Les Violons du Roy : Un violon hors du temps avec Kerson Leong
by Rédaction PAN M 360
Le violoniste Kerson Leong, Les Violons du Roy et le chef Nicolas Ellis sont à nouveau réunis dans un programme construit autour du dernier quatuor à cordes de Mendelssohn, composé à la mémoire de sa sœur Fanny, et une toute nouvelle œuvre conçue spécialement pour cette admirable équipe d’interprètes par Kelly-Marie Murphy, l’une des compositrices canadiennes les plus accomplies.
The violinist Kerson Leong, Les Violons du Roy and conductor Nicolas Ellis join forces once again to create a programme featuring Mendelssohn’s last string quartet, composed in memory of his sister Fanny, and a brand new work conceived especially for this admirable team of performers by Kelly-Marie Murphy, one of Canada’s most accomplished composers.
Programme
J.S. BACH « Erbarme Dich, mein Gott », extrait de la Passion selon saint Matthieu, BWV 244 (arr. pour violon et orchestre à cordes) Choral O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross, BWV 622 (arr. pour violon et orch. à cordes) K.-M. MURPHY Found in Lostness (création) F. MENDELSSOHN Symphonie pour cordes n°10 en si mineur Quatuor à cordes n°6 en fa mineur, op.80 Requiem pour Fanny (version pour orch. à cordes)
Program
J.S. BACH ″Erbarme Dich, mein Gott″ from St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (arr. for violin and string orchestra) Choral O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross, BWV 622 (arr. for violin and string orchestra) K.-M. MURPHY Found in Lostness (creation) F. MENDELSSOHN Symphony for Strings No.10 in B Minor String Quartet No.6 in F Minor, op.80 Requiem for Fanny (string orch. version)
Montréal/Nouvelles Musiques 2025 : La Grande Nuit 2025
by Rédaction PAN M 360
La Grande Nuit 2025 est de retour avec des performances musicales hors normes qui explorent les mille nuances du son sous un dôme immersif de 32 haut-parleurs. Pour clôturer de manière festive le 12e festival Montréal/Nouvelles Musiques, un ensemble d’œuvres audacieuses créées par des artistes sonores avant-gardistes d’ici et d’ailleurs se succèdent toute la nuit pour faire vivre aux spectateurs un marathon musical à la fine pointe de la technologie!
La Grande Nuit 2025 is back, with extraordinary musical performances exploring the thousand nuances of sound under an immersive 32-loudspeaker dome. To conclude the 12th Montréal/New Musics Festival in a festive mood, a series of audacious works created by avant-garde sound artists from here and abroad take turns throughout the night allowing spectators to live a musical marathon at the cutting edge of technology!
LE SPECTACLE EST GRATUIT!
Ce contenu provient de la Société de musique contemporaine du Québec et est adapté par PAN M 360
Exutoire de Raphaël Pépin-Tanguay, Velours Velours roule sa bosse depuis 2020, se taillant rapidement une place parmi les coups de cœur de mélomanes d’ici. Sa pop décomplexée, tantôt teintée d’accents rétro, tantôt brûlante de jeunesse, sert autant de trame sonore aux errances montréalaises qu’aux road trips gaspésiens. Il s’apprête à dévoiler toutes ses couleurs sur un tout premier album à paraître en janvier 2025.
Velours Velours has been making waves since 2020, quickly earning a place among the favorites of local music lovers. His uninhibited pop, sometimes tinged with retro vibes, sometimes brimming with youthful energy, serves as the soundtrack for both Montreal wanderings and Gaspé road trips. He is set to unveil his full spectrum of colors with a debut album coming in January 2025.
LE SPECTACLE EST GRATUIT!
Ce contenu provient du Taverne Tour et est adapté par PAN M 360
Centre des musiciens du monde: Persian delight with Kayhan Kalhor
by Frédéric Cardin
Last night at the Centre des musiciens du monde in Montreal, we heard almost 90 uninterrupted minutes of sublime music performed by one of the world’s greatest musicians, Kayhan Kalhor, master of the kamancheh. I’m not just talking about his status in Persian classical music, for which he is certainly THE musician of his time, and perhaps of all times, but about his genius as a musical artist in all genres. Kalhor is a virtuoso and performer in a class of his own.
Yesterday, he was on stage to give the final concert of an extensive tour for the Chants d’espoir (Songs of Hope) programme. He was joined by Montrealers Kiya Tabassian on setar and Hamin Honari on tombak, as well as his compatriot Hadi Hosseini on vocals.
Paris concert (without Hadi Hosseini) :
An artistic tour de force in which instrumental improvisation sits naturally alongside classical Persian poetry (that of Saadi, who lived in the 13th century) rendered with brio by Hosseini, one of the most assertive and accomplished voices in classical Persian singing today. Long, skilfully ornamented melodies intermingled with the comments of the instrumentalists, linking contemplative, introspective episodes with others that were more energetic and lively. The tunes, which flowed into one another without pause, were partly drawn from the scholarly repertoire, but mostly from the spontaneity of the musicians on stage, all of whom are remarkable improvisers. It was a sold-out concert, attended in large part by members of the Iranian community, but not exclusively. A very attentive and respectful audience, from which I didn’t hear a single unexpected phone ring! Symphony audiences should learn a few lessons from this…
Concert on December 16 in Montreal :
Montreal can be proud of this kind of event, because it’s partly thanks to this city that it exists. Kiya Tabassian, of the Constantinople ensemble, is a former student of Kalhor, who himself lived close to the metropolis for a time (he has a Canadian passport as well as an Iranian one), and Hamin Honari moved from Vancouver here to Montreal to take advantage of the artistic opportunities offered here. And in the midst of it all, the Centre des musiciens du monde, which continues to impress with the quality of its projects and the growing influence it exerts on the non-Western scholarly music scene, is actively helping to build Montreal’s reputation as one of the best cities for world music in the West, perhaps the best in America.
Linkin Park est un groupe de rock américain originaire d’Agoura Hills, en Californie. Depuis sa formation en 1996, le groupe a vendu plus de 100 millions d’albums et a été récompensé par la Recording Academy à deux reprises. Le groupe a connu le succès avec son premier album, Hybrid Theory, qui a été certifié Diamant par la RIAA en 2005.
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Since its formation in 1996, the band has sold more than 100 million albums and has been awarded by The Recording Academy in two occasions. It achieved mainstream success with its debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005.
Prix du violon d’or 2024-2025 | Finalists Announced
by Alexandre Villemaire
As rain, wind and cold descended on the evening of December 11, a small crowd gathered, braving the inclement weather to hear and see the instrumental playing of the six semi-finalists in this year’s Prix du violon d’or.
At the end of the semi-final round, violinists Jueun Lee, Joey Manchin and Justin Saulnier were recommended by the jury to move on to the final round on Friday, December 13.
Their performances respectively highlighted qualities of playing, interpretation and technical mastery in diverse programs of contrasting dynamics. South Korean-born Jueun Lee, accompanied on piano by Itamar Prag, drew the audience into the sparkling world of Mozart with the Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 22, and into the folkloric world of Edvard Grieg with the Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major. In addition to her clear sound and precise articulation, it was the young performer’s stage presence and energy, as well as her apparent complicity with her pianist, that captured the audience’s attention.
Joey Manchin offered a heartfelt, polished interpretation of the second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Paul Hindemith’s Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 and the first two movements of César Franck’s Sonata in A major. The intimate dialogue between piano and violin in Beethoven’s work highlighted the purity of sound and clarity of lines exchanged between the two instrumentalists. Plunging the audience into a completely different aesthetic, Hindemith’s sonata was packed with chromatic lines and different playing techniques, which Manchin was able to demonstrate. In Franck’s sonata, accompanied by Veola Sun, he expressed in the work’s vaporous sonorities a frank control of the different dynamics, moving from languorous lines to lively, animated passages.
Justin Saulnier shone with pure lines and limpid musical discourse in Schubert’s Sonatina in D major, while Paganini’s short Caprice No. 17 in E flat major, with its velocity of violin lines, showcased his technical mastery. He was also the only semi-finalist to include two pieces by contemporary composers in his program: Ana Sokolovic’s Chant and the third of the Sonata for violin and piano by composer and conductor Dinuk Wijeratne. The presentation of this type of repertoire, the antithesis of the majority of the works we heard during the evening, provided a welcome dose of variety, and demonstrated Saulnier’s abilities in this type of musical language and discourse, where he was supported by Gaspard Tanguay-Labrosse.
The three competitors who didn’t make the cut have nothing to be ashamed of. Violist Alexander Beggs impressed us with his warm, woody and stable sound. His program, consisting of Franz Joseph Haydn’s Divertimento in D major – in an arrangement by Gregor Piatigorsky – and Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and Piano, was the most aesthetically introspective. This enhanced her musicality, but perhaps did her virtuosity and contrasts a disservice. American-Japanese violinist Satoka Abo opted for a program in which technical virtuosity took precedence. Her performances of Brahms’ Sonatensatz and Franz Waxman’s Carmen-Fantaisie were high-flying moments, but lacked precision in places. The sparkling first movement of Mozart’s Sonata in B flat major and Amy Beach’s warm Romance brought contrasts and calm to his explosive program. Finally, cellist François Lamontagne offered a contrasting performance with an excerpt from Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 3 and Gaspar Cassado’s Suite for Solo Cello, which was beautifully intense but could have been more danceable.
The final of the Prix du violon d’or 2024-2025 will take place on Friday December 13 at 7pm in the Tanna Schulich Hall.
Taverne Tour : The Wesleys, Alex Walton et The Nikolas L. B. Brigade
by Rédaction PAN M 360
The Wesleys
Formé en 2022, The Wesleys réunit des membres venus de divers horizons. Leur premier EP de quatre chansons, sorti en 2022, a permis au groupe de faire son entrée sur la scène locale et au-delà du Québec. En septembre dernier, The Wesleys est retourné en studio, cette fois en collaboration avec Scott “Monty” Muro du groupe canadien Préoccupations, pour travailler sur son prochain album, prévu pour mars 2025.
Formed in early 2022, Montreal The Wesleys are a rock band known for their electrifying blend of heart and adrenaline. Following the release of their debut EP Outside Voices, the band quickly made a name for themselves in the Montreal music scene with their distinctive sound, thoughtful rock ‘n’ roll meditations on the human condition. In 2025, they’ll release, their anticipated follow-up on Petit Village Records.
Alex Walton
Lex Walton est une musicienne de 24 ans, cinéaste, poétesse en prose, menuisière amateur, troubadour névrosée du cœur, survivante de l’âme du rock and roll, et autrice de The Sound Rocker’s Prayer. Elle a sorti 7 singles, 3 EPs et 4 albums complets au cours des deux dernières années (y compris une collaboration avec Ezra Furman), tous musicalement disparates mais empreints de la même frénésie amoureuse, pleine d’accroches, et d’une hyperconfessionnalité effrontée. Aussi étonnamment beaux qu’ils sont déchirants, ses disques témoignent d’une tension viscérale. Ils ont été décrits comme étant « juste trop », tandis que ses performances live sont qualifiées de « terrifiantes ». On ressent un désespoir palpable, où tout semble mis en jeu, comme si seule la grâce de Dieu pouvait empêcher cet avion de s’écraser.
Lex Walton is a 24 year old musician, filmmaker, prose poet, amateur carpenter, neurotic troubadour of the heart, rock and roll soul survivor, and author of “the sound rocker’s prayer.” It/she has released 7 singles, 3 EPs, and 4 full length albums in the last 2 years (including a collaboration with Ezra Furman), all musically disparate but charged with the same kind of hook-laden lovestruck mania and brazen hyperconfessionality, as stunningly beautiful as they are acts of bitter teeth gnashing. Its/her records have been described as “just too much” and her live performance as “terrifying,” one gets the feeling of desperation, that everything is put on the line and only the grace of god can keep this plane from crashing.
The Nikolas L. B. Brigade
The Nikolas L. B. Brigade est le groupe de scène itinérant du chanteur et multi-instrumentiste montréalais Nikolas L. B. Animée par une passion pour l’exploration lyrique, l’écriture de L. B. fait preuve d’une musicalité inventive et distinctive – que ce soit à travers le prisme de chansons folk teintées de post-punk ou de ballades dites de « hack-jazz » au style crooner.
The Nikolas L. B. Brigade is the traveling stage band of Montreal-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Nikolas L. B. Rooted in a passion for lyrical exploration, L. B.’s writing consistently demonstrates an inventive and distinctive musicality – whether through the lens of post-punk-inflected folk songs or so-called ‘hack-jazz’ crooner ballads.
Taverne Tour : Ura Star & Fireball Kid, Los3r, Franki et Public Appeal
by Rédaction PAN M 360
Ura Star & Fireball Kid
Parmi une boucane trempée de sueur, est retrouvée un mélange de synth-pop accrochant et esprit de fête de cuisine emblématique à Ura Star & Fireball Kid. Chaud à l’élan de leur trilogie d’albums Emotional Bros Hotline, Gas Station, et Heartracer, les boys sont près à mettre le feu à la grange puis de faire l’faire blazer d’une manière plus explosive que jamais auparavant.
Ura Star & Fireball Kid blur hooky synth-pop and DIY kitchen party sensibilities into a rowdy, sweat-soaked haze that’s all their own. Coming hot off the release of their trilogy of records Emotional Bros Hotline, Gas Station, and Heartracer, they’re barn-burner ready and primed to light ‘er up in a bigger way than ever before.
Los3r
Los3r est un groupe de pop expérimentale composé de trois membres, originaire d’Ottawa. Il se consacre à repousser les limites sonores, à proposer des paroles mélancoliques et émouvantes, tout en maintenant une énergie débordante.
Los3r is a three piece experimental pop band from Ottawa, focusing on pushing sonic boundaries, establishing heartfelt melancholic lyrics, while maintaining a high energy.
Franki
Franki est une artiste émergente de pop indie et une productrice autodidacte. Élevée en Angleterre au son de la musique dance des années 2000, elle a déménagé à Montréal, attirée par la scène pop florissante et l’énergie unique de la ville. Ses inspirations musicales incluent des icônes comme Grimes, Björk et Lily Allen, mais aussi l’atmosphère des espaces liminaux et le rythme trépidant de la vie urbaine. Franki a débuté en produisant dans sa chambre et a passé un long hiver à perfectionner son art avant de présenter son nouveau matériel à des publics de Montréal et d’Ottawa, testant ses morceaux pour façonner son premier EP, All The Things I Try to Say. Dans cet opus, elle explore des thèmes comme la découverte de soi, la navigation dans la vie avec un lobe frontal fraîchement développé, et le chaos extatique qui existe en elle.
Franki is an emerging indie pop artist and self-taught producer. Raised in England on 00s dance music, she moved to Montreal, where she was drawn to the city’s blossoming pop scene and unique energy. Her music is inspired by icons like Grimes, Björk, and Lily Allen, as well as the feeling of wandering through liminal spaces and the pulse of city life. Starting out producing in her bedroom, Franki spent a long winter honing her craft before taking her new material to crowds around Montreal and Ottawa, testing out new songs and shaping her debut EP, “All The Things I Try to Say.” On her release, she explores themes of self-discovery, navigating life with a newly developed frontal lobe, and the blissed out chaos that exists within her.
Public Appeal
Public Appeal est une artiste pop avant-gardiste basée à Montréal. En juillet 2023, elle a sorti son premier EP, Mind Your Business, et travaille actuellement sur son prochain album, Hello My Name Is Public Appeal, prévu pour 2025 sous le label Arbutus Records.
Public Appeal is a cutting-edge pop artist based in Montreal. She released her first EP, “Mind Your Business,” in July of 2023 and is working on her next album, “Hello My Name Is Public Appeal,” which is set to be released via Arbutus Records in 2025.
On démarre fort la série Dômesicle hivernale avec une soirée explosive entre house et breaks en compagnie de la DJ et productrice mexicaine PAURRO. ¡Vamos! Fière ambassadrice de la musique électronique mexicaine, PAURRO s’est imposée comme une figure de proue sur la scène internationale, enchantant le public par ses performances dynamiques. Ancrée dans la house, elle trace une ligne fine entre sons organiques et énergétiques, fournis d’inspirations diverses, pour des sets inoubliables. Un guest spécial sera annoncé plus proche de la date, stay tuned!
We kick off the Dômesicle winter series with an explosive evening of house and breaks with Mexican DJ and producer PAURRO. ¡Vamos! A proud ambassador of Mexican electronic music, PAURRO has established herself as a leading figure on the international scene, delighting audiences with her dynamic performances. Rooted in house music, she draws a fine line between organic and energetic sounds, drawing on diverse inspirations for unforgettable sets. A special guest will be announced closer to the date, so stay tuned!
Taverne Tour : We Are Wolves, Void Republic, Rosario Caméléon et DJ Uñas
by Rédaction PAN M 360
We Are Wolves
Le monde prend feu… Tout part en ruine… Pardon pour le retard : We Are Wolves construisait un bunker. Nous vous fournirons un code de réduction pour votre séjour. Retirez les piles du détecteur de fumée. Le dossier de spams est désormais votre boîte de réception. Il y a des microplastiques au bout de l’arc-en-ciel. Le monde prend feu. We Are Wolves a pris le contrôle du bunker. Entrez. On entend toujours le même refrain : on vit à une époque de changements profonds, de conflits et de chaos. Mais qu’est-ce qui mérite vraiment notre attention? La plupart d’entre nous avons l’impression d’être prisonniers d’un monde sens dessus dessous. Sur son sixième opus, le groupe montréalais We Are Wolves tente d’imaginer un avenir où l’on peut danser malgré l’enfer qui nous entoure. Sur cet album de dance-rock dystopique, les musiciens présentent une formule envoûtante qui nous pousse à revoir la finalité des choses et à accueillir le changement. Oubliez le chaos et laissez-vous porter par ce divertissement. Le bunker s’effondre, mais tout va bien se passer. Entrez.
The world goes up in flames… Everything falls apart… Sorry for the delay: We Are Wolves were building a bunker. We’ll provide you with a discount code for your stay. Remove the batteries from the smoke detector. The spam folder is now your inbox. There are microplastics at the end of the rainbow. The world is on fire. We Are Wolves has taken over the bunker. Enter. We keep hearing the same refrain: we live in a time of profound change, conflict and chaos. But what really deserves our attention? Most of us feel like we’re trapped in a world turned upside down. On their sixth opus, Montreal band We Are Wolves try to imagine a future where we can dance despite the hell that surrounds us. On this dystopian dance-rock album, the musicians present a spellbinding formula that urges us to reconsider the finality of things and welcome change. Forget the chaos and let yourself be carried away by this entertainment. The bunker’s collapsing, but everything’s going to be okay. Come on in.
Void Republic
Void Republic est un artiste de synthé énigmatique connu pour ses paysages sonores atmosphériques qui mélangent des mélodies glaciales avec des rythmes pulsés. Avec des sonorités analogiques distinctives et un style minimaliste, leur musique se caractérise par des pulsations de synthé staccato classiques, élégamment superposées à des sons sous-jacents inquiétants.
Void Republic is an enigmatic synth artist known for atmospheric soundscapes that blend icy melodies with pulsing rhythms. With distinctive analog tones and a minimalistic style, their music features classic staccato synth pulses elegantly layered over brooding undertones.
Rosario Caméléon
Yann Villeneuve alias, Rosario Caméléon est un artiste non-binaire (il) de Maniwaki, habitant à Montréal. Artiste multidisciplinaire, c’est à travers différents personnages aux couleurs excentriques que Rosario se dévoile. Artiste aux intentions humaines et optimistes, il est une étrange créature qui a pour but de nuancer les opposés. Une recherche constante d’équilibre entre plusieurs paradoxes. La musique de Rosario en est une difficile à classer et c’est pourquoi il aime l’ appeler, la Popcoït. Un mélange entre les référents d’une culture pop 2000 et d’un déjanté théâtral expérimental à la Laurie Anderson. Un son digital mélangeant le électroclash, le pop, l’underground et le house. Un heureux mix qui offre une identité unique, intrigante et sexu.
Yann Villeneuve, aka Rosario Caméléon, is a non-binary (he) artist from Maniwaki, who lives in Montreal. A multidisciplinary artist, Rosario reveals himself through a variety of eccentrically colored characters. An artist with human and optimistic intentions, he is a strange creature whose aim is to balance opposites. A constant search for balance between many paradoxes. Rosario’s music is difficult to classify, which is why he likes to call it Popcoït. A blend of 2000s pop culture referents and Laurie Anderson-style experimental theatrical wackiness. A digital sound blending electroclash, pop, underground and house. A happy mix that offers a unique, intriguing and sexy identity.
A Baroque Christmas with Arion | When The Hurdy-Gurdy Awakens The Holiday Spirit
by Judith Hamel
On Sunday afternoon, the Arion baroque orchestra played to a full house at Salle Bourgie, presenting a program devoted to French, Swiss and German Noëls. The instrumentation included strings, harpsichord, theorbo and bassoon, and three soloists – on flute, oboe and hurdy-gurdy – enriched the concert with a succession of well-known and obscure Baroque Christmas tunes.
The concert opened with the excerpt “Où s’en vont ces gais bergers” from Michel-Richard Delalande’s Simphonie des Noëls, a familiar choice of tune that set a cheerful tone for the concert.
Mathieu Lussier then introduced the first soloist, Tobie Miller, a renowned virtuoso hurdy-gurdy player. As he announced her, it was instead flautist Vincent Lauzer who took to the stage, triggering open laughter from the audience. This light-hearted moment was followed by Michel Corrette’s Concerto No. 4 “Noëls suisses”, a piece for recorder and ensemble which, in a mixture of mischievousness and virtuosity, allowed Vincent Lauzer to shine with his expressiveness.
“It’s funny, it sounds like the recorder, the hurdy-gurdy,” announces Mathieu Lussier, referring to his shell. This time, Tobie Miller takes the stage in earnest to perform a work by Nicolas Chédeville, the Concerto “Les Plaisirs de la Saint-Martin”. This piece celebrates Saint-Martin’s Day, which used to bring celebrations almost as important as the feast of Saint-Nicolas. Although the work is by Chédeville, he would probably have copyright problems today, since he borrows much of his material from Vivaldi.
The third soloist, Daniel Lanthier on oboe, performed Bonaventure Gilles’ Concerto a 5 con oboe obligato. His lively, expressive playing made you want to be on stage with them. The energy of the soloist and the musicians was infectious, and the music seemed palpable.
Before intermission, the ensemble performed seven Christmas arias by Charpentier, bringing the first part of the concert to a close. Mathieu Lussier took the opportunity to invite the audience to slip an Arion record into their Christmas stockings this year. A suggestion that makes you want to opt for a Baroque soundtrack for this year’s festivities!
Crédit photo: Matthew Perrin, De gauche à droite: Daniel Lanthier, Vincent Lauzer, Tobie Miller
During the intermission, educational projections provided information on the tuning of Baroque instruments, the manufacture of period instruments and the repertoire presented. A great way to contextualize their artistic approach and enrich the audience’s experience.
On his return, Vincent Lauzer took the stage again with Michel Corrette’s Concerto No. 5 “Noël allemand”. The slow movement captivated with its delicacy, while the Allegro, with its rhythmic syncopations, added a playful touch.
Then it’s Tobie Miller’s turn to return to the stage. After telling us a little about the history of the hurdy-gurdy, she performs Nicolas Chédeville’s Concerto “L’Hiver”, a magnificent work, particularly for its Largo, which places the solo instrument in the open and allows us to hear all the subtleties of hurdy-gurdy playing.
Finally, the orchestra performed Les Saturnales by François Colin de Blamont, a little-played but much-appreciated composer. This piece, taken from the Symphonies des Fêtes grecques et romaines, perfectly recreated the festive atmosphere of these ancient celebrations, bringing the concert to its conclusion.
With a Christmas hat on the double bass scroll and on Mathieu Lussier’s head, the concert ended with a surprising encore: Minuit Chrétien. It’s not every day that an audience sings “Peuple debout” accompanied by a hurdy-gurdy!
Dear Criminals at Théâtre Outremont | Rallumer la flamme
by Sami Rixhon
Long time no see! How are you, Dear Criminals? Electro-minimal trio Dear Criminals gave their first major performance in their hometown of Montreal in five years this weekend at Théâtre Outremont.
Dear Criminals last performed in the metropolis in a regular format at Le Gesù in 2019. A lot has happened since then. It seems the world has become a little more violent, a little more anxious. Fortunately, we still have music.
The band kicks off their performance with Visions, Starless and Waste Land, three tracks from their album Fatale. Virtually the entire 2017 project will be performed tonight, and it’s no coincidence: the compositions require the contribution of a string quartet, which is present tonight (as are a bassist and a drummer), something rather rare in Dear Criminals shows. For their only Montreal performance of the year, we might as well go all in,” Frannie told me in an interview a few days ago.
What’s striking about Dear Criminals’ live performances is the band’s ability to quickly create a steamy, tender atmosphere. There’s an almost sensual tension in the air, so carefully and sparingly are the notes sung and played.
What also strikes the listener, even more so on stage than in the studio, is how completely the three members of the band complement each other. Frannie Holder’s voice is crystalline and fragile, Charles Lavoie knits in a kind of arrogant romanticism, while Vincent Legault brings the Dear Criminals sound to life with his keyboards. There’s nothing like Dear Criminals in Montreal, and that’s all to their advantage.
While the overall performance was highly enjoyable, it was clear that this evening’s show was closer to a “running-in” than to the grandiose proposition to which the band has been accustoming audiences for the past 10 years. In previous shows, Dear Criminals had enlisted the services of a high-school choir (in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, no less), 3D effects and contemporary dancers.
Today’s offering is more conventional… and that’s no bad thing. The trio need to reunite with their old songs, they need to rekindle the flame before returning to the stage with an even crazier concept. The year 2025 will probably also see a new stage or studio production for the band, once again from a reliable source (the information comes from Frannie Holder, in fact. Couldn’t be more reliable).
Dear Criminals closes the regular segment of their show with Stay Tonight, probably the most beautiful song the band has ever written. I have a special relationship with this song. I heard it in May 2020, when Covid was raging, at the Lion d’Or cabaret. The project was called Lone Ride. I was cloistered behind three Plexiglas walls. I was alone on stage, they on the other side were three, playing and watching me. Strange times, eh? It seems a long time ago all of a sudden. I’d only been allowed one song, so I had to leave my place to someone else alone afterwards. The whole thing only lasted three, four minutes, and yet it stuck. I still consider that moment to be one of the most powerful musical experiences I’ve had in recent years.
It was the first time I’d heard the song live. It was 800 times less intimate (800 being the number of people present that evening), and yet it made me realize just how far we’ve all come since then.
It’s good to be together again.
LIST OF SONGS ON THE PROGRAM
1. Visions 2. Starless 3. Waste Land 4. Little Thief 5. Yet Not the End 6. Mark my Words 7. Nelly 8. Coldwave 9. Gravedigger 10. Song for Elisabeth 11. Lover’s Suicide 12. At Bay 13. Lies in Blue 14. Lala 15. Coco 16. Rose 17. Slowdisco 18. Stay Tonight
Encore
1. 7 2. Petite mort 3. Where We Started
Photo Credit : @yagubphotography
Subscribe to our newsletter
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
