Best of M for Montreal 2025
Truck Violence (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, M for Montreal returned this year with a diverse range of artists and genres. The festival is renowned for organising shows all over the city, presenting the vibrant scene to more than 500 local and international industry professionals. Although the festival includes business opportunities, conferences and networking, the organisers make this side of the festival feel natural and fluid. For the artists, performing at M for Montreal is not an end in itself, as the festival connects them with other festivals to which they can apply, such as SXSW, Wide Days, FOCUS Wales, The Great Escape, MaMa etc…. Louise Jaunet from the Cups N Cakes Network was invited to review the best performances of this 20th edition of M for Montreal.
Day 1 - Wednesday, November 19th (Les Foufounes Électriques)
Ribbon Skirt
You might have heard of Ribbon Skirt, a Montreal-based grunge band that has been reviewed on Pitchfork and praised by Canadian journalist Nardwuar. Either way, their rise into the spotlight is well deserved. From playing their album launch at the intimate P'tit Ours venue to performing at the M for Montreal showcase at Foufounes Electriques, the band has demonstrated that they are currently at the top of their game. Apart from the small Anishinaabe word 'Migwech' (thank you) said between the songs, the cultural aspect was probably less obvious than with the band Ombiigizi and may have gone unnoticed by non-Canadian professionals. This first show was a compelling introduction to the evening and showed us that the singer and guitarist Tashiina Buswa is in full command of her voice.
Ribbon Skirt (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
Annie-Claude Deschênes
Surrounded by guitar bands on the roster, Annie-Claude Deschênes was arguably the “artist” of this evening. Presenting her 2024 electro and coldwave album “Les manières de table”, her performance was closer to a performance art rather than a traditional music performance. The barrier between the stage and the audience was blurred which is what made her show so captivating. With Anthony Piazza on visuals and acting as a camera bodyguard on her side, she invited the audience to be part of the show, surprising them with her strange jelly food, chocolate rocks and whipped cream on top of electronic beats. It's a stage celebrating the absurd and incoherence but it was impossible not to dance along. Would you like some more video surveillance for dessert ?
Annie-Claude Deschênes and Anthony Piazza (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
PISS
“I wanted to be a singer”, shouted Taylor (Tay) Zantingh, a writer, teacher and lead singer, with undeniable conviction. We all paused for a moment and listened to her story. She inspired this kind of respect. This hardcore punk band from Vancouver could be described as a feminist version of the Montreal-based band Truck Violence, although that might be too restrictive. The band built the show around violence against women, its consequences and damages on society as a whole. The only answer to violence is violence, whether through words or screaming. Wearing long childlike braids and a schoolgirl skirt uniform, lead singer Taylor unleashed her fury in such a cathartic way that you could feel her emotions alongside her. Alternating between soft, calmer moments and powerful rage and anger, this performance left the crowd speechless. It was probably the most surprising and convincing performance of the evening.
PISS (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
Truck Violence
The last performance was probably the most anticipated because of the notable performance at M for Mothland last year. Truck Violence brought their loyal crowd of followers, who were all packed near the stage, ready to shout alongside lead singer Karsyn Henderson in the microphone. This devoted fanbase demonstrates the tight-knit community of young people that the band has cultivated over the years. A close-knit community of friends who transcend pain and hardship by supporting each other. Everyone is trying to save their own skin. Truck Violence proved to us once again that hardcore punk is about more than just a dog barking into a microphone.
Truck Violence (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
Day 2 - Thursday, November 20th (L’Escogriffe)
Crasher
Crasher (Photo credit : Simon Wellwood)
Two weeks after the album release at Bar Le Ritz with Alix Fernz, Crasher performed a shorter set and notably without the amazing analogue visuals of Rose Cormier. It wasn't that their set at M for Montreal was bad, but I wish the whole crowd could have been teleported to the previous show. Nevertheless, Crasher still deserves some respect. Lead singer Airick Woodhead’s previous project, Doldrums, released three albums on Sub Pop, collaborated with Portishead on a B-side, toured with Grimes and opened for Crystal Castles and Purity Ring. However, the internet is a strange place and forming a new band in this post-covid era can turn you into an anonymous nobody in the blink of an eye. This project continues to explore the VHS and glitch aesthetic of the previous one, with a dark glam rock sound and a strange alternative universe. This is high-quality synthpop, and Crasher is a hidden gem of the scene.
Distraction4ever
The last time I saw the duo Distraction4ever was at the Truck Violence album release in a church basement in summer 2024. Initially, I thought that they were a post-punk band for millennials, but this time, I realised they had evolved into an electronic post-punk band with hyperpop elements for a crowd of Gen Z. The show opened with a looped sample saying “ Distraction pour toujours”, clearly referencing the distraction of mobile phones and social media, and the desire of the younger generation to escape traditional corporate 9 to 5 jobs. This is quite relevant in the present day. Their setup is simple : a guitar, drum machines and voice pedals. Judging by the group of people dancing at the front, the duo has undeniably gained a following. The last two songs of the set showed the most compelling aspect of their new sound, further exploring the hyperpop genre. The set wasn't totally convincing, but looked promising nonetheless.
Gloin
Starting off the set with their song “20 bucks”, Gloin is not about delicacy and courtesy. Performing at an industry festival such as M for Montreal and singing the words “Working for nothing at all, what's the point / 20 bucks, 40 bucks, nothing to sniff at / Come with me, and you'll see / Exposure, it isn't finite / Time to go, here's the door / Enjoy your fame for one night” is an act of bravery in itself. It's a bold way to start an industry showcase. The Toronto-based noise rock band Gloin clearly knows how to keep their feet on the ground. After speaking with them right after their performance, I can tell that they seek meaningful connections rather than a fake career path. Their Polaris Prize nomination was well deserved, earned through honest and hard work. Their frustration and anger at working so hard is a valuable testimony.
Gloin (Photo credit : Simon Wellwood)
Day 3 - Friday, November 21st (Ausgang Plaza / Sala Rossa)
Angine de Poitrine (Ausgang Plaza)
Considered one of the most anticipated shows of the festival, Angine de Poitrine has already started conquering the stages of Europe, even before setting foot there. I think it was the first sold-out show, which suggests that something special is clearly going on here. The microtonal Dada-Pythago-Cubist duo Angine de Poitrine mostly performed new songs from their upcoming album, due for release next spring. Beyond their absurd costumes and Neandertal personas, the music of Klek and Khn de Poitrine is impressive in itself. One plays a double-neck guitar and the other plays the drums. Loops, loops, loops, boom paf, boom paf … The magic takes over the crowd. I can’t help but to think that their synchronisation through their masks is a sacré tour de force. It's hard to tell whether we’re at a children's puppet show or at a jazz improv, maybe both, but their dexterity proves that this is serious business.
Angine de Poitrine (Photo credit : Camille Gladu-Drouin)
Boutique Feelings (Photo credit : Clémence Clara Faure)
Boutique Feelings (Sala Rossa - M for Mothland)
Karim Lahkdar, the lead singer of the experimental prog rock band Atsuko Chiba, pushed himself exactly where he needed to be with his latest left-field hip-hop project, Boutique Feelings. With a potential waiting to be explored, he followed the intuition the band had on their 2021 EP, Quick Infant Guilt, and delved even deeper into the roots of Atsuko Chiba’s killer track “Wasabi Hands”. This solo project is no longer so solitary, as the lead singer is still surrounded by his usual band members, the evening VJ warrior Anthony Piazza, and Vanessa Ascher on flute. He presented his debut album, Shwaya, Shwaya, which was released on the same day. For an album that most of the audience had not yet heard, Boutique Feelings might have been secretly the real surprise of the evening.
MULCH (Sala Rossa - M for Mothland)
In Montreal, Rose Cormier is well known for her work behind the camera. But did you know that she also sings and plays in a hardcore punk band ? This may not come as a surprise, as that genre clearly flows naturally through her veins. Although MULCH is her first band, Rose already knows that everything happens on stage, with the crowd. As a front woman, resilience is where the hard work relies on. A mosh pit created itself out of the blue when Rose got off the stage and started being passive-aggressive and confrontational with the crowd. “Je vais tu m’en sortir ?” she shouts on the song “Sans Sortie”. I believe she will.
Yoo Doo Right (Sala Rossa - M for Mothland)
After performing in Europe at the renowned Guess Who festival, the krautrock guerrilla band Yoo Doo Right treated us to a show right at home. The attentive crowd showed how much respect the band has earned within Montreal's post-rock music scene. The band performed a mix of new songs from their as yet unannounced upcoming album and tracks from their Polaris-nominated 2024 album, From The Heights of our Pastureland. Starting the set with their now cult line “Say less do more”, the trio maintained the same winning formula that made them famous : John Talbot's impressive drumming, Justin Cober's soft and loud guitar playing and the grounding bassline of their new member, Timothy Aaron Bryan (MULCH, Death As It Shook You). Earplugs are mandatory in order to experience the violent sensations and the healing vibrations the band can have on the body.
Yoo Doo Right (Photo credit : Alice Hirsch)
Annie-Claude Deschênes (Sala Rossa - M for Mothland)
Here is the second service from our queen of the absurd, Annie-Claude Deschênes. It was the same set, but performed much later, which made it even more exciting and energising for Annie-Claude. The 360-degree experience of the M for Mothland stage enhanced the nature of her show. The closer she gets to the audience, the more immersive and interactive her performance becomes. She loves crowd work ! She treated us to a new song from her soon-to-be announced new album. Moving away from the new wave and coldwave influences, she delves deeper into the dark techno aesthetic of a 1990s underground Berlin club, making her next album a promising listen. She ended the show with a cover of the cult 1979 track “Fire” by Lizzy Mercier Descloux. What a great way to end the party!
Annie-Claude Deschênes and Anthony Piazza (Photo credit : Alice Hirsch)
Day 4 - Saturday, November 22 (La Sotterrenea)
N NAO
While most professionals were spending their last evening with BADBADNOTGOOD, I secretly ended my marathon with the best show of the festival. N NAO is clearly still flying under the radar, but she deserves to be recognized as Montreal's most creative and authentic complete artist right now. If you can't fall in love with the beautiful inner sunshine of her music, then you must have bananas in your ears! After a week-long residency at Le Pantoum in Quebec City, N NAO transformed her show into the immersive experience it was supposed to be. Mixing tracks from her dance-oriented electronic dream pop album Nouveau Langage with those from her previous introspective experimental folk album L’eau et les rêves - both of which were nominated for the Polaris Prize - she created an innate narrative with a silver lining throughout the set. This intimate ritual transformed the room into a ceremonial space, going through decay, death and rebirth. N NAO is definitely ready to take on the big stages, following the footsteps of her close colleagues Klô Pelgag and Lou-Adriane Cassidy.
N NAO (Photo credit : Alice Hirsch)
