This upcoming weekend marks the inaugural edition of Montreal’s newest music festival, Palomosa. Taking place September 6th and 7th at Parc Jean-Drapeau, Palomosa is the latest addition to a busy summer festival roster that has included Piknic Electronik, OSHEAGA, ILESONIQ, MUTEK, and many more.
With a lineup that features huge headlining acts like Kali Uchis, Gesaffelstein, and Yves Tumor, as well as an impressive array of DJs, including frequent Charli XCX-collaborator The Dare, Shygirl, and the legendary Jai Paul, Palomosa is the ultimate way to wrap up this year’s festival season.
What is Palomosa?
From the creators behind Piknic Electronik and Igloofest (Montreal’s premiere winter music festival), Palomosa is an end-of-summer celebration featuring huge headliners and artists whose sounds run the gamut from pop and rock to EDM and techno.
Divided into two stages, Palomosa offers nearly two dozen performances (as well as an impressive afterparty program) across two days, with Gesaffelstein and Kali Uchis heading Friday and Saturday night’s performances, respectively.
Picking up where the Montreal Electronique Groove (MEG) festival left off last summer, Palomosa’s lineup speaks to the niche it seeks to carve out within the city’s festival circuit: eclectic, electronic-leaning, and catering towards music lovers looking to discover new talents alongside some of the industry’s most established and celebrated artists.
The Lineup
Here are a few artists we’re most excited about catching this weekend:
1. The Dare
It was with his bombastic debut single, “Girls,” that The Dare infiltrated the collective consciousness with remarkable speed. An indie-sleaze revivalist and former substitute teacher, The Dare’s rapid rise on the New York music scene has led him to collaborations with Charli XCX and the release of his upcoming debut album, What’s Wrong with New York? He’ll be performing at the festival, though we’re most excited about his festival-closing afterparty set at Montreal’s iconic venue, the SAT (Society for Arts and Technology).
2. Isabella Lovestory (DJ Set)
Honduran singer and DJ Isabella Lovestory is a mainstay of the Montreal electronic scene. With a sound that encapsulates reggaeton, hyperpop, and techno, her DJ set at the official Palomosa Afterparty on Friday will undoubtedly be a highlight of the weekend.
3. Underscores
Underscores’ recent critically acclaimed album, Wallsocket, was the unexpected conceptual follow-up to their acclaimed COVID-era album, fishmonger. Flitting from punk and pop to a more electronic-leaning sound, Underscores is a must-see at Palomosa 2024.
4. Jai Paul
A once-mythical figure who just last year performed live for the first time (at Coachella, no less), Jai Paul makes his Canadian debut at Palomosa Festival 2024. Now signed to XL Recordings and having been sampled by the likes of Drake and Beyonce, Jai Paul will be sharing his visionary sound in a once-in-a-lifetime performance this weekend.
5. LSDXOXO
No one embodies queer dance music quite like LSDXOXO, the American-born and Berlin-based DJ and producer who has worked with everyone from Kelela and Eartheater to Lady Gaga. With a sound that embodies pop, ghetto house, and Baltimore club, LSDXOXO’s DJ set will be a highlight of Palomosa Day 2.
We’re so excited to bring you a closer look at this inaugural edition of Palomosa Festival! Make sure to follow us @nexusradiodance for more in-depth coverage of dance music’s best festivals, as well as news and exclusive interviews with the biggest names in the industry.
Palomosa Festival takes place September 6+7 at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, QC. Tickets are available here.
