Montreal’s Anachronik Festival Laces Up for Year Two

Posted by RiffYou On April 28, 2014 0 Comment

Montreal may have a ton of poutine and hockey fans, but it also plays host to a wide variety of spring/summer music festivals.

Gutter Demons

Some are bigger than others, while events like Anachronik are attempting to find their spot within a crowded marketplace.

“The reason why we have such a competitive market is because we have a lot of music lovers,” offers Anachronik festival Co-Founder and CEO, Frédéric Roy-Hall in an interview with Riffyou.com. “Having to challenge bigger fish in the pool is what makes us work harder and push us to our limits. We honestly like it that way.”

Taking place May 2-3 across six venues – Club Soda, Foufounes Electriques, TRH BAR, Katacombes, Petit Campus and Cabaret Underworld – in Montreal’s downtown core, Anachronik has secured the likes of Gutter Demons and We Are Wolves as headliners. Sure, they may not have the same name recognition as Pouzza Fest (The Hold Steady, Mad Caddies) and Heavy Montreal (Metallica, Slayer), but organizers are secure in this festival’s place within the scene.

As for focus, Roy-Hall says that they zone in on acts inspired by the sounds of the 1950s-70s, noting that they like bands that the “purity of rock n’ roll” in their sound.

When it comes to booking, however, that’s not always as easy of a target to strike. Roy-Hall admits that he put out 178 offers before a headlining act for the festival was secured. But beyond that, the rest of the chips (read: bands) happened to easily fall into place.

“There are a lot of alternative or punk festivals around Montreal, but there is not a single one that focuses on the same bands as us,” he believes. “If you compare our lineup [with others], you won’t find a lot of bands that play other festivals. We are more of a giant party than just shows and music. I think people need to live it to understand.”

Of course, putting an event only in its second year of existence takes a hell of a lot of work. Roy-Hall uses a turntable and a nice patio to help get through “routine” 18-hour days that generally consist of 200 emails in need of response every day. Once the festival goes live, 21 brave soldiers are actively working beneath the Anachronik banner.

As for what to expect this year around, Roy-Hall says that there will be a range of extra-curricular activities going on apart from the bands. While he didn’t delve into deep specifics, he did say that attendees can expect a “toilet paper battle, animal head bodysurfing rampage, an interactive half-pipe for skateboarders,” as well as a backyard party in the unlikeliest of areas.

“The experience we give to the patron is way [better] than most of the festivals,” he adds. “We hope people will recognize that and spread the word. We don’t tolerate when someone has a bad experience in-between our walls. [Additionally], I think Anachronik’s the best way to discover Montreal as a music lover. It’s filled with local music and it’s right at the end of the winter when everybody wants to go wild and enjoy the sun after five months of hibernation.”

Click here for more information regarding the lineup and ticket packages.