Osheaga, Day 2 | The Smashing Pumpkins, Denzel Curry, Olivia Dean & New West

Nostalgia, when you hold us

The Smashing Pumpkins’ performance at Osheaga on Saturday couldn’t have come at a better time; just over 48 hours ago, the prolific American group released Aghori Mhori Mei , their 13th album. Contrary to what one might expect, Billy Corgan and his band ignored this release and opted for a selection of their greatest classics, much to the delight of the fans crowded in front of the two biggest stages of the festival.

Dressed in a black cassock, Corgan enveloped Parc Jean-Drapeau with his melancholic rock and his nasal voice that we know so well. Alongside him are his long-time colleagues James Iha on guitar and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums as well as Kiki Wong, a guitarist recruited a few months ago.

On stage, the Smashing Pumpkins exude the same determination and desire as they did 30 years ago. Too bad this state of mind does not translate into their recent releases.

With just a few minutes to go, dusk begins and the first notes of the famous “1979,” taken from the excellent Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, are heard. This is when the crowd got loudest and the result was sublime. The euphoria provoked is yet another proof of the power of nostalgia. The Chicago band’s greatest hits will definitely never die, and neither will their influence on alternative rock.

Photo credit: Tim Snow

Denzel Curry, flawless, but not brilliant

If there’s one rapper who never stops reinventing himself with each release, it’s definitely American Denzel Curry. In mid-July, the Floridian released King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2 , a mixtape overflowing with collaborations following a first volume released a dozen years ago. In this opus, he explores the dirty south, a subgenre from the Southern United States.

At 29 years old and with several high-quality projects under his belt, it is now fair to say that Denzel is one of the most important pawns in current rap. Brimming with energy on stage, the MC raps each of the rhymes of his songs with precision and finesse. The festival-goers received exactly what they get on his albums.

Throughout his performance, Curry multiplied the interactions with the crowd and displayed a fascinating ease.

The curtain-dropping set of his most popular tracks Ultimate and CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N was met with a very loud reception from the crowd, which had been quite discreet since the beginning. It must be said that placing the rapper after the punk group Rancid and before the Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day was perhaps not the best idea…

Regardless, the proposal from the member of the famous Freshman class of 2016 was honest and well-balanced. However, his offering lacked that little something to not fall into oblivion.

Crédit photo: Tim Snow

Olivia Dean, a breath of fresh air in the middle of a heat wave

While exploring the lineup for the 2024 edition, Olivia Dean’s name really piqued my curiosity. As I looked through her slim, young discography, I discovered a soul singer inspired by the great ladies of this musical genre. The British singer cites Carole King, Amy Winehouse, The Supremes and Lauryn Hill as inspirations for her music.

Accompanied by a small orchestra, the 25-year-old artist is dressed in a very colorful dress and takes her place at the front of the stage. “If this is the first time you’ve seen me perform, I have one rule. You have to have a good time!” she says between her first two songs. It was largely material from Messy, her only album of her career, that the London native introduced to the crowd. She also took the opportunity to perform her most recent release entitled Time , a song in which she explores more rock avenues than usual, which suits her like a glove.

Olivia Dean exudes an aura that is not of our time. Jazz, R&B, soul, pop; everything is mobilized. Visibly captivated, the festival-goers scrutinized her actions and then responded vocally. The 45 minutes of performance passed in the blink of an eye and we would have liked it to never end.

Photo credit: Benoit Rousseau

New West, Toronto’s New Sensation

With the huge success of their title Those Eyes , the Canadian collective New West no longer needs an introduction. This year, the Torontonians had the task of opening the ball at 2 p.m.

Taking advantage of an impressive crowd for an early afternoon due to the imminent arrival of the star Chappell Roan, the band formed by Kala Wita, Noel West, Lee Vella and Ben Key will offer an inspired and colorful performance.

Winner of a Juno for “New Group of the Year” in 2024, New West offers a diverse sound that includes jazz, R&B and indie, among other things. On the festival’s main stage, Kala Wita gave it their all, moving from left to right, singing lying on the floor and offering moments on the piano. This performance allowed us to discover more about the personalities of the different members of the group.

Vocally, Wita is right and envelops us with tracks like “Stevie Nicks” or “Guessing Game.”  The sample is thin, but the future seems promising for New West.

Photo credit: Tim Snow