At the Festival d’été, big names and lesser-known artists meet for eleven days every year. What are the must-haves of Grid 2023? Here are the choices protocolcommented by programmer Louis Bellavance.
• Also read: Festival d’été de Québec 2023 program: Imagine Dragons, Green Day, Foo Fighters and more in the Plains
• Also read: [SONDAGE] What do you think of the FEQ 2023 program?
• Also read: Festival d’été de Québec 2023: all tickets sold out
Foo Fighters, July 8, Plains of Abraham
Dave Grohl’s FEQ and band have been closely linked since a violent storm blew the group away during the now-iconic four-song concert in 2015 and thanks to an electric performance in 2018. Despite the death of Taylor Hawkins, they decided to get back on the road. Once they made that decision, they called us. They said there was a new chapter being written for the Foo Fighters and the FEQ had to be a part of it. It is an honor to continue this rich collaboration.”
Green Day, July 16, Plains of Abraham
“Finally the green day has come. It’s one of the top five most sought after bands in Quebec, you know the other four. It’s a relief for me to finally tick one off the list. It’s very difficult, it’s a group that doesn’t go to festivals, that does its own shows, that manages its agenda as it pleases. We negotiated with their team for years.”
Lana Del Rey, July 15, Plains of Abraham
“Putting up the 2023 poster is the hardest. We’ve been chasing him for years. If you dig a little deeper, his presence is no stranger to Green Day’s. They have affinities. When Green Day rocked, it followed.”
Zach Bryan, July 9, Plains of Abraham
Everyone was hoping for Chris Stapleton for country night, but Quebec will meet Zach Bryan instead. “It’s a bet for Quebec. At the same time, it is the name of our program that evokes the strongest reactions internationally. It is the artist who has the most progress of all our artists. It’s a grand gesture of credibility, like programming by Kendrick Lamar. He didn’t fill in the field, but he was so important to the FEQ.
The Smile, July 14, La Francophonie Park
In Radiohead’s absence, Quebec will finally be able to see Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood in an announced new group rather than a side project. “Thom Yorke thinks it’s different than Radiohead. Not me. It’s a very good radiohead.
Christine and the Queens, July 11, Francophonie Park
Another FEQ and Quebec premiere for this fascinating and unclassifiable French artist. “Getting her out of France was extremely difficult. When they come, they want to play in the USA. In the summer they do the festivals in France. They made the decision to come for us even though there might be something else two hours away from Quebec.
Allison Russell, July 10, National Assembly site
Highly rated in the United States, this Montrealer will also be at her first FEQ. “She has a phenomenal voice, she takes her place like Emmylou Harris or Joni Mitchell. She is dating Brandi Carlile who has connections everywhere. She’s a Montreal girl and we don’t talk about it enough here.”
Lil Durk, July 11, Plains of Abraham
you don’t know him Normal. “We haven’t made a big name for ourselves in hip-hop since Kendrick Lamar. It’s math. If you do Kendrick, there’s an Imagine Dragons that jumps. This niche is very much alive in Quebec, it is developing strongly. Look at Franco Park, it’s always full, even with smaller names, but at the superstar level, we’re not going to fill the field with 60,000 people. It doesn’t happen anymore. There is an audience and for us it’s 40,000.
Ann Wilson, July 10, Francophonie Park
Finally, fans of classic rock can hear Barracuda on the FEQ. “If it was called, it would be in the Plains. I’ve made offers for Heart on the Plains a few times. I love the repertoire, I love Ann Wilson. At the moment the atmosphere at home with Nancy is not so great. It often happens that they shoot alone with their repertoire, but when Ann Wilson shoots, it’s Heart. We will hear the successes.”
DakhaBrakha, July 6, site of National Assembly
The organization of the summer festival intends to take advantage of the passage of this Ukrainian group, which had canceled its presence in 2022, to organize something special due to the war that continues to rage in their country. “This is a message that needs to be seen and heard. Anyway, it’s one of the most beautiful music groups in the world. We’re considering what to do when they’re in Quebec. We have to find a way to draw attention to what is happening in Ukraine and to be outraged about it.”
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