When it comes to EDM festivals, there’s nothing quite like Montreal’s ILESONIQ. Taking place in the lush parks of the city’s Ile Saint-Helene, ILESONIQ is the electronic-specific counterpart to OSHEAGA and is designed exclusively for lovers of electronic music in all forms.
This year’s edition—the ninth since the festival’s inception in 2014—featured a stacked lineup that included the likes of Tiesto, Zedd, DJ Snake, Gioli & Assia, and Timmy Trumpet. Divided across three stages and two days, ILESONIQ 2024 was well-organized, picturesque, and home to one of Montreal’s biggest parties of the year.
Keep reading to discover some of our favorite acts from this past weekend’s festivities:
1. Green Velvet B2B Patrick Topping
One of the most highly-anticipated performances of the weekend, the cross-Atlantic B2B set featuring Patrick Topping and the legendary Green Velvet delivered on the hype. Taking the Mirage Stage early Saturday evening, the duo battled torrential rain to deliver much-needed house beats to Day 1. The transitions were smooth, the tracks—an engaging mix of vintage and contemporary club classics—were bumping, and the vibes were right.
2. Enamour
What I loved most about Enamour’s performance on Day 2 of ILESONIQ was his ability to mix emotion and heart into a set that was equally calming as it was infectiously groovy. Washington-based but with a foot always firmly planted in the Balearic sounds of Ibiza, Enamour offered a much-welcomed moment of respite from the techno-leaning line-up of the Coca-Cola NEON Stage.
3. Timmy Trumpet
When it comes to stage presence, there’s no one that does it quite like Timmy Trumpet. Whether he’s dousing himself in a bottle of Grey Goose, ripping off his shirt in the rain, or underscoring his clever pop mixes with melodies from his trumpet, Timmy’s game was one of audience engagement—and he succeeded brilliantly. From start to finish, this Australian sensation was one of the most entertaining performances of the weekend.
4. GIMS
Hailing from the Congo and with a passionate French fanbase, GIMS took the Bell OASIS mainstage in a long-awaited return to Montreal on the first day of ILESONIQ. Donning his signature shades, the singer followed a ground-shaking performance from Subtronics with smooth flows and sultry Afro-techno beats that had us all dancing.
5. Tiesto
Closing out the weekend, Tiesto took a packed mainstage crowd on a ride that featured unforgettable highs and jaw-dropping pyrotechnics. And yet, despite the fireworks, flames, and stunning visuals that elevated his performance, what stood out most from this legend’s set was his undeniable mixing skill, effortlessly weaving the biggest pop hits of the past two decades—“The Middle”, “Love The Way You Lie”—into a tapestry that left an excitable audience demanding an encore long after he’d left the stage.
Thank you for joining us as we shared our journey to ILESONIQ 2024! 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.
