Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | The Two Enriches its Creole blues
by Sandra Gasana
They may be called The Two, but they’ll be performing as a quartet on Monday night at Club Balattou as part of the 40th edition of the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival. Yannick Nanette and Thierry Jaccard were the original members of the duo, but along the way, Loris Martenet joined them, and just recently, a new member came on board. This latest member is a longtime friend of Yannick’s, and after 20 years without contact, they reconnected via Facebook a few years ago—and… the rest is history.
Unlike their first performance at Balattou several months ago, adding the keyboard was an excellent idea and breathed new life into their repertoire. Nanette is from Mauritius, Jaccard from Switzerland, and together they transport us to a world of “blues from the south, from the Indian Ocean,” as Nanette so aptly described it. Alluding to the various types of Creole languages around the world—including, in their view, Quebec Creole—several songs had titles with a French ring to them but in a modified form. For example, the title “Tiombo” actually means “Hang in there.”
There were several musical exchanges between Yannick and Thierry’s many guitars, almost spiritual rhythms inspired by sounds from Mauritius and the surrounding region, with percussion that took us in all directions. A banjo added a folk touch to the blues, with a triangle occasionally chiming in to round out the sound.
We were also celebrating Yannick’s 44th birthday that evening, and in fact, the birthday boy’s family was in the audience. Yannick’s sister even took the stage to sing a chorus with her brother—a tender moment that was greatly appreciated by the audience.
The song “Fam Couma Ou,” which means “a woman like you,” also went over well with the audience, who were struggling to resist dancing. The Two shift seamlessly from gentle to intense, transporting us at will into their world. The percussion helps create depth, and Yannick’s harmonica finds its place within it all, while the audience turns into a veritable choir on several occasions throughout the evening.
Another traditional instrument, the kayamb—a sort of wooden board similar to the one played on Réunion Island—was also featured in the show.
My neighbours, who are of Haitian descent, told me that they understood almost all the lyrics sung in Creole. At times, you could sense a trance-like atmosphere on stage, especially during Thierry’s intense solos, before the performance continued with moments of tenderness. “Mo ale” and “Lao”—a tribute to those who have passed away—were my favourites of the evening.
“I’m 44 today, but I remember when you were 33 and we performed at the Montreux Festival: It’s still just as much a pleasure to work with you,” Thierry confided amid the audience’s applause.
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PRIMAVERA SOUND – PORTO 2026 : The Big Little Festival on a Human Scale
by Patrick Baillargeon
Launched in 2012 as the first international spin-off of Barcelona’s now-famous Primavera Sound, Primavera Sound Porto quickly forged its own identity. The event features concerts in an urban park overlooking the Atlantic, with a capacity of around 35,000 people per day. Held in the vast Parque da Cidade, the Portuguese festival opts for a more intimate and accessible format than its Spanish parent festival.
The 13th edition of Primavera Sound Porto recently took place from the 11th to the 14th June 2026. Spanning four days, the line-up offered a wide range of styles, alternating between afro-jazz, noise, indie rock, indie folk, fado, punk, electro, neo-soul, trip-hop, socially conscious hip-hop, experimental music and Iberian flavours. True to its eclectic formula, this year’s Portuguese festival brought together 55 artists on a line-up headlined by The xx, returning fourteen years after their last appearance at the festival; Gorillaz, who were there to promote their latest album The Mountain; and Massive Attack.
Then, alongside these headliners, were IDLES, Big Thief, Ethel Cain, Bad Gyal, JADE, KNEECAP, Yard Act, Slowdive, Sudan Archives, Panda Bear, Gisela João, Criolo, Joey Valence & Brae, Melt-Banana and Viagra Boys. Ninajirachi, Texas Is The Reason, Black Country, New Road, Model/Actriz, Nation of Language, Bad Gyal, Triángulo de Amor Bizarro and Portuguese artists such as NAPA, PAUS Emmy Curl, Rita Vian, Capicua, Sensible Soccers and Inês Marques Lucas, amongst others… Obviously, we couldn’t see everything. But we tried. Out of the thirty or so concerts I managed to attend, let’s focus on three. One for each day: Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Banned from performing in the United States, Canada and many other countries due to their political stances – particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – the show by the controversial Belfast hip-hop trio at Primavera was therefore unmissable. Whilst their incisive rap and aggressive beats are certainly worth listening to on record, it’s undoubtedly on stage that the magic happens. Fuelled by punk energy, defiant lyrics and biting humour, the band is one of the most original voices on the new Irish scene. Every track hits the mark, with the band giving the audience no respite. Somewhere between Sleaford Mods, Slowthai and The Streets, KNEECAP have found their own path, blending these influences with a typically Irish rebellious and defiant spirit. This ban on their concerts in Canada is utterly ridiculous, particularly when you realise just how essential this band is. On that note, the docu-drama KNEECAP, which traces the trio’s rather unique story, is well worth the 100 or so minutes you’ll spend watching it..
Apart from the wild concert by the Viagra Boys – whom I was seeing for the fourth time and who put on a truly off-the-wall and intense performance – it was Baxter Dury’s set that really stood out for me, and that I was really looking forward to catch. The son of the legendary Ian Dury has established himself as a key figure in contemporary British pop, and, strangely enough, he’s never played a gig in Montreal… It’s highly time to put a stop to that, as he’s a real force on stage, fully embodying his persona as a decadent playboy crooner – a sort of unlikely cross between Bukowski, Gainsbourg, Sleaford Mods (them again) and, of course, his famous father, from whom Baxter takes after greatly, particularly in his vocal delivery. The apple never falls far from the tree.
Since the early 2000s, the singer-songwriter has cultivated a unique style, blending spoken word, pop, rock and electro in songs – or rather, short stories – that are elegant, ironic and cinematic. His eight albums, notably Floor Show (2005), Happy Soup (2011), Prince of Tears (2017), The Night Chancers (2020), I Thought I Was Better Than You (2023) and Albarone (2025), have cemented his status as a standout artist on the British independent scene. His show is a distillation of all these albums, featuring the unmissable “Miami,” “Cocaine Man,” “I’m Not Your Dog” and the highly danceable and dynamic “Albarone,” which had the crowd on their feet at the end of the concert.
Almost two decades after the Beastie Boys split up, Mike D’s return to the stage was eagerly awaited by the New York trio’s many fans. It was known that an album had been completed, and it was precisely this debut solo effort, Thank You (scheduled for release on the 28th of August), that Mike D came to promote on stage. He was accompanied by the 5D – his sons Skyler and Davis Diamond (who also form the electro-pop duo Very Nice Person) – alongside Eddie and Milo Ruscha and guitarist Will Graefe.
All dressed in orange-red and bouncing from one side of the stage to the other like a bunch of hyperactive rabbits, the 5D worked their way through the ten tracks on Thank You, some far more captivating (the bass-heavy “What We Got”) than others (the long and rather unremarkable title track, “Thank You”). Having kicked things off with a Beastie Boys track (a wildly energetic “Hello Brooklyn”), Mike D and his band wrapped things up with the unmissable “So What’cha Want,” virtually identical to the original and which sent the crowd into a frenzy. But the real highlight of this rather energetic concert was their flawless rendition of the Delta 5’s ‘Mind Your Own Business’. A completely unexpected cover, a little nod that proves that from D5 to Delta 5, it’s just one (dance) step away.
A good festival depends largely on its line-up, its vision and its artistic direction, but also on the audience and the venue. As for the Portuguese section of Primavera, the decision to feature artists who have been established for several years attracts a much less youthful crowd than you might find at events such as Osheaga, to stick with a familiar example. And the difference is striking. The atmosphere is more laid-back, people are calmer, and so the listening experience is all the more enjoyable.
With a maximum daily capacity of 35,000 people, Porto’s Primavera Sound remains a major festival, yet on a human scale; there are none of the massive, dehumanizing crowds found at certain other major events in Europe or North and South America. There’s no oppressive, ever-present security here, nor any aggression, so it’s no surprise to see many people enjoying the festival with their families. What’s more, the site is well-designed and pleasant, just a stone’s throw from the ocean yet right in the heart of the city, and there’s no one to complain about the concerts going on until the small hours… So the party doesn’t come to an abrupt end at 11 pm or midnight, like some other cities… There you have it: all the ingredients for a captivating and memorable festival. The team behind Porto’s Primavera Sound have understood this perfectly and have maintained this approach and artistic vision for thirteen editions, tirelessly and flawlessly. Add in good weather and warm temperatures, and the equation is perfect.
knitting, frown line, and Fireball Kid Tear Up Sala Rossa
by Stephan Boissonneault
I love a bill stacked with local bands, and if Montreal has an abundance of anything, it’s local bands. Knitting’s album release show for their new record, Souvenir (Mint Records), felt more intimate than your typical Sala show. A makeshift stage sat on the floor, buried under gear, and the crowd — which swelled after opener Fireball Kid — kept inching closer between sets. Amazing turnout for a Thursday with a stellar lineup.
Fireball Kid, fresh off their own terrific release, Deer Path To A Shortcut, opened with infectious energy. Singer and synth player Colin Ratchford told the crowd the band was down a member — his other half, Seth O’Neill, on backing vocals — so he’d be pulling friends from the audience instead. One of them was none other than local KT Laine, who came up to harmonize on “At Your Leisure.” I’ve seen Fireball Kid three times now, and this new shoegazey dance-rock incarnation is easily my favourite version of the band. The crowd agreed, hollering the lyrics to “Guilt Drive” and the tearjerker “King Of The Lake” straight back at Ratchford and company.
Fireball Kid
Next up was frown line, the mainstay bedroom-indie-rock project of Annika Devlin, who fronts one of the best-mixed live bands in Montreal. Devlin’s vocals slice through like a scalpel through wallpaper, while behind her, walls of ’90s alt-rock guitar pile up and threaten to swallow the room whole. The newest iteration of the band now has Jacob Barton on lead guitar, adding a more sporadic streak of guitar wizardry to the mix. New music has been scarce from frown line the last few years, but they debuted a newer track, easily the danciest thing we’ve heard from the group yet. They closed, of course, with the grungey barn-burner “Days Without.” Always good.
Frown line
Finally, knitting took the stage, dragging Souvenir‘s guitar-forward glow behind them like a comet tail. This is the record where the band fully molts into their own strange skin—angsty grungegaze that sounds and feels like a bruise. Knitting’s been circling this city for years now, sharpening its teeth on smaller rooms, and somewhere in that slow grind the riffs got weirder— fronts of noise rolling in low and strange, then clearing just enough for Mischa Dempsey’s voice to wander through like someone talking to themselves in a hallway of mirrors. It’s half-poem, half-static catharsis.
The set tilted heavier as it went, gravity pulling the whole room down into it, and “Sequel” arrived like a door left open in a dream you can’t quite place. That song just gets me. “I Want to Remember Everything” followed, all jagged tenderness. Both songs landed with the same physics as the album versions, but heavier and thicker, songs that have been played live many times, left out in the rain and swelled. And just like frown line before them, knitting’s live mix threaded that needle between piercing and pleasant — a sound that presses against your sternum and stays with you.
Knitting
Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | Celebrate with Labess
by Alain Brunet
In the 2010s, I saw a few Labess performances when Nedjim Bouizzoul, the band’s young frontman, was living in Montreal… then the band moved to France and went on to enjoy tremendous success on stages around the world, including those in Quebec, where they return regularly. And since Labess was headlining Nuits d’Afrique on Sunday, I got my act together and went to witness yet another triumph for the band in the city where it was formed.
I have to admit that I hadn’t fully realized it. Because Labess has some die-hard fans. Lots of them! They all packed the National on July 12, and they all sang along to every single one of Labess’s choruses—not to mention the countless ad-libs that kept the fun going. It was way bigger than I thought.
Labess hits the nail on the head, because Nedjim Bouizzoul fully embraces his multiple identities: he comes across above all as Algerian; he feels more like a Quebecer than a Frenchman; well… Above all, he comes across as free from all these considerations, while embracing the paradox of this freedom enjoyed by migrant artists.
Labess is, nonetheless, a platform for free men because their very real success has allowed them to establish an independent structure that enables them to do what they want, express what they want, sing what they want, and blend elements as they see fit.
Labess unabashedly expresses its North African culture—with Algerian chaâbi serving as one of the foundations of its art—but it also draws inspiration from Catalan rumba, Andalusian flamenco, Colombian and Afro-Caribbean grooves, the music of the Roma people of Eastern Europe, and Francophone music in general. A fan of Richard Desjardins, Nedjim Bouizzoul also offers a Gypsy rumba version of the classic “Les Yankees,” from the album Les derniers humains (1988).
In addition to covers of Desjardins and Celia Cruz’s “La vida es un carnaval,” Labess has sung, among others, “Ma Liberté,” “Babour El Leuh,” “Insomnie,” “Ya Denya,” “El kess ydour,” “Mariama,” “No te vayas,” “Rosa (Rosa Que Linda Eres),” “Et si le mal,” and “Chalmazel.”
Labess displays profound sensitivity, awareness, and social lucidity; he is unequivocally anti-imperialist and unequivocally progressive on all pressing issues—from human migration, which has come under suspicion in the West, to the tragic plight of Palestine, as well as the war imposed on disadvantaged nations and other themes of widespread injustice on this Earth.
Nedjim Bouizzoul writes in French when the occasion calls for it; I can’t evaluate his dialectal Arabic, but I’ve picked up enough clues from his words to be firmly convinced that his ideas are expressed with clarity, intelligence, and a beautiful, no-nonsense irreverence—all carried along by powerful musical currents.
As a quartet, Labess takes the stage from left to right: Tarek Maaroufi on percussion, Nedjim Bouizzoul on lead vocals and guitar, Antero “Tito” Sono-Synnott on virtuoso lead guitar, and Florent Hinschberger on trumpet. The ensemble knows exactly how to capitalize on the momentum generated by the frenetic rhythms and strumming of the guitars, all topped off by the trumpet’s well-judged lines. The groove takes hold, and the energy levels rise a notch. Musicians and audience alike are having a blast, laughing, connecting, letting go, and rejoicing despite the overall gravity of the subject matter, which is etched into our cloud-based consciousness.
Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | MTELUS Falls to Grand Lamine Touré
by Sandra Gasana
I’ve rarely seen the MTelus so packed to the brim. And it was mostly the Guinean community that turned out for the tribute to the “Baobab of the Night,” the Great Lamine Touré. For the occasion, the program featured a lineup of popular artists from Guinea and beyond, each drawing their own fan base and making the celebration truly spectacular.
Hosted by Brazilian singer and TV personality Bïa, who kept the crowd energized, the evening was elevated by a house band of exceptional musicians.
After a few speeches by several officials who had traveled all the way from Guinea for this tribute, the first scheduled artist took the stage to cheers from the young people in the audience. It was Degg J, who kicked things off with a bang, each song more popular than the last. The energy built to a crescendo, peaking with a track the entire audience knew by heart, as he occasionally blended dancehall and Latin rhythms into his repertoire.
Between performances, Bïa even had time to get the audience singing in Portuguese while the musicians set up for the Guinean and Sierra Leonean artist Sia Tolno. Kicking off with the song “L’homme qui vient de loin” (The Man Who Comes from Far Away)—which alluded somewhat to Lamine Touré—she opened the show with her signature African blues style while showcasing her talents as a dancer. “Just like everywhere else in the world, we’re calling for unity,” she said between songs. She took the opportunity to include a breathtaking solo by the Senegalese-Malian guitarist Amady Sidibè—who’s in high demand in Montreal—which particularly delighted the audience, who had been eagerly awaiting his standout moments throughout the evening.
But it was AK’s arrival on stage that particularly surprised me, as he was welcomed like an icon. I could compare him to a Guinean version of Tayc, given his musical style and his “lover” persona. Very popular among young people—especially young women—he set the MTelus ablaze, getting the audience to sing along to every one of his songs. Many of his songs are hits, and he even went so far as to add some Senegalese mbalax to his repertoire. I have a feeling this artist will return to Montreal for a longer concert, judging by the impact he had on his fans.
The final performance—the one many had been waiting for—was, of course, the legendary duo Soul Bang’s and Manamba Kanté, but before that, the great diva Oumou Sangaré, who opened the 40th edition, took the stage to honor Mr. Lamine Touré. Accompanied by high-ranking officials from Guinea, festival co-founder Suzanne Rousseau, and artists such as Djely Tapa, this icon of African music received the highest honors—including speeches, gifts, and a commemorative plaque—to highlight her enormous contribution.
And then it was time for a final, colorful performance, combining the repertoire of Soul Bang’s with that of his wife, Manamba Kanté, to treat us to a medley of their greatest hits. While one supported the other, depending on the song, it was when they came together on stage that the chemistry between these two artists was truly evident. As Manamba’s unique voice echoed through the concert hall, Soul Bang’s charmed us with his improvisations—sometimes in English—and his infectious energy. Together, they performed songs about women, love, and struggle, blending tradition and modernity through Guinean rhythms and occasional dancehall beats. They also paid tribute to Manamba’s father, the late Mory Kanté, with a cover of “Yeke Yeke”—a highlight of the evening.
The “Baobab de Nuit” surely felt this recognition from his peers in Montreal and Guinea during this tribute evening, even though he’s used to staying in the shadows. But when you’ve built a festival that’s celebrating its 40th anniversary, you can no longer stay in the shadows—you have to accept being celebrated.
Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | Soul of Zoo confirms his “connections” on stage
by Sandra Gasana
On Friday night, Le Ministère was buzzing to the sounds from Soul of Zoo’s album Connections, which we told you about a few months ago when it was released on the Cosmovision Records label.
With an opening DJ set by Argentine DJ Nat Barrera—who got the crowd moving with his electronic grooves infused with world music influences—the evening continued with a performance by the great Malian griot Djely Tapa, who had just finished her show a few minutes earlier at Club Balattou for the special Griots night.
She kicked off the show with a remarkable performance, blending her powerful voice with Soul of Zoo’s electronic sounds while adding her own percussion. For the occasion, she was accompanied by Adama Daou on the djembe and another Ivorian percussionist on the conga. Together, they set the room on fire, and the audience seemed to appreciate this unusual mix.
Without a break, Alradik, a singer and guitarist from Niger—who also appears on the album Connections on the track “Je vis pour le moment”—took the stage. Just like Djely Tapa, Alradik demonstrated his versatility by incorporating electronic music into his musical style, thereby breaking down the barriers between these different genres.“It was important to me to play only my original compositions tonight,” Soul of Zoo told me before the concert. “It’s a first—let’s see how it goes.”
To wrap up his set, he brought Djely Tapa back on stage for the grand finale and a powerful closing, before handing the stage over to Mixwell’s DJ set—an artist I was discovering for the first time—and the flamboyant Papish, who kept the party going with the same energy.
All in all, it was a festive evening; the audience danced the whole time, and a group of young people right next to me seemed like pros—they were improvising dance routines on the spot, inspired by the beats they heard. A successful venture for this first collaboration between the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival and the many “Connections” created by Soul of Zoo.
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Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | The BIM Effect
by Alain Brunet
Bénin International Musical successfully made its debut with its first Montreal fans at Nuits d’Afrique. We were able to appreciate the passion of Brigitte Kiti and her bandmates—guitar, bass, keyboards, and percussion. At first glance, the Western instrumentation gives the impression of a traditional, instrumental sound rather than a digital one. The guitar riffs, bass lines, and keyboard harmonies transport us to a world of instrumental and vocal energy amplified by the stage and an enthusiastic audience, despite its small size.
The harmonic progressions are unmistakably Beninese; you can feel the vibrations of Kotonou, and the rhythmic patterns are meticulously crafted and executed with precision. The folk ballads are also performed with great authenticity—not a trace of pretension or forced imitation in sight. We’re even treated to Vaudun melodies and rhythms, the ancestors of the Afro-animist traditions carried on in the Americas—Voodoo in Haiti, Santería in Cuba, Candomblé in Brazil, and so on.
Originally launched by a French team that came to Kotonou to scout for new talent, BIM reflects this relationship with the French team, as they encouraged Beninese artists to take up rap, listen to Massive Attack, and engage with Howie B and other “classics” of trip-hop, hip-hop, electro, funk, and rock.
Ultimately, BIM in no way compromises its identity by fully embracing these fusions with Western pop; what we have here is a deeply rooted musical journey that the group strives to electrify and make appealing on a global scale. The approach is certainly not new, but we experienced a fresh take on it this Wednesday at the Fairmount Theatre.
Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | Senny Camara and Yamoussa Bangoura Join their Strings
by Sandra Gasana
It has become a tradition over the years; the Night of the Kora is a must-see on my summer schedule. And this year was special because I knew I would be seeing Senny Camara again, who had performed at Club Balattou in February as part of a duo with the grand master of the kora, Zal Sissokho.
With an opening act featuring Yamoussa Bangoura—a multidisciplinary artist and founder of Productions Kalabanté—he set the stage perfectly for what was to come. Starting with an entirely instrumental piece, the following songs were accompanied by vocals—sometimes very soft, sometimes very rhythmic, and a mix of both.
Most of the pieces were taken from their two shows, “Afrique en cirque” and “Won’Ma Africa,” which they have performed in the United States and elsewhere. They are also preparing a show as part of the 40th edition of the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival with the entire troupe on July 14. Yamoussa also shared his very first original composition on the kora with us, before taking us on a journey to New Zealand, a country he is particularly fond of.
But it was during his song for Karim—one of his acrobat brothers who has been paralyzed for two years following a mosquito bite—that the audience got goosebumps. We were treated to an acrobatic performance by three members of the Kalabanté troupe before the intermission, which announced Senny Camara as the second-half act.
She took the stage wearing a colourful basin-print boubou, like a queen taking her seat on her throne. Although she had just landed in Montreal a few hours before the show, she treated us to a performance worthy of the name, playing several tracks from her 2024 album Yéné, as well as songs from Boolo—which means “Unity” in Wolof—released in 2020.
“Before going on stage, I broke a string on my kora. It’s being a bit temperamental today, so we’ll have to be patient with it,” she told us while tuning her instrument between songs.
Just as she did at her concert in February, the artist draws inspiration from humanity, wondering why we hurt one another if people are the cure for one another. This is the theme she explores in the song “Niit,” before inviting Zal Sissokho on stage for a song—the surprise of the evening.
“It’s thanks to him that I’m here tonight,” she tells us, referring to the man she considers her mentor and for whom she has great respect.
The concert concluded with Yamoussa and Senny on stage, taking us on a journey between Senegal and Guinea, with moments of improvisation and connection just the way we like them. Despite suffering from jet lag, Senny Camara rose to the challenge brilliantly: he treated us to a “Night of the Kora” filled with sensitivity and humility.
Nuits d’Afrique 2026 | A Leading Voice to Kick Off the 40th Anniversary
by Alain Brunet
To commemorate 40 years of bringing music to the heart of the Montreal summer, the Nuits d’Afrique International Festival chose Oumou Sangaré for its opening concert, held on Tuesday, July 7, at MTELUS.
Ten artists took the stage, including this Malian diva—who is clearly much loved—and who has been performing in Montreal for decades.
Once again, the regal Oumou Sangaré treated us to a true sub-Saharan groove, led by her powerful voice with influences from the Wassoulou region—a southern area of Mali that serves as a crossroads between neighbouring countries (Ivory Coast and Guinea), fostering the cultural exchanges and fusions she draws upon today.
An artist with a long and rich career, she performed at the heart of a true Mandinka cultural ensemble—masters of groove through the ngoni and traditional percussion, complemented by keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, and everything in between.
The call-and-response between the soloist and her instrumentalists and backup singers creates an irresistible string of grooves—a specialty of West Africans. In short, it’s that signature style we know so well, which returns year after year to delight the “traditional” audience of Les Nuits d’Afrique.
Drawing from her two most recent albums, Acoustic and Timbuktu, among others, Oumou Sangaré is in and of herself a guarantee of high quality; she is a leading singer and an outspoken African feminist as well as a committed humanist and pan-Africanist.
She wished us good fortune, inspired us to love, expressed her condemnation of the violent extremism raging in the north of the country, defended African women, and praised the men in the audience who had come to celebrate a woman at Nuits d’Afrique as brave.
Oumou Sangaré is a lady—a strong woman whose voice carries weight, whose authority continues to command respect time and again.
La Noce 2026 | The Day I Discovered Angine de Poitrine
by Fabio Pregnolato
I first discovered Angine de Poitrine in my kitchen in Belfast, when a Québecoise showed them to me the week they blew up on KEXP.
At first listen, I found it hard to tune into—and seeing the costumes, I immediately wrote it off as a bit gimmicky. Yet here I am in Chicoutimi, seeing them live.
I honestly couldn’t believe that a band this massive—easily one of the biggest acts of the moment—was slotted for a Thursday, the very first day of the festival at 7:15 PM. But apparently, they were scheduled at that time before they became so viral. Regardless of the day and time, the crowd was more than ready to welcome them under a boiling sun in Chicoutimi. A big red lad next to us was sweating his soul out in the heat, trying to fight it with a tiny handheld electric fan. Between the heat and the magic shrooms we had taken, we couldn’t stop giggling at this sweaty giant with his miniature fan—and right at that exact moment, Angine hit the stage.
Impeccably dressed in their unique alien costumes, they started blasting and looping their microtonals. Every loop drew us in deeper, and it was then that I fully understood the intense visual and musical impact they have on a crowd. Even the cameraman running around the stage wore a dotted costume with long, blonde ropes—nothing on that stage was allowed to be human.
After their first song, my friends dragged me straight into a mosh pit that felt like it might be my last. Clutching my bag for dear life, I’d never seen so many people spiraling and running in circles. But the community spirit was real: every time someone went down, everyone immediately helped them up. It’s always beautiful to see that kind of rock ‘n’ roll spirit in action.
The crowd was completely entranced, raising their hands in a triangle shape to support the band at the end of every song. The energy they played with was unstoppable, and under that roasting sun, their costumes inevitably got mucky, skin was showing, revealing that there is indeed some humanity hiding there.
I was gutted and drenched when they finished, but I felt incredibly lucky to see Angine at La Noce—not overcrowded, surrounded by good people, and in their hometown of Chicoutimi, which made it extra special.
Bringing a massive wave of positive energy to La Noce, Etran de L’Aïr completely captivated the crowd. With a crisp sound and powerful vocals, the Tuareg desert blues group from Agadez, Niger, left the audience hypnotized by their bouncing moves and repetitive Sahara guitar rock rhythms.
The more we moved, the bigger the smiles on their faces grew; they really were having as fantastic a time as the audience, which gave the whole show a sense of authenticity and community! The crowd did not always read the room. At some point, mosh pits started, along with some crowdsurfing, leading to definite disappointment on the faces of some fans who just wanted to dance and soak in rhythms.
The closing guitar solo felt endless, and not entirely in a good way. My partner and I exchanged a look that said it all: something was definitely off. The guitarist lost his flow, hitting some pretty rough notes while trying to pull off a complex riff. Luckily, he quickly snapped out of the rut, and they managed to finish the set in style. They departed with the largest smiles. Hands pressed together in gratitude. Hope I’ll see them again—overall, one of the best performances at La Noce.
La Noce 2026 | Groovy Aardvark : A legendary powerhouse
by Fabio Pregnolato
Ten days in Québec as an Italian now living in Belfast, and the locals have already drilled one absolute truth into my head: Groovy Aardvark is a total institution here.
The crowd was an interesting mix, ranging from a few grey-haired veterans to younger people in their twenties. At one point, I asked for a rolling paper from a guy who looked like a biker, completely decked out in heavy leather. He clapped back, joking that he was surprised and that I was totally profiling him—only to laugh and kindly hand me one.
Closing out the after-party at the Télé-Québec stage, Groovy took a moment to wave to a few familiar faces in the audience before delivering a powerhouse final performance. Every instrument cut through the mix with crisp, potent clarity. The lead singer, Vincent Peake ’s raw, growling vocals channeled a cathartic rage.
He commanded the crowd effortlessly, even taking a heartwarming moment to thank a long-time fan for 40 years of loyal support. Peake said that this was his second set of the night, giving a playful excuse for his tired vocals—and perhaps for the man with a bandana singing backups while half-hidden in the shadows.
Special mention to the cover song « Le p’tit bonheur » , leaving the already hypnotized crowd completely spellbound.
