There are few cities in Canada as unique as Montreal. Montreal flourishes in the summer, especially in August. Within this short month, they’ve welcomed the Osheaga festival, Metallica concert, Pride Parade, and îLESONIQ, one of North America’s largest Electronic Music Festivals.
îLESONIQ, alongside many other more prominent festivals, is hosted on Parc Jean Drapeau, an island just off the shore of old Montreal. With direct subway access, the îLESONIQ team is able to welcome tens of thousands of fans to the island, effortlessly, which is quite an impressive feat compared to other festivals that we have attended.
As we entered the festival on the first day, it was clear that the logistics of this festival were impeccable. The entrance to the island was very smooth, and the security check flowed miraculously well. We were welcomed with heavy showers, an endeavor that an events team can only prepare for so much. It seemed as if the rain added to the experience to the festivalgoers. Artists such as Claptone began to perform with even more excitement, and the energy was reciprocated back with the fans.
Surrounding the performers were some of the largest, state-of-the-art stages that we have ever witnessed. Accompanied by 228+ surround sound speakers, 112+ subwoofers, and 22 flame generators across the three stages.
As the rain hailed down, the festival goers and performers continued to prevail. Electronic artist Elderbrook took the Coca-Cola Neon stage, and fans absolutely roared. What makes Elderbrook unique is that he is a total one-man performance. Throughout his set he bounced back and forth from the microphone to his DJ deck, effortlessly harmonizing on tracks like Howl, Body, and Numb, leaving fans in awe throughout his hour on stage. Shortly after, Chris Lake took on the Coca-Cola Neon stage, turning the outdoor strip into a nightclub. With Chris being one of the veterans in the industry, he proves to have an unforgettable connection with the crowd, one that definitely made him stand out from other artists throughout the festival.
Day one ended with Alesso performing a set on the mainstage and the Chainsmokers coming out immediately after. Their dynamic stage presence and seamless fusion of electronic and pop elements, which has helped them reshape pop music itself over the last decade. Andrew Taggart of the duo took the crown as the most interactive artist of the entire weekend. Hopping down from the massive stage to be closer to the crowd, as they chanted back the lyrics of their endless chart-topping hits.
Clear skies came along with the second and final day of îLESONIQ. Disregarding the weather, the energy stayed at very high levels on both days. On the second day, we did see festival goers participating more in the influx of attractions that îLESONIQ brought to the table, such as Coca-Cola’s music video studio, CASA BACARDI’s activity zone and even a Ferris wheel with total views of the entirety of Parc Jean Drapeau.
The second day once again had a massive lineup with artists such as Cosmic Gate, Lost Frequencies, Above & Beyond, and Martin Garrix. One of the greatest performances of the day was Above & Beyond. Their visuals alongside their performance were impeccable. Toward the end, they played their hit track Sun & Moon in an extended rendition of the song. With their set being from 7:25 PM to 8:45 PM, the sunset overlaid the crowd as the set came to a close. A burst of confetti came from the stage and the duo brought on a few fans from the crowd to conclude the performance and make way for the final artist of the night.
Parc Jean Drepau and îLESONIQ marked its end with Martin Garrix, one of the most incredible DJs of this generation. Garrix played hits such as Animals, Follow, and Starlight. Although he did not speak too much during his set, he mentioned that this was his very first îLESONIQ performance and with how the night turned out, it definitely won’t be his last. Martin Garrix’s set was the perfect way to end the festival, alongside fireworks covering the stage as fans celebrated another year of îLESONIQ.
îLESONIQ threw one of the most impressive festivals nationwide. From the carefully curated lineup to all logistics running smoothly, rain or shine. It left an indelible mark on both the music scene and the hearts of attendees. Not to mention, the after-parties and outstanding food after the festivals in the city added to its allure. îLESONIQ is the perfect weekend getaway for any electronic music fan across the country, we’re looking forward to another year of electrifying performances and unparalleled musical experiences.
