Preview of Montebello Rockfest 2017

At the end of June for the past eleven years, the small community of Montebello, Quebec hosts one of Canada’s largest rock festivals. A town with a population barely over a thousand somehow manages to host a crowd that is estimated at around 200,000. Many festivals chase popular artists of any genre in order to attract concert goers, but Montebello Rockfest focuses on hard and heavy rock and punk. If these are styles that you enjoy, you are most likely well aware of this festival. If not, then you should check it out as there are still a few tickets left.

Here are some of the bands I personally am looking forward to checking out but peruse the website for a full list.

Rammstein

German Industrial-metal legends Rammstein are playing Montebello Rockfest as one of just a handful of North American dates. The band’s live shows are well known for their pyrotechnic elements, so come watch them light up that sky Friday at midnight!

Queens of the Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age came on the scene in the late 1990s, but by the early 2000s they established themselves as a rock powerhouse with the fantastic Rated R. They are releasing their much-anticipated, seventh studio album, Villains, later this summer, so you have an opportunity to hear some of the new tunes before the album drop.

Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop is a punk legend. Yes, the term legend is probably bandied about way too frequently. In the case of an artist whose career started in the 1960s and has remained relevant to present day, I would argue the term is not used incorrectly. Iggy Pop has managed to carve out new fans in several generations, and he’s not done yet.

Alexisonfire

Alexisonfire was a mainstay on MuchMusic and Canadian rock stations through the 2000s until they decided to break up in 2011. The announcement was followed by a farewell tour. Since 2015, the band has been playing a number of live shows again. Is this an extended farewell tour? Is it the start of something else? Nobody can answer better than the band themselves, so come check it out.

The Offspring

The Offspring are one of the bands that helped break me out of my “classic rock” phase in the early 90s. “Self Esteem” immediately grabbed my attention, but my admiration quickly spread to the rest of Smash and then many more albums to come. The band was one of my favourites through that time period, but I never managed to see them live so…

Eagles of Death Metal

Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band made up of Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Homme rarely performs at the live shows due to his commitments to his other bands, but since he will also be performing with Queens of the Stone Age at the festival it’s likely a rare opportunity to see them both live.

Dee Snider

Dee Snider was at Rockfest last year with Twisted Sister for their final Canadian date. It is a pleasant surprise to see him on the line-up again this year for a solo show. We all know 45 minutes wasn’t enough time for a proper send off for the band, but I’ll gladly go for whatever Dee has planned for us this year. Maybe we can share another moment like this one from last year.

At the Drive-In

I was very much looking forward to At the Drive-In last year at Montebello. However, due to health concerns, the band cancelled several tour dates, including Rockfest. I’m glad to see they are back this year to support their fourth studio album released last month and their first in seventeen years.

Bad Religion

Bad Religion has been performing for almost 40 years. With sixteen studio albums and over five million albums sold worldwide, they are one of the best-selling punk rock acts of all-time. Come see why the band has enjoyed this longevity.