New dates, same neighbourhood and the ongoing desire to showcase the new Quebec music scene. After a one-year hiatus, the Diapason Festival, presented by Sirius XM, is coming back in full force for its 12th edition! From August 5th to 8th, the Sainte-Rose district in Laval QC will be the place to see 15 shows featuring 25 artists, including Patrick Watson in a secret forest setting, Naya Ali driving an all-female evening of rap and Émile Bilodeau performing on the water. It will also be the opportunity to discover new talents who are just getting the buzz going, such as Virginie B, Sara-Danielle, Calamine and MoKa.
The four-day bash will be taking place on two large stages (Sirius XM and Loto-Québec) and also in some unusual locations. To top it off, two surprise shows await festival-goers. Tickets are now available for purchase at the online festival ticket counter.
The Sirius XM Stage will be hosting two indie-folk nights with The Franklin Electric and Gabrielle Shonk on August 5th, with Matt Holubowski and Sara-Danielle taking the stage on August 6th. An evening of nostalgia will follow on August 7th with Les Breastfeeders, who will exceptionally be in the area for a rare performance. New super group DROGUE, featuring members of Galaxie, Gros Mené, Le Nombre and Papillon, will be opening the evening with a bang.
On August 5th, the Loto-Québec Stage will be vibrating to the sound of funk jazz from The Brooks, with Virginie B opening the show. The following evening, an all-female protest rap concert with Naya Ali, Marie-Gold and Calamine, three rising figures of the local hip-hop scene, will set the stage ablaze. Finally, on August 7th, Les Deuxluxes and Blendeur Blues will be adding their touch of rock to the festival.
The boldest music-lovers will be thrilled about the new on-water series, offered in collaboration with La Fabrique culturelle and the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, as well as the urban-forest concerts, presented by Sirius XM in collaboration with Canopée! In order to hear Caracol, MoKa, Émile Bilodeau and Yves D, audience members will have to take their own boats or rent one onto the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles to the Scène sur l’eau during the daytime on August 7th and 8th. These nautical concerts will be free but will require a reservation to know the location of the show
Patrick Watson, Elliot Maginot, Claire Morrison, Helena Deland and Anaïs Constantin will be playing in an intimate setting on the evenings of August 5th, 6th and 7th. The exact location is still kept secret but we can already tell you that a short walk through the forest will be required to get to the stage.
Stay tuned, as two surprise shows presented by Loto-Québec will be revealed on July 9th. Admission to these concerts can only be won through a contest.
The sanitary measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the Diapason Festival to adapt its approach for admission to the event. Ticket purchases or reservations will only be available online. In order to attend performances, you will have to buy your tickets at the same time as your family or same-address resident bubbles. Details can be found on the official Diapason Festival website.