Things happen for a reason. Who would have thought that one Saturday afternoon, while working on the layout of a colleague’s article, I’d realize that the event he was describing in his text was still in progress, and that I’d be able to take part in it before it closed the following day.
After a few e-mail exchanges, here I am on my way to the Folk Alliance International, which took place at the Centre Sheraton in Montreal, from February 19 to 23, 2025. I was there on the evening of the 22nd.
I disembarked around 7pm, meeting a few of my Montreal artist friends in the corridors of this grand downtown hotel. I try to figure out how the application works and how to find the shows I want to attend.
1st stop: Mimi O’Bonsawin. She was accompanied by her drummer, in addition to the pre-recorded sounds she played on certain tracks. She danced, played guitar and dressed in a disguise with wings glued on. I even caught a glimpse of Ahmed Moneka in the room, this artist originally from Iraq, who seemed to be enjoying the show, judging by the nods I could see from afar. My favorite was his track I am Alive.
2nd stop: Australian artist Nat Vazer, recently relocated to Montreal, and her bassist Benny, also on backing vocals, send shivers down our spines. I really liked Strange Adrenaline, on which you can hear Nat’s silky voice, especially on the high notes. With a touch of Gwen Stefani in the timbre of her voice, she mesmerized her audience, as no one seemed to want to leave the room after her set. Between songs, she told us about her native country and its beaches, inviting us to travel. We were treated to an extra five minutes, much to the delight of the audience, and enjoyed every second of it.
3rd stop: Kelly Bado, accompanied by a drummer and bassist. This Ivory Coast-born, Winnipeg-based artist put on an excellent show in one of the hotel’s largest rooms. She sings in English and French, and masters the art of stage direction. “We all have dreams, and if I’m here, it means that dreams come true,” she confided, with a few percussive instruments playing. She ended her set with Fire Fly, a tribute to all the people who have left us, but who live on through us.
4th stop: Angelique Francis and her band, featuring her two sisters on trombone and saxophone and her father on drums. A multi-instrumentalist, Angelique plays guitar, double bass and harmonica, sometimes two instruments simultaneously. A ball of energy that set the FAI alight on Saturday night, with subtle yet powerful choreography and remarkable stage presence. And they didn’t just play once, we got to see them play again in a crowded hotel room later that evening. More on that later.
And so the official performances came to an end, but … wait, the best was yet to come, as the private performances were to begin just a few minutes later.
I see a line up in front of the elevators: I’m told that the concerts in the hotel rooms were about to start, so there was a queue to get onto one of the 5 floors set aside for this purpose. I started on the 7th floor, where I found bands of all genres and styles, with only one thing in common: folk. The rooms were more or less small, the beds and desks had been removed, leaving only a space to set up the band, and chairs for the 15, 20 or more spectators, who circulated from room to room.
1st private stop: I know they’re from my city, and I could have gone to see other artists I didn’t know, but I stopped anyway to listen to Sophie Luckas and her kora, accompanied by Elli Miller Maboungou on calabash and backing vocals, and László Koós on bass. This Montreal artist of Hungarian origin has sung in Bambara, one of the languages spoken in Mali, as well as in English and Hungarian. I wouldn’t be surprised if she also sang in French. Despite the short time allotted to each artist (30 minutes), she took the time to explain her instrument, her origins, and her connection with Mali. She ended with a tribute to her grandmother, who was still dancing at the age of 97.
2nd private stop: I’d heard about the hotel room dedicated to the Black American Music Summit (BAMS), and I wanted to find out which artists would be playing there. That’s how I discovered Rachel Maxan, an artist originally from Tennessee. This globetrotter, who has lived in several parts of the United States as well as Australia, charmed us with her soulful vocals and lilting guitar playing.
3rd private stop: Bristol, England-based artist Lady Nade was accompanied by a guitarist and bassist, who both provided backing vocals, as well as three delightfully harmonious backing singers, whom she dubbed the “Nadettes”. As she celebrated 5 years of sobriety, she made it her mission to break the taboo around mental health. Like Kelly Bado, she ended with a song about grief entitled Complicated, which gave the whole room goose bumps. A voice we should see again in Montreal this summer.
4th private stop: Lancelot Knight, this Plains Cree singer-songwriter from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is a guitarist and shared some of his repertoire. It was so hot in his hotel room that he had to take off all his accessories, as he is often dressed in a colorful jacket and sunglasses. His rocker voice contrasted with his guitar playing, which fluctuated between fast, intense rhythms and soft, calm tones.
5th private stop and the end: As mentioned above, Angelique Francis and family also played the BAMS venue for a second time, this time in intimate format. The room was packed, the energy was electrifying, and I have a feeling they didn’t play the same songs as earlier in the evening. What a great way to end a night of music and encounters. I arrived home at 3am, my heart full of joy and my ears full of sound. Next year, I’ll try to be in New Orleans, venue of the next FAI, but this time not as a journalist but as an artist. I’m throwing this out into the universe.
