Palomosa | Gesaffelstein at the top of the festival

Palomosa’s big hit: French electronic artist Gesaffelstein performed late Friday evening, bringing the first day of this new festival to a close. The performance was convincing, and confirmed the organizers’ choice of Gesaffelstein as headliner.

On the remnants of an already nostalgic summer, in memory of the defunct Montréal Électronique Groove, Palomosa presented a fine line-up of urban artists to get the most curious Montreal fans of the genre on their feet.

At 9.50pm, Gesaffelstein kicks off the final performance of the day at the Videotron stage with The Urge, from his third and most recent album, Gamma. The piercing yellow eyes of Gesaffelstein’s headphones, known as “the black prince of French techno”, pierce the darkness of the venue. The artist stands at the top of the stage podium, his mixers resembling long black crystals. Laser beams and space-like projections accompany the oppressive music orchestrated by Gesaffelstein. The dark, bass-heavy musical style recalls the compositions of Justice, who performed just a few hundred meters away at Osheaga 2024 a month ago.

The atmosphere never lets up throughout the set, and the audience seems more than satisfied with what they see on stage. The festival-goers’ outfits aren’t all suited to the September evening temperatures, but give a jolt of reminder of Palomosa’s primary mandate: here, you’re free, here, you’ll always feel welcome.