TAVERNE TOUR I Gondola is starting to make waves

by Amir Bakarov

Gondola’s sold-out show on Taverne Tour’s opening night was a vivid testament to why they’re swiftly making waves. Their self-described “sad boy rock” delivered a delicate balancing act: intimate and lyrical yet undeniably edgy. The band’s pop-adjacent undertones mesh elegantly with a punk sensibility—reminiscent of old-school pioneers—creating a “pop rock meets punk rock” vibe that’s as intriguing as it is infectious. From the moment they took the stage under those bright blue lights, they projected a newfound energy and swagger that was miles away from the more subdued, “ghostlike” aesthetic they embraced at earlier performances.

Leading the charge was Lyle, whose vocals have a distinctive timbre that flirted with the post-punk grit of Ian Curtis. Yet there was an emotional openness to his delivery that gave it a more sensitive twist, reflecting the moody, introspective themes — “We mostly make moody sad shit about my feelings and stuff.” While Gondola clearly embraces the darker corners of heartbreak and sadness, they’ve found a way to let a beam of hope pierce through, making the live set a little bit uplifting.

Their setlist flowed seamlessly, beginning with more slow-burning, lyrical tracks before building up to raw, punk-driven anthems. Gondola pulled no punches in acknowledging their pop leanings, channeling catchy hooks and sing-along choruses that felt refreshingly honest rather than commercial. Despite the moody undertones, there was a clear sense that Gondola aimed to leave the audience on a hopeful note.

Serving Ennio Morricone

by Vitta Morales

The Orchestre FILMharmonique under the direction of Francis Choinière, together with Le Chœur des Mélomanes, performed a short and sweet homage to the prolific Ennio Morricone at La Maison Symphonique on the night of February 8th. Selections included various themes from films such as Cinema Paradiso, The Untouchables, as well as the classic Spaghetti Westerns including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars, et cetera.

Highlights of the evening included soprano Myriam Leblanc’s dynamic control as soaring notes; a fun spotlight moment for Lévy Bourbonnais who walked out centre stage playing the harmonica dressed in a poncho and obligatory cowboy hat; Henri Ferland’s powerful trumpeting; and the grandiose finale performance of “The Ecstasy of Gold.”

I will admit that the evening contained some selections I found to be a bit “square” or unmoving. However, I acknowledge that, for one, I wasn’t always familiar with a given piece’s associated film and therefore probably less invested emotionally; and secondly, that Ennio Morricone wrote literally hundreds of scores in his lifetime, and as such, not every theme can be a masterpiece.

Regardless, this wasn’t an indictment on the orchestra or choir who played solidly, effectively, and put on a fun evening music.

chanson keb franco / Hip Hop / Keb Rap / Soul/R&B

TAVERNE TOUR | Quai des brumes sold-out for Tabi Yosha, DJ Moses Bélanger at Rau_Ze

by Arielle Desgroseillers-Taillon

Tabi Yosha and DJ Moses Belanger took to the stage at a sold-out Quai des brumes with a confident swagger. Carried by a powerful voice, the Haitian-born singer captivated the crowd with a spellbinding blend of R&B and hip-hop, performing tracks from her debut EP True Colors and her latest single Truth Lays.

Skilled in the art of holding an audience spellbound, Tabi Yosha charmed the room with her humor and spontaneity. She didn’t hesitate to engage the audience repeatedly-almost too much-with rhythmic interactions, such as her classic “When I say Tabi, you say Yosha!”.

At the end of her performance, she surprised the audience by announcing that she had decided that very morning to perform Billets, a brand new French song due for release this year. A powerful moment in which her powerful voice made its mark with ease in a resolutely rap register, and in French, much to the delight of the audience.

With the room already warmed up, Rau_Ze took to the stage to a roar from the audience.
“I hope you’re going to have fun tonight, because it’s my party today,” said Rose Perron as soon as she arrived, prompting an immediate “Bonne fête à toi!” from the crowd.

Accompanied by their usual musicians, the Rau_Ze duo of Rose Perron and Félix Paul set the stage alight with their infectious energy and complicity. During “Virer nos vies”, Rose ran through the room before finishing the song perched on the Quai des Brumes bar, while a huge mosh pit unleashed the crowd.

This Saturday evening at Quai des brumes was an evening of female artists of impressive talent and presence, a clear demonstration that the Quebec scene has nothing to envy anyone.

Dance-Punk / No Wave / Post-Punk

TAVERNE TOUR | Chandra, La Sécurité, The Gories… taverne tour de force

by Félicité Couëlle-Brunet

Last night’s Taverne Tour offered an evening rich in contrasts, oscillating between post-punk, dance-punk and raw garage rock. With Chandra, La Sécurité and The Gories, each performance made its mark with singular energy and electrifying ambience.

Chandra opened the evening with a hypnotic set, driven by her unique blend of post-punk and no wave. At just 12 years of age, she was already recording tracks influenced by ESG and Talking Heads, and her appearance on the Taverne Tour proved that her universe is still as captivating as ever after so many years of service. On stage, she exuded an almost mystical aura, her voice oscillating between spoken vocals and melodic flights. Her repetitive synths and mechanical rhythms created a spellbinding trance, accentuated by her charismatic presence and bright pink hair, like an icon from another time transported to the present.

La Sécurité took over with an explosion of frenetic dance-punk. The band fuses the edgy rhythms of post-punk with danceable grooves and euphoric energy, reminiscent of bands like Le Tigre and Bodega. Right from the start, singer Ramona set the mood with an enthusiastic “Let’s go Kenny” to her drummer, setting off an ultra-dynamic set.

His exuberant attitude and chanted vocals lent a jubilant urgency to every track. The bassist, impassive but magnetic, brought a hypnotic depth to the compositions, while the guitarist juggled between sharp riffs and more chaotic passages. Kenny, on drums, seemed to be the driving force behind the band, striking with an intensity that left no respite. Their performance was a perfect blend of tension and raw pleasure, turning the room into a frenetic dance floor.

Finally, The Gories rounded off the evening with a set of wild, primitive garage rock. Formed in the late ’80s, the Detroit trio remains faithful to a raw, minimalist aesthetic inspired by ’60s blues and rock’n’roll. With no bass, just two raw guitars and uncompromisingly pounding drums, they have awakened the punk instinct in audiences. Their return to Montreal after a ten-year absence unleashed a tidal wave of energy, with furious moshpits from the very first notes. Their lo-fi sound and casual attitude gave the impression of attending a clandestine concert in a clammy basement, where sweat and chaos are the only watchwords.

From the post-punk trance of Chandra to the dance-punk euphoria of La Sécurité and the garage fury of The Gories, this Taverne Tour evening proved once again that the independent scene is more vibrant than ever.

Photo La Sécurité: Camille Gladu Drouin

chanson keb franco / Indie Folk

TAVERNE TOUR | When he cries, he’s happy… and so are we

by Arielle Desgroseillers-Taillon

In a packed 33 Tours, Raphaël Pépin-Tanguay, a.k.a. Velours Velours, gave an intimate, vibrant performance, performing, in order, the entirety of his latest album, Quand je pleure, je suis content. The small stage set up at the entrance to the vinyl store barely left enough room for his guitar and himself to maintain the warm atmosphere of the concert, a bit like a big campfire between friends.

From the very first notes of Corde à linge, the audience began singing along to the lyrics of the six-minute track, leaving a visibly moved Velours Velours. “I can’t believe it, I don’t know many six-minute songs where the world knows the words, except for Bohemian Rhapsody,” he declared, his cheeks flushed with emotion.

Released on January 31, her debut album Quand je pleure, je suis content (When I Cry, I’m Happy) features introspective, sometimes even depressing lyrics, carried by luminous melodies. It’s a rich project, combining guitar, violin, drums, synthesizer and, above all, a choral approach that lends it a delicate, almost fairytale touch. Transposing this richness of sound into a solo format was no mean feat, but Velours Velours has brilliantly won the bet!

A few minor hiccups – escaped lyrics and missed chords – punctuated the show, without marring the performance of Velours Velours who, with her natural charisma, was able to turn every mistake into a moment of complicity with the audience.

After performing the entire album, he closed his set with “Je t’aime”, the most popular song from his Fauve EP. Despite the crowd’s cries for an encore, the show was well and truly over. To relive these indie melodies in all their glory, you’ll have to wait until March 1, when the artist takes to the Sala Rossa stage, this time accompanied by his choir and team of musicians.

crédit photo: Camille Gladu-Drouin

Darkwave

TAVERNE TOUR | The Drin, distraction4ever, anarchy… darkwave

by Arielle Desgroseillers-Taillon

As you enter West Shefford on Friday evening, one thing immediately strikes you: the audience is divided into two very distinct groups. On one side, an older, predominantly male crowd. On the other, young adults in their twenties, mostly darkwave girls.

In front of this eclectic gathering, The Drin take to the stage, immediately attracting the older crowd, who raise their hands in rock. This post-punk band from Cincinnati, Ohio, imposes its presence with an unshakeable attitude. Not a smile, not a thank you, not the slightest exchange with the audience: it’s their stage, and fuck the rest. Coats, sunglasses and casualness intermingle in a raw, confident aesthetic.

But above all, the six band members are here to prove that they embody uncompromising garage/post-punk rock. Their sound, undeniably rock, plays on arrangements that cultivate an uncomfortable, almost freaky feeling. To accentuate this unsettling atmosphere, the saxophonist ventured out into the crowd, wearing glasses that completely obscured his pupils, adding an eerie touch to the performance.

After about 30 minutes on stage, the American band gives way to distraction4ever, a Montreal post-punk duo with darkwave influences. Popular with a young audience, it only takes a few seconds for them to unleash a wave of enthusiastic screams. The singer, Beau Geste, impresses with his stage presence and totally captivating facial expressions.

Performing several tracks from their latest album Business core, distraction4ever cultivate a sad boy aesthetic, tackling melancholy lyrics over electro music that paradoxically makes you want to let yourself go. The lyrics sound like a revolt against the torments of everyday life. During their hit City, Beau Geste dives into the crowd to take part in a wild mosh pit. Moments later, it’s Splitshift’s turn to continue this wild communion with the audience. The duo are generous, fuelling the raw energy of the evening.

Although each band offered a unique experience, West Shefford vibrated under a single watchword: anarchy.

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TAVERNE TOUR | Prewn in dungarees, VioleTT Pi on fire

by Florence Cantin

It was in snow overalls and with eight hours of driving in their bodies that Prewn took to the stage on Thursday night. At least, a fraction of the band, embodied by Massachusetts singer and guitarist Izzy Hagerup.

Freshly landed at the Pit Caribou Pub on Rachel, she quickly established an enveloping, almost esoteric atmosphere that immediately silenced the bar. In front of an audience dressed in fluorescent VioleTT Pi sweaters, Hagerup strummed her guitar with the confidence of an artist who hadn’t just arrived. The project being rather new, she strung together songs from her first and most recent album Through the Window, released in the summer of 2023.

Like a fire starting to burn, she whispers, then her voice gradually ignites into perfectly controlled, never plaintive howls. Her timbre is fiery, marked by a raw emotion that seems to inhabit her psychedelic flights. We don’t miss a word she says. Her words are at times moving, at times surreal and tinged with humor.

Si son projet s’adapte parfaitement à une formule solo, guitare électrique et voix, sa prestation promet d’être encore plus transcendante ce samedi en full band à la Sala Rossa.

From snow overalls to Korn sweaters, from folk-rock to electro-magnet, VioleTT Pi took over. The audience gathered at the foot of the stage.

Karl Gagnon, a.k.a. VioleTT Pi and his musicians performed under a faint mauve light, but at least it was to a capacity crowd. The pub stage was ill-suited to hosting a band: while the darkness suited Prewn, it did a complete disservice to VioleTT Pi’s performance. Such are the vagaries of an ephemeral pub scene. After threatening the absent lighting engineer with vandalizing his car with cucumber peelings, VioleTT Pi channeled his frustration into energy.
To the delight of his loyal audience, he drew on the best of his discography. He was provided with a bottle of Chartreuse and a spotlight, which he placed on the floor, breathing new vitality into the performance. VioleTT Pi closed with the effective closer Six Perroquets Séchés Dans Un Tiroir En Bois, where the audience chanted “Mange ma marde, mange-marde” in anthem-like chorus. He managed to keep the front of the stage moving, despite the technical problems. True to form, he once again rose to the occasion.

TAVERNE TOUR | On a Cold February Night

by Loic Minty

What brings everyone out into the streets on a cold February night? Cigarettes? Dancing? Whatever it is, there’s that bubbling, fleeting feeling that something is happening, and we’re right in the middle of it.

It carries you like a wave to its heart—to the soul-piercing stare of HRT’s singer as she tumbles through the crowd, to Michael Karson’s liquid golden voice, and to Pressure Pin’s and No Wave’s punk barrage. Taverne Tour is the all-you-can-eat buffet of the best shows you didn’t know you needed. The palette is wide and rich, with a local culture of music that ferments between the bars on St. Laurent and St. Denis. Out of these sewers came the mutant of Mulchulation II, flooding l’Escogriffe, the sidewalk, and the street. Out of the sky came Birds of Prrrey, diving into the crowd. Every scene collides into a tense explosion of heat, and if you listen closely, you can hear the whispers of the city—people caught in a moment.

At La Sotterenea, we felt the inescapable potential of trans-fem and queer electronic music for experimentation and radical expression. Puggy Beales opened the night with raw confidence, with the duo taking the stage armed only with microphones and a will to stir the crowd. Their house inspired beats reminiscent of early M.I.A., carried vivid lyrics like “work until you die” and their fierce presence made it clear that this was more than just dance music.

Across the street at Casa, Pressure Pin delivered a high-energy set, blending fast tempos and shifting rhythms with a raw, theatrical edge. No Wave followed, electrifying the room as they played each song like a hit. Between each set people were coming out of the pit with huge smiles and scratches on their faces. Closing the night, Speed Massacre pushed this pressured steam out like a boiling kettle and had everyone hanging on to the very last note.

With every venue packed, Taverne Tour demonstrates they not only curate amazing shows but also ones that contrast and complement each other. Here, you can find sweaty trans-fem music fans waiting in line for their coats alongside cowboy boot-wearing country fans still humming a jubilee. It’s a recipe for fun, for unpredictability that grows onto itself, opening all channels of the night into interweaving roads. Where will it take you next? Word goes around that there’s a dance competition down the street, and the evening goes on, bouncing on the energy this city so desperately craved on a cold February night.

TAVERNE TOUR | HRT + God’s Mom

by Will Misha Nye

Moshing is a pretty effective way to keep warm when it’s -15 outside. When HRT took to the stage, La Sotterenea came alive. Composed of Kirby on vocals and Ana on programming, their brand of ‘transgirl electronic body music’ ripped any people that were lurking in the corners and thrust them into the mix. With urgent vocals growled from the depths of heavy industrial beats, Kirby’s forays into the crowd only dialled up the energy even more.

God’s Mom at La Sotterenea felt like a ritual, a moment of collective worship. Grand, haunting vocals. Throbbing, clubby instrumentals. All hemmed by Bria Salmena who, adorned with chainmail and latex, was the magnetic presence leading the sermon. Salmena says that the Toronto-band is ‘not hedonism for the sake of hedonism, it’s a reckoning’. Montréal is here for it.

TAVERNE TOUR | A Thursday evening on Saint-Laurent

by Alain Brunet

Here’s the Thursday evening stroll at Taverne Tour, Saint-Laurent Boulevard section. Come along for the ride!

Rosario Caméléon is also Yan Villeneuve, an actor who has created a stage persona for himself, somewhere between performance, variety, non-binary extravagance and a penchant for what he calls pop coitus, a kind of carnal communion between performer and audience. He appears in costume, with white boots, moustache and lots of taffeta. He raps, sings, waddles in front of curious onlookers, and can also be quite invective, surrounded by video projections and a DG with a trappy groove migrating towards tech-house, a rather inspiredsalad. It’s a fine piece of contemporary entertainment.

Then it’s on to coldwave, synthwave… distant hints of the ’80s, but also the glimmer of a timeless varnish. Void Republic ‘s deep voice is supported by staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato staccato. Like tarte tatin and unemployed pudding, this is a tried-and-tested approach. You can only change it by grafting on tiny details, given the advances in technology, the sound recording, the way you present yourself and the way you put your voice over the frames.

Leaving the Ministry on this snowy Thursday, we walk a corner on the white, climb some stairs, Wombo performs at the Sala Rossa. This trio from Louisville/Kentucky (Mohamed Ali’s hometown) is said to be “stylistically ambitious”, drawing on pop, noise rock, psychedelia, funk and lo-fi. Bassist and soloist Sydney Chadwick’s tenuous voice is reminiscent of Laetitia Sadier’s organ, and the overall sound is in the vein of lo-fi bands such as Pavement. Again, nothing memorable, execution a little thin, and … indeed stylistically ambitious. You had to migrate to the basement and take a few slaps from Wesleys, a band barely out of puberty and well versed in its garage and proto-punk history. There’s loureedism underneath. Amazing drawl, amazing pout, amazing nochalance, solid execution. We love The Wesleys!

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Classical / Modern Classical

Echoes of Africa that resonate very well

by Frédéric Cardin

Last night saw the Orchestre classique de Montréal’s concert Échos lointains d’Afrique (Africa’s Distant Echoes) featuring soprano Suzanne Taffot. The programme for this evening, under the musical direction of Kalena Bovell, an American conductor originally from Panama, included works by Afro-descendant composers: the British Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the Americans George Walker and William Grant Still, the Quebecer David Bontemps and a number of Spirituals.

The main course of the evening was the creation of David Bontemps’ song cycle, Le deuil des roses qui s’effeuillent (Mourning for the roses that are falling apart). This evocative title comes from the pen of Haitian poet and author Jacques Roumain, whose 80th birthday we were commemorating in 2024. In nine texts beautifully set to music by Bontemps, soprano Suzanne Taffot has brought to life subtle, warm, sometimes melancholy landscapes in a musical language steeped in the stylistic roots of the tiny Caribbean country. Sinuous lines, swaying, syncopated rhythms, but in a light, sober sound architecture. By paying this fine tribute to his own Haitian roots, Bontemps has confirmed his status as a rising star of modern Quebec composition. That said, we would have appreciated it if the texts had been projected onto the large empty wall behind the orchestra, so that we could have fully immersed ourselves in the beauty of this inspiring poetry, the vocal writing not always allowing the words to blossom with all their potential clarity (and the dim light preventing us to read them in the paper program). Suzanne Taffot’s voice is beautiful, with a wide register that demonstrates a natural ease in all pitches.

There were lovely Novelletten by Coleridge-Taylor, a British Romantic composer of Sierra Leonean origin, and very pleasant Danzas de Panama by William Grant Still, with their simple melodies treated with sober refinement. George Walker’s Lyric for Strings was perhaps the most impressive, with its restrained, elegantly constructed pathos. A sort of Barber Adagio, more sparing of affect.

A few moments of pure vocal grace rounded off the evening when Suzanne Taffot returned to the stage to perform four spirituals, warmly arranged by Moses Hogan and Hugo Bégin. The audience was won over, if it hadn’t already been, by Deep River, Give Me Jesus, Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child and He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.

Kalena Bovell led the ensemble with a sincere commitment, in a direction combining precision and emotional suggestiveness.

A highly successful evening in front of a packed Pierre-Mercure Hall (which should be enough to call into question certain recent statements criticising programming based on diversity in classical music).

Soccer Mommy: flowers and consistency

by Stephan Boissonneault

The last time we saw Soccer Mommy in Montreal was during the sweltering heat during Osheaga 2023, and now she is playing Theatre Beanfield in the dead of winter. And to be completely honest, both sets are quite similar. Sophia Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, is nothing if not consistent with her dreamy indie rock. Her voice is smokey like velvet; her band is super tight and knows when to pick their moments in the limelight.

The biggest difference between this set and the Osheaga one is the stage setup; tonight’s has bunches of flowers and a visual backdrop in the form of a painted canvas and a flower wreath with some video playing between songs. Maybe that and the volume; the whole show isn’t as in the red as the Osheaga one, which is welcomed for this lazy Sunday set. The background video is quite abstract but usually focuses on different kinds of flowers, vibrant and monotone, as Soccer Mommy sings her songs of confession, lovesickness, and restless wanderlust.

This time, Soccer Mommy is supporting her latest album, Evergreen, which is, again, quite similar to the last one, Sometimes, Forever. And besides a few subtle nuances live, the songs sound almost identical, even down the the mix of the record. The show is good, but after four or five songs, you basically get the gist and vibe. We get a few reserved for live moments, like the drawn-out flute solo, which adds a baroque feeling to the song “Some Sunny Day,” and the triple guitarmony solo in “Thinking of You.” Allison is still quite shy with stage banter or even talking with the crowd, so if Soccer Mommy really wants to separate herself from the other sad-girl indie rock groups, she might want to completely shift sounds or work on her stage presence. That, or perhaps be lost in the shuffle. Right now, if you’ve seen her once, you’ve seen her.

photos by Julia Mela