Festivals
Cruel World Festival 2024 Announces Lineup Feat. Duran Duran, Interpol, Blondie

The highly anticipated Cruel World Festival returns to Brookside at the Rose Bowl on May 11, 2024, bringing together an electrifying lineup of post-punk and new wave icons. This year’s festival will be headlined by Duran Duran, with an incredible roster of legendary acts including Interpol, Blondie, Simple Minds, Placebo, Soft Cell, Adam Ant, Ministry, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Adding to the excitement, Ministry will perform tracks from their seminal albums With Sympathy and Twitch, while Gary Numan is set to deliver a full performance of The Pleasure Principle. Another major highlight of the festival is the long-awaited reunion of Tones on Tail, the short-lived but beloved musical project from Daniel Ash of Bauhaus, marking their first performance in decades.
Other must-see acts include Dreamcar, The Faint, The Stranglers, and many more, making this a can’t-miss event for fans of alternative music’s most influential eras.
Tickets for Cruel World Festival 2024 are on sale now, with flexible payment plans available through Friday. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit cruelworldfest.com.
Festivals
All Things Go Toronto 2026 – Day One Recap & Photos
Kesha, The Beaches, Rachel Chinouriri and an all-women lineup make a statement at RBC Amphitheatre
The second edition of All Things Go Toronto arrived with a bit of uncertainty hanging over it. Weather forecasts throughout the week had threatened heavy thunderstorms for Saturday, and more than a few festivalgoers crossed the bridge to RBC Amphitheatre wondering whether the day would be spent dodging rain clouds. But instead, Toronto got lucky.
Strong winds rolled through the waterfront venue, but the storms never fully materialized. Under blue skies and warm temperatures, thousands of fans spread out across the lawn and seats, turning what could have been a washout into one of the most enjoyable festival days of the summer so far.
Between sets, fans wandered through activations from RBC, Monster and other sponsors, while food trucks lined the concourse. One standout quickly emerged for me: Alijandro’s Kitchen, which served some of the best food of the weekend.
What immediately stood out about Saturday’s lineup was something increasingly rare in the festival world: every artist performing was a woman. At a time when many major festivals still struggle with representation, All Things Go continues to build its identity around showcasing women and queer artists without making it feel like a gimmick.

Opening the festival was Bella Kay, who looked remarkably comfortable despite revealing that this was her first festival performance. If she was nervous, it never showed. Her viral track “iloveitiloveitiloveit” sparked one of the first big singalongs of the day, while a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay” connected immediately with the growing audience. By the end of her set, Bella Kay was all smiles and seemed genuinely moved as she thanked fans for making her festival debut such a memorable experience.

Toronto’s own Sofia Camara followed and immediately reminded everyone why she’s becoming one of Canada’s most promising young pop artists. Early in her set, she introduced “Starlight” by joking that audiences normally use their phone flashlights during the song, but since it was still the middle of the afternoon, fans’ smiles would have to serve as the lights instead.
Camara repeatedly emphasized how much a hometown show meant to her, telling the crowd that Toronto always delivers the best audiences. One of the most memorable moments came when she sat down on the small advanced stage and introduced an unreleased song called “best friend.” She admitted she had been nervous about sharing new music and jokingly warned that she might cry while performing it. She didn’t, but the vulnerability resonated with the crowd. A cover of Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” earned a huge reaction, and by the time she closed with “Girls Like You,” the audience was jumping along.

Holly Humberstone shifted the mood slightly with a set built around atmosphere and emotion. Fresh off releasing her second album and launching a new tour, the British singer-songwriter delivered one of the day’s quieter performances, yet it never felt low-energy. Fans sang every word from the pit to the lawn, creating one of those festival moments where thousands of people seem locked into the same wavelength. Humberstone repeatedly expressed gratitude for being included on a lineup she clearly admired.

Rachel Chinouriri‘s set was one I had personally anticipated all day. Having somehow missed opportunities to catch her live before, I was eager to finally see what all the hype was about. She exceeded every expectation. From the opening song onward, Chinouriri brought infectious energy while constantly engaging with the crowd beyond just the barricade. She told fans she had performed at several All Things Go festivals in the United States and was thrilled to finally bring that experience to Toronto. Her message was simple but powerful: live fully, tell people you love them, and don’t take tomorrow for granted. It was the kind of moment that felt sincere rather than scripted.

Then came hometown heroes The Beaches. The Toronto quartet received one of the loudest welcomes of the entire weekend. Before long, they were celebrating the fact that an all-women festival had become reality in their hometown, giving credit to the women behind the scenes who helped make it happen.
The band entered to audio from the now-viral Off Campus scene before launching into a set packed with fan favourites. Then came one of the weekend’s most perfectly timed moments. As The Beaches performed, a rainbow appeared above RBC Amphitheatre. Considering it was Pride Month and one of the festival’s defining themes was celebrating queer artists and fans, the visual almost felt too perfect to be real.
Their “Lesbian of the Year” competition became one of the day’s highlights. Fans had been encouraged throughout posters at the venue to register for a chance to participate, and three contestants ultimately joined the band on stage. After a series of questions and plenty of audience participation, one winner was crowned and awarded a trophy.
The Beaches even dusted off material from their Done With Dolls days, delighting longtime fans before closing with the always explosive “Blame Brett.” What I loved most was how few phones were in the air. Nearly everyone seemed focused on dancing, singing and actually experiencing the show.

Kesha then arrived to close the night with a performance that was both celebratory and deeply personal. Complete with dancers, elaborate choreography, lasers and multiple visual interludes, her 90-minute set centered on one recurring theme: freedom. Throughout the evening, Kesha reflected on reclaiming ownership of her music and career, explaining that she could finally perform songs she hadn’t played in over a decade after re-producing them herself. The announcement sparked one of the loudest cheers of the night.
The set balanced nostalgia with growth. New songs such as “Origami” sat comfortably alongside classics, while stories about writing music with her mother and collaborations from earlier in her career gave added context to songs many fans had known for years. Several VCR segments reinforced the evening’s message of resilience and self-determination. One particularly memorable line emphasized choosing vulnerability over simply existing without feeling.
As the show reached its conclusion, Kesha reflected on how both good times and difficult experiences shape a life worth living. The final message was clear: these were the Freedom years.
For the encore, she created one final unforgettable moment by inviting dancer UnsightedPoet onstage after seeing his social media campaign asking for the chance to perform with her.
It was the perfect ending to a day that felt larger than just a collection of great performances. All Things Go has built its reputation around creating a space where artists and fans can feel seen, and Saturday embodied that mission from start to finish. Between the music, the community and the atmosphere, it was definitely a celebration of exactly who it was built for.
Check out our favourite photos of the day below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
For more information about All Things Go Toronto, DC and NYC, head to allthingsgofestival.com.
KESHA



THE BEACHES




RACHEL CHINOURIRI


HOLLY HUMBERSTONE


SOFIA CAMARA


BELLA KAY


ALL THINGS GO




Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer, unless otherwise noted.
Festivals
Osheaga 2026 Reveals Daily Schedule
The annual ritual every Osheaga fan both loves and dreads has arrived. The festival has officially unveiled its daily schedule for the 2026 edition, giving attendees their first look at who will be playing when across Parc Jean-Drapeau from July 31 to August 2.
As always, the release of set times brings excitement, anticipation, and plenty of scheduling headaches. With major headliners, breakout stars, indie favourites, and hometown talent spread across six stages, fans will once again be forced to make some difficult decisions throughout the weekend.
Here’s a closer look at some of the biggest moments and potential conflicts from each day.
Friday, July 31
Friday eases festival-goers into the weekend before building toward a stacked evening lineup led by Twenty One Pilots, The XX, and The Neighbourhood on the Bell River Stage.
The day begins with performances from Super Plage, Wunderhorse, Wet Leg, and Moses Belanger before momentum picks up in the afternoon. One of the first notable clashes arrives when Kehlani takes the Mountain Stage while Amber Mark performs on the Forest Stage and Billie Marten appears on the Valley Stage.
The evening presents some particularly difficult choices. Fans of alternative rock will have to decide between The XX and rising Japanese sensation YOASOBI, whose set overlaps with portions of the night.
Another major conflict comes later when Brutalismus 3000 and JID perform simultaneously. Those looking for a high-energy electronic experience may head toward the Coca-Cola Stage, while hip-hop fans will likely be making a run toward the Valley Stage.
The festival’s opening night closes with Twenty One Pilots on the main stage, while Geese and Amelie Lens provide compelling alternatives elsewhere across the site.
Friday Highlights
- Twenty One Pilots
- The XX
- The Neighbourhood
- Kehlani
- YOASOBI
- JID
- Amelie Lens
- Wet Leg
- Wunderhorse
- Geese

Saturday, August 1
Saturday may feature the weekend’s most relentless run of performances from top to bottom.
The day starts with sets from Baby Nova, Wolf Parade, Stella Lefty, Laura Scavo, and Fanclubwallet before quickly transitioning into a packed afternoon. Fans of indie and alternative music will have several choices throughout the day, including Villager, Kingfishr, and AJ Tracey.
One of the day’s biggest talking points will be the overlap between Little Simz, followed by Franz Ferdinand’s set. Both artists are expected to draw large crowds and appeal to different corners of the Osheaga audience.
As night falls, things only get tougher. Punk fans will likely gravitate toward Viagra Boys and Turnstile, while electronic fans may be tempted by Odd Mob and Kettama. Meanwhile, indie pop fans will be trying to squeeze in as much of Sombr as possible before heading to the main stage.
The evening culminates with Canadian pop superstar Tate McRae closing the Bell River Stage, while electronic powerhouse Empire of the Sun headlines the Forest Stage.
Saturday Highlights
- Tate McRae
- Empire of the Sun
- Turnstile
- Franz Ferdinand
- Little Simz
- Viagra Boys
- Wolf Parade
- AJ Tracey
- Sombr
- Kettama

Sunday, August 2
The festival’s final day delivers arguably the strongest collection of pop talent across the entire weekend.
Things begin with Valley, Amble, Between Friends, and Tia Wood before the afternoon ramps up with performances from Mother Mother, Paris Paloma, Billie du Page, and Of Monsters and Men.
One of the biggest scheduling dilemmas of the weekend arrives during the evening stretch. Fans hoping to catch Zara Larsson, SG Lewis, and Gunna will need to carefully plan their route through the grounds, as several of the performances overlap.
The night’s final run is packed with major draws. Lorde headlines the Bell River Stage while Major Lazer closes the Forest Stage. At the same time, electronic fans can head to Space 92’s special Popof-presented Turbo Recordings set, while alternative music fans may find themselves torn between Not For Radio, Horsegiirl, and Subtronics.
Sunday offers a fitting finale to what looks like one of Osheaga’s most diverse lineups in recent memory.
Sunday Highlights
- Lorde
- Major Lazer
- Zara Larsson
- Gunna
- SG Lewis
- Mother Mother
- Of Monsters and Men
- Paris Paloma
- Valley
- Horsegiirl

Start Planning Now
With the daily schedule now available, fans can finally begin mapping out their weekends and preparing for the inevitable conflicts that come with a lineup this deep.
Whether you’re heading to Parc Jean-Drapeau for the headliners, discovering your next favourite artist, or trying to sprint between stages to catch a little bit of everything, Osheaga 2026 is shaping up to deliver another unforgettable weekend in Montreal.
Tickets and additional festival information are available through the official Osheaga website.
