilling play stars the incredible Joshua Budman, whose improv skills cannot be beat! Come to find out what happened to Joshua’s chairs and stay for his outstanding comedic stylings.

Stay tuned for our Fringe coverage in the coming weeks!

Montreal’s Fringe Fest has officially begun! Now is the perfect time to pick up the program and start planning which shows you want to see. But sometimes, the short descriptions of shows can be vague. When in doubt, there’s Fringe-For-All, a chance for media and spectators to get a short preview of each show. Artists are given two minutes of stage time to do whatever they want. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a scene from their show, but it’s an opportunity to introduce the themes, the overall plot or the characters. At the one-minute mark, the lights will flicker to give a warning. If the artists go beyond two-minutes, the sound will cut and the lights will go out.

This year, Fringe-For-All took place at Club Soda. Upon entering I was met with the eyes and shouts of the performing artists, segregated to balcony section of the main room. The evening began with a speech from artistic director (read: fearless leader) Amy Blackmore. Switching between French to English, Blackmore opened with a poem, which can be summarized simply as “fuck what anyone tells you, do what you want, achieve your dreams.” After a roaring approval from the audience, Blackmore invited the three hosts of the evening: Kenny Struele, Dayane Ntibarikure, and Cat Lemieux, who showed her support by wearing a large, inflatable bee costume. Throughout the night, the hosts would come on the stage between previews to crack a joke and introduce the next act.

Two minutes is not a lot of time to sell your show. Artists had to make an impression in a grandiose fashion, whether it was throwing candy or whoopee cushions into the audience, stripping down to their undergarments (or even their bare breasts) or making a wet mess on the stage. Near the end of the night, it begins to get exhausting, especially if the event runs late as it did. You can only clap and holler so many times. But the hosts tried their best to break the monotony and low energy with 11-second dance parties.

Of the previews, a few stick out in my memory: SCUM FM for cracking a Nazareth record over the head of a heartless executive. Mid Knight for smashing a piñata representing childhood. CLIO for their puppet of a giant clitoris. Is That How Clowns Have Sex? for answering audience questions about sex in as little time as possible. And finally, […]morph for their truly surreal performance set to a very creepy version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Are you kicking yourself for missing the Fringe-For-All? Don’t worry, because there will be an International Fringe-For-All (featuring all the out-of-town acts) on June 6^th at Petit Campus. Also, if you’re setting out this week to catch some Fringe shows, don’t forget to tweet your thoughts with the hashtag #FringeBuzz