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Montréal Jazz Festival 2025 –Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

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On Monday night, as part of the 2025 edition of the Montreal Jazz Fest, Troy Andrews, AKA Trombone Shorty, performed the closing set at the TD Stage with his band, Orleans Avenue.

The New Orleans native made a stop in the 514 as part of his “Might Not Make it Home” Tour, cementing his status as a much-appreciated regular at the legendary Canadian festival. This marked his fourth appearance, and for the first time, he was headlining its biggest stage.

By the time 9 PM rolled around, the iconic Place des Festivals was already packed with more than 20,000 people, all ready to see the legendary musician bring a taste of NOLA to Montreal. He jumped onto the stage after his band, sporting black leather pants and a white tank top, trombone in hand, and a huge smile.

His 90-minute set included songs like “Do To Me,” “Hurricane Season,” and the bass-forward “Fire & Brimstone,” where he switched out the trombone for a mic for most of the song.

My favourite part of the set was when, in true Mardi Gras fashion, in the middle of a medley that included “When The Saints Go Marching In,” he said into the mic, “Montreal, can I take you down to New Orleans?” with the band still keeping the beat behind him. The crowd responded with loud cheers. He grabbed his trombone again and started walking down the stairs of the stage and into the massive crowd, with the band following closely behind. For the remainder of the song, they walked through the crowd playing, which truly transported us to the streets of Louisiana. The iconic brass sounds, jamming with that unmistakable NOLA flair, were truly the heart and soul of what Jazz Fest is all about.

Trombone Shorty has to be up there as one of the best musicians of xour generation. It’s how he and his band make hitting such complex notes look easy, their undeniable chemistry on stage, and how much fun they have while doing it that has cemented him as one of the most iconic and important figures in NOLA music, alongside legends like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton.

Visit the festival’s website for schedule and ticket information.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE

All Photo Credit: Andres Amaya

Festivals

All Things Go Toronto 2026 – Day Two Recap & Photos

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Lorde

Lorde closes a remarkable weekend as Wet Leg, Del Water Gap and Jade LeMac shine

After Saturday’s heat and wind, Sunday arrived with slightly cooler temperatures that many fans welcomed. The sun remained intense throughout the afternoon, but the fresher air made for a more comfortable day at RBC Amphitheatre as thousands returned for a lineup led by Lorde.

One thing that became increasingly noticeable throughout the weekend was how respectful the crowd remained. Fans rotated spots at the barricade throughout the day, allowing dedicated supporters of each artist a chance to move closer for their favourite sets. In an era where festival rail culture can sometimes become competitive, the atmosphere felt unusually collaborative.

Flower Face at All Things Go Toronto 2026

The day began with Flower Face, whose soft and dreamy songs provided the perfect soundtrack for an early afternoon set. The Montreal artist eased fans into the day with an understated performance that matched the calmer energy of the crowd still settling into the venue.

Momma at All Things Go Toronto 2026

Momma followed with a set full of fuzzy guitars and indie-rock charm. The Brooklyn band attempted to rally support for their hometown basketball team with a “Let’s go Knicks!” chant, referencing the NBA Finals. The response from the Canadian crowd was polite at best, but the band’s performance won people over regardless.

Jade LeMac at All Things Go Toronto 2026

Jade LeMac delivered one of my favourite sets of the weekend. The last time I had seen her was in 2024 at Vancouver’s Hollywood Theatre while she was opening for Christopher. The growth since then was impossible to miss. Her confidence, stage presence and command of the audience have all taken major steps forward.

LeMac shared that she would soon return to the venue while supporting Hilary Duff on tour, drawing excited reactions from fans. Dedicated supporters packed the barricade, singing every lyric back to her while waving pink balloons during “Pink Balloons.” The gesture clearly caught her attention. Before performing a song inspired by her girlfriend, who was in attendance, LeMac wished the crowd a happy Pride Month. By the final song, hands were in the air throughout the venue as fans sang along at full volume.

Del Water Gap at All Things Go Toronto 2026

Del Water Gap was my personal discovery of the weekend. I arrived knowing only a handful of songs but left fully converted. His stage presence was impossible to ignore. He thanked fans repeatedly and pointed out that Toronto had become the first city on his current tour to sell out. One of his biggest laughs came when he jokingly apologized for the United States being a difficult neighbour to Canada.

The energy during his set spread far beyond the pit. Fans danced and jumped from the front barricade all the way to the back of the lawn. During one song, inflatable horse balloons suddenly appeared throughout the crowd as a playful nod to his “horsewithabowlcut” fan lore. It was both weird and hilarious, and left several fans with a great keepsake.

Wet Leg at All Things Go Toronto 2026

By the time Wet Leg took the stage, the venue had become noticeably more crowded. I missed their Vancouver stop last year, so finally catching them felt long overdue. Frontwoman Rhian Teasdale immediately justified the anticipation. Her combination of effortless cool and boundless energy made for one of the strongest performances of the day.

Wet Leg‘s songs often balance sharp wit with explosive guitar work, and that contrast translated perfectly to the festival stage. The audience embraced every second of it. Whether Teasdale was bouncing around the stage or delivering lyrics with complete nonchalance, she held the crowd’s attention from start to finish.

Lorde at All Things Go 2026 – Photo Credit: All Things Go

Then it was time for the last artist of the weekend: Lorde. I’ll admit that I approached her set with curiosity more than fandom. I know plenty of her songs, but I wouldn’t consider myself a devoted follower. What I wanted to know was whether her live show would pull me in, and it absolutely did.

Having seen elements of the production at Governors Ball the previous day, I wondered whether the Toronto version would be scaled back. Instead, Lorde brought the full production. Live musicians, dancers, lasers, moving platforms, projection effects, pyro and elaborate lighting combined to create one of the most visually ambitious festival performances I’ve seen in recent memory, yet none of it felt excessive.

Every production element served the songs and reinforced the emotional themes running through the set. The show unfolded almost like performance art, with Lorde using movement, visuals and staging to communicate ideas beyond the lyrics themselves.

The heartbeat motif that connected the performance acted as a thread running through the entire 90-minute set. Songs flowed together seamlessly, creating a narrative arc rather than a simple collection of hits.

What impressed me most was Lorde‘s commitment. She never appeared to be pacing herself for the end of a long festival run. Every song received the same level of intensity and focus. As darkness settled over the amphitheatre, the production became even more striking. Lasers cut through the night sky while moving platforms elevated Lorde above the stage. Massive projections transformed the stage into a constantly evolving visual environment.

For the final moments of the weekend, Lorde left the main stage and joined fans in the crowd on a small platform. Surrounded by people singing every word, she danced and celebrated among them rather than above them. It was a fitting conclusion for a festival built around connection.

Across two days, All Things Go Toronto once again proved that its appeal extends far beyond its lineup. The festival’s single-stage format eliminates conflicts, its audience culture encourages community, and its commitment to representation continues to set it apart.

Sunday gradually built momentum from one artist to the next until it reached a spectacular climax with Lorde. Combined with Saturday’s triumphs, it capped off a weekend that felt welcoming, joyful and refreshingly different from the typical festival experience.

For two days on Toronto’s waterfront, All Things Go delivered exactly what it promised: great music, a strong sense of community and a reminder that festivals can still feel personal, even at this scale.

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.

LORDE

Lorde at All Things Go 2026 – Photo Credit: All Things Go
Lorde at All Things Go 2026 – Photo Credit: All Things Go
Lorde at All Things Go 2026 – Photo Credit: All Things Go
Lorde at All Things Go 2026 – Photo Credit: All Things Go

WET LEG

DEL WATER GAP

JADE LEMAC

MOMMA

FLOWER FACE

Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer, unless otherwise noted.

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îLESONIQ 2026 Reveals Daily Schedule for August 8 and 9

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ilsoniq banner

The countdown to îLESONIQ 2026 is officially on. With less than two months until thousands of electronic music fans descend on Parc Jean-Drapeau, the festival has unveiled its full daily schedule for the weekend of August 8 and 9, giving attendees their first look at set times and inevitable schedule conflicts.

Returning for its 11th edition, Montreal’s premier electronic music festival will once again transform the island into a massive dance floor spread across three stages. This year’s lineup leans heavily into house, bass, techno, trance, and EDM, with major names filling nearly every time slot from the early afternoon through late evening.

Before the main festival weekend begins, îLESONIQ will once again bring the party into the city on Friday, August 7, through its annual “îLESONIQ in the City” programming. Kicking things off will be Adventure Club, who are set to headline a special event at New City Gas.

Saturday, August 8

Saturday’s programming offers one of the strongest opening days the festival has assembled in recent years, with major artists spread strategically across all three stages.

The Bell OASIS Stage serves as the centerpiece of the day. After early performances from MVNGO, Tomas Grey, Matt Sassari, Sidepiece, and Sub Focus, things take an interesting turn with a mystery artist currently occupying the 7:05 PM slot. Festival organizers have yet to reveal who will fill the surprise position, making it one of the biggest talking points surrounding the schedule announcement.

Once the secret set concludes, legendary Canadian producer deadmau5 takes over from 8:10 PM to 9:10 PM before house music heavyweight Chris Lake closes the stage with a lengthy headlining performance running until 10:55 PM. His appearance is particularly noteworthy as festival organizers have promised a unique Canadian-exclusive production featuring surprise guests.

Over at the MIRAGE Stage, Saturday caters heavily to fans of melodic house, techno, and deep electronic sounds. Riordan, KREAM, and Boris Brejcha headline a lineup that steadily builds throughout the afternoon. Two exclusive back-to-back performances stand out as potential highlights of the entire weekend: Cassian B2B Yotto and Boys Noize B2B Tiga. Both collaborations are rare bookings that should attract large crowds throughout the evening.

The Coca-Cola NEON Stage becomes bass music headquarters on Saturday. Artists such as LYNY, OGUZ, Layz B2B Kompany, and ATLiens deliver a much heavier sonic experience compared to the festival’s other stages. The run from OGUZ into Layz B2B Kompany and finally ATLiens creates one of the most intense closing stretches anywhere on the grounds.

Of course, the schedule announcement also reveals several difficult decisions for attendees. Deadmau5 overlaps significantly with the Boys Noize B2B Tiga set, while Chris Lake’s closing performance conflicts with Boris Brejcha and ATLiens. Those late-night choices will likely divide crowds across the site.

Sunday, August 9

Sunday offers a completely different personality, blending melodic festival favourites with some of the weekend’s heaviest bass and techno programming.

The Bell OASIS Stage opens with Tom Duno B2B Yurie before moving through performances from Hayla, Ayybo, and Chris Lorenzo. The evening stretch is especially loaded, featuring Gryffin, Above & Beyond, and Dom Dolla in succession.

Above & Beyond‘s sunset-adjacent set from 7:35 PM to 8:50 PM feels perfectly positioned and could become one of the emotional high points of the festival. Meanwhile, Dom Dolla receives one of the weekend’s most coveted slots, closing the main stage from 9:00 PM until 10:30 PM.

Sunday’s MIRAGE Stage shifts away from Saturday’s house and techno focus and embraces bass music. Fans of heavier sounds will find plenty to enjoy from Hedex, Level Up B2B Infekt, Dabin, Wooli, and Seven Lions. The sequence of Wooli directly into Seven Lions creates a powerful finale that should keep the area packed until the festival’s closing moments.

The Coca-Cola NEON Stage takes the opposite approach by dedicating much of the day to techno. Rising and established names including KI/KI, Holy Priest, and ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U headline a stage expected to become a destination for fans seeking harder underground sounds. Combined with the waterfront setting and views of the Montreal skyline, the NEON Stage continues to offer one of the festival’s most distinctive atmospheres.

Sunday’s toughest scheduling conflicts arrive during the final hours. Above & Beyond overlaps with Dabin and KI/KI, while Dom Dolla competes directly against Seven Lions and Holy Priest. Fans will likely find themselves bouncing between stages to catch portions of multiple performances.

A Weekend Built Around Variety

What stands out most from the newly released schedule is how carefully the festival has balanced genres across its three stages. The Bell OASIS Stage remains the home for mainstream EDM, house, and festival anthems. MIRAGE offers a more immersive experience that changes direction each day, moving from melodic house and techno on Saturday to bass music on Sunday. Meanwhile, the NEON Stage continues serving fans of underground sounds, splitting its weekend between bass-heavy programming and hard-hitting techno.

With headliners including Chris Lake, Dom Dolla, deadmau5, Above & Beyond, Boris Brejcha, Seven Lions, Gryffin, and Wooli, festival-goers have no shortage of must-see sets to circle on their schedules.

Now comes the hard part: figuring out where to be when the inevitable conflicts arrive.

îLESONIQ 2026 takes place August 8 and 9 at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, with îLESONIQ in the City events beginning on August 7. Head to îLESONIQ’s website for more information.

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