FME 2024 Was a French Canadian Wonderland: Review + Photos

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It’s no secret that the live music industry is in a weird spot at the moment, and that goes double for large-scale, multi-day events. As festival upon festival declares 2024 to be their last year — or even cancels its already planned programming — we here at Consequence have just about worn out our keyboards trying to get to the bottom of it. From sustainability issues to underwhelming lineups , it seems like the way forward is experiential and niche — and that’s exactly what Quebec’s Festival de Musique Émergente (or FME, for us anglophones) seems calibrated to.

Held in the small town of Rouyn-Noranda (which sits about seven hours north of Toronto and eight hours northwest of Montreal), FME is one part-music festival, one-part community gathering, and three-parts party. Think South by Southwest if it was modest, manageable, and French-Canadian; or, perhaps, your local block party if it had the budget to bring in bands from around the globe.

Unlike, say, Coachella or its Quebecois cousin Osheaga, you won’t find big-named, million-dollar headliners leading the charge at FME. What you will find is a series of intimate, genre-spanning shows scattered throughout the picturesque village, from clubs to venue basements to a parking lot in front of the late-night poutine place. It’s an electric environment full of surprises, excitement, and playful discovery.

For its 2024 edition, FME offered a diverse and highly curated (by Canadian booking agency and label Mothland, no less!) set of performances. New York post-punkers Bodega proved their brand could be attendees’ lives, Quebecois art rockers Karkwa received the welcome of home-country heroes, and Oakland Malian-funk act Orchestra Gold shined as bright as a certain precious metal — and that was just the main stage’s first night.

Here’s a rundown of the highlights from Festival de Musique Émergente 2024, a little-known production that just might have it figured out.

FME Goes Psych(Rock)o

While FME’s programming was wide-reaching, there was one clear streak that lasted throughout the four-day weekend — punky, spunky, and funky psych-rock. Night after night, at several Rouyn-Noranda bars and venues, the sweet sounds of phaser-heavy guitar tones, quirky vocals, and high energy, swirling freakouts echoed throughout the air. Something about cheese curds and gravy just really puts one in the mood for some wild guitar music.

Thursday night saw the likes of up-and-comers Last Waltzon and Zouz blow the roof off the Cabaret, while TVOD and NOBRO (who, yes, skew admittedly more straight punk than psychedelic) electrified the Petit Théatre du Vieux Noranda. Not to be outdone, Friday then followed with high-energy sets from Mossaï Mossaï, Galaxie, Chou, Lemongrab, and more.

The chaotic PyPy, something of a Montreal supergroup who melted faces on Saturday night, stood out in particular thanks both to their fiery playing and the stage antics of frontwoman Annie-Claude Deschênes. Not content with merely jumping into the crowd to kick the moshing up another couple of notches, Deschênes, along with an army of impassioned fans, brought in umbrellas from the patio bar, which were subsequently bounced around like beach balls at a spring break rave.

If FME serves as a snapshot of the current French-Candian rock scene (and that seems to be the case, at least to this naive American), it proved that fans of bands like Ty Segall or Osees-esque guitar music should consider picking up a little bit of Français.

Rappers, Honky-Tonkers, and Digital Demons

If blistering guitar and in-your-face vocals aren’t your bag, don’t fret, as FME 2024 also boasted a slew of other memorable performances, from rappers to honky-tonkers to digital demons.

Saturday featured both a Quebecois hip-hop-focused block party and a night full of main-stage performances from a variety of rappers, including LaF, Haviah Mighty, and Loud Lary Ajust. Elsewhere, Hawa B offered a deeply compelling fusion of genres and Strange Froots brought their eccentric beats to a crowd of interested sippers at a local cocktail bar.

Then, there were acts like Kaya Hoax and Slash Need, each of whom challenged the boundaries of just how weird FME attendees could get. The former snuck some hyperpop stylings into their alternative rap set, while the latter offered perhaps the best stage production of the weekend, supplementing their industrial dance music with masked dancers, eye-catching outfits, and a screen that obscured performers for the first leg of the set.

As wild as Slash Need was, however, Hezekiah Procter might have been the biggest surprise of the weekend. Masterminded by the artist Li’l Andy, Hezekiah Procter transported the humble Les Mooses hall back to the 1920s via era-appropriate instruments, costumes, and banter. Truly, it was a hoot ‘n’ a holler ‘n’ a half.

Découverte à FME (Discovery @ FME)

Such is the secret weapon of FME: surprising musical discoveries. It’s a different kind of event, not one where you go in the hopes of catching the folks on your summer playlist, per se, but one that allows you to stumble into your new favorite act alongside new friends who are doing the exact same thing.

Believe it or not, walking alongside a lake as you make your way from one independent venue to another in rural Quebec is quite an enjoyable experience. Maybe you stop by the outdoor stage to soak up some sun while sipping on a pint, or perhaps you walk into an alley where a band has set up a PA on the gravel. Either way, it doesn’t really matter if you know who you’re seeing or not, it’s almost certainly bound to bring a smile to your face.

FME 2024 Was a French Canadian Wonderland: Review + Photos
Jonah Krueger