Montréal has a rich history of musical culture that dates to the 1920’s – home to many festivals, experimental and bold artists, and memorable venues – it should be no surprise that Montréal is a must on any music junkie’s bucket list of places to travel. Sandro Carbone provides his top locations to discover trendy upcoming artists, and events influencing the Montréal music scene throughout 2019.
SAT
The SAT, or Société des arts technologiques, is the home of several innovative music events. The non-profit organization was founded in 1996 with the intent to create a space to support a new generation of creators in the digital age. SAT plays host to artists such as Human Instrument, that create a unique and impressive a-cappella performance that uses cymatics to create a synesthetic experience for the audience.
SAT also have a research and development lab called Metalab, which has the dual mission of stimulating the emergence of new immersive experiences and to make their design and authoring accessible to artists and creators. For fans of more experimental music, the Metalab projects are a must to check out.
To find out more about the SAT and its schedule, visit their website here.
Mount Royal Tam-Tams
Ever since its inauguration in 1876, Mount Royal park has always been a popular place for many to spend their Sunday afternoons. Mount Royal park is notorious for impromptu musical performances, which quickly became a staple of the park.
Mount Royal is more recently know for the Tam-Tams tradition stemming from the 1960’s, which involves thousands of drummers gathering to play in circles. Today, it is a central point of Montréal’s counter-culture and has evolved to include more than just drums, such as:
- Artisanal vendors
- Performance artists
- DJs
- Exhibitionists
Sandro Carbone states that this is an event any music junkie needs to attend at least once in their lives. Even though this free weekly event is not new in 2019, it is still going strong and is truly one-of-a-kind.
If you are ever in Montréal when the weather is nice, do yourself a favor and spend your Sunday on the mountain for some fresh, trendy musical fun you will never forget.
Festival Nuits D’Afrique
This has become a yearly festival occurring in July. This 13-day festival showcases many free events and amazing African, Caribbean, and Latin American artists. The festival has been ongoing since 1987 and has carved out a unique position in Montréal’s cultural and musical landscape, capturing the imagination of millions of festival-goers.
Throughout the years, this festival has gained significant traction – the organization reports a steady climb in attendance numbers.
Although the festival showcases many international artists, it has also given the spotlight to several talented local artists such as: Assar Santana, Syncop, Lorraine Klaasen, Jab-Jab, Oumar N’Diaye, Salaam, and many more.
Sandro Carbone states that Nuits D’Afrique is more than just a once-a-year festival, as the organization hosts concerts throughout the entire year. They host indoor and outdoor shows at venues such as Fairmount Theatre, Club Balattou, Le Lion d’Or, and the Radio Canada Stage.
To find out more about the festival and other events hosted during the year, you can visit the website here.
