Due to my vague knowledge of Montréal’s bustling summertime music scene, I had hoped to come here and see some free/cheap concerts during several of Montréal’s music festivals in the humid company of hundreds of other sweaty locals and tourists. Standing on the dark, closed off streets downtown between well known architectural landmarks such as the Desjardins skyscraper emblazoned with its glowing green logo, and the bold “UQÀM” marked edifice, I had the fortune of listening to some lesser known bands (e.g. Franklin Electric @ the Montréal International Jazz Festival), as well as witnessing a humourous and spectacular performance by Les Trois Accords, who were accompanied by the OSM (Orchèstre Symphonique de Montréal) during the Just for Laughs festival. On St. Jean-Baptiste’s Day, the national holiday of the Québec province, there was a free concert at the Parc Olympique as well, featuring Jérôme Couture, a finalist in the first season of La Voix, the French Canadian version of The Voice. While I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these live performers, they were not the “music festival” experience I had been seeking.
Voilà, the Festival International des Montgolfières, a two week long hot air balloon festival featuring several live performances each night after the daily flight of 30+ hot air balloons. Taking place in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, a city approximately 45 minutes by overheated car from Montréal, this festival is more of a family zone during the day, with inflatable games and bouncy castle type stations. We really tried to play amongst the toddlers and their siblings, but witness a couple of twenty somethings taking frisbees and soccer balls away from children, and you will immediately see a lose-lose situation. What we were really there for was the main concert at the end of the night, an event we had purchased a $30 day pass to see. This was the first day of the festival, and Meghan Trainor was going to grace us with her glittery blonde presence at the end of the night! But first, we had to make sure we didn’t miss the launching of the hot air balloons.
It was my first time being so close to so many hot air balloons, so I was more than excited to watch as the multitude of billowing mounds took on their respective shapes and colours on the field before us, eventually rising into the bright blue sky, gradually drifting, receding away on the horizon towards the sunset. There were several balloons that amused the crowd, in particular, those in the form of animals. We saw a bear, a frog, a giraffe, a hen (that never took off…proving that chickens cannot fly), a black sheep, a trio of Brazilian birds, even a seahorse! If only I’d had $200 in spare change lying around (and the muscle power to carry that weight in change) for a vertiginous 30 minute trajectory above the town.
To really feel like I was having a “music festival” experience, we bought overpriced and incompetently assembled dinner from one of the food tents and dined out of cardboard on a spare plot of uneven grass in the lengthening shadows of the evening. But none of that mattered, we were getting closer towards the appearance of the M-Train! The outdoor stage loomed large in our vision against the background of a brilliantly setting sun, and the night of musical revelry began with Life of Dillon, an English band whose ginger-bearded guitarist made the first few front rows of screaming girls quite slippery with his beautiful British accent. They were quite good, but as with all bands I discover whilst they are performing live…they are less awesome when not.
The next performer completely erased visions of British sugar daddies from my mind with his soulful and slightly-less-croony-than-Sam-Smith vocals delivered in harmony with his retro-pop piano playing. My pre-concert query, “Who is Charlie Puth?” now became, “WHO IS CHARLIE PUTH, AND WHERE HAS HE BEEN ALL MY LIFE!?” Agh, those imperfect eyebrows, that too-long gelled hair that flopped apart during a song, and that total frat boy with unbuttoned button-up shirt look that I have never been attracted to…UNTIL NOW. It must be his golden boy voice. Or, perhaps the adorably awkward demeanour that surfaces when he recounts the stories behind his songs. And who can resist a cute guy when he sings, “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on”? And who can do a decent cover of Sia’s “Chandelier”? Not to mention, he sings the song “See You Again” at the end of the Fast and Furious 7 movie in remembrance of Paul Walker. Sure, the lyrics are the stuff of a fourth grader’s poetry homework assignment, but he says he wrote it in five minutes, so let’s give him some credit, those five minutes of effort are evident.
Finalement, a curvaceous silhouette bedecked in sparkly sequins sashayed out onto the darkened stage and launched immediately into a rendition of my favourite melody (but not message), “Dear Future Husband.” The M-Train had arrived and it was stirring up some real energy in the crowd with her upbeat tunes and vivacious vibe. After Charlie Puth’s calmer piano ballads, Meghan Trainor’s thumping bass tracks seemed louder and more overwhelming by comparison. She just had so much energy! There were back up dancers, video projections, and tiny costume changes; she played a glittery purple ukulele for two of her songs, and even strode through the spectators as she sang “Close Your Eyes,” reaching out and touching the hands of joyfully crying, screaming fans. Meghan Trainor was just a couple of feet away from where we stood! An hour of live music never passed so quickly before. A duet with Charlie Puth on his song “Marvin Gaye” made the night extra special and she ended the night with two new songs. BUT – WHERE WAS THE BASS!? Fortunately, Meghan knew that we were “all about that bass” and came back with it for the encore.
And after that? Boy, did we run through the festival grounds for the fields where the cars were parked in an effort to beat the crowd and traffic out of town! All in all, a terrific first “music festival” experience, well worth the day pass price! Just try to invite a friend who owns a car ;)
auds & ends 