EDM Fans Brave The Elements For Montreal’s Île Soniq Music Festival

With Day 2, things weren’t looking too good weather wise. Cold temperatures and rain threatened to keep festival goers at home, but as I arrived just in time for Cash Cash’s set on the main stage, I quickly realized that that wasn’t the case. I actually had never seen these guys live before, but damn were they good. Dropping fantastic remixes (Krewella’s Alive), some really catchy originals (Take Me Home) and just some great music in general, I instantly became a fan. The crowd was going wild as well for Cash Cash, dancing their hearts out despite the cold and rain.

With the park already filling up, Seven Lions came on stage next and though he started off a bit too slow for my liking, he eventually transitioned into some interesting tracks, including a nice remix of Porter Robinson’s Worlds, the always reliable Bastille’s Pompeii, and his own twist on Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, before playing some of stuff from his new EP, like Worlds Apart and Strangers (two of my favorites).

After DJ Pierre, who filled in for Tyga and did quite a good job, and some of Cosmic Gate (who I’m not a big fan of but still enjoyed), the next big act of the night was Zeds Dead. Bringing a bass-heavy set that rarely let up, fans of the Canadian duo were in for a real treat. Playing some tracks from their new album (Lost You, Where Are You Now) as well as some classics (White Satin) and even a few remixes (Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze being a particular highlight), Zeds Dead had energy levels higher than they had been all day, and just in time for the final headliner, too.

Finally, to end off the night in epic fashion, Laidback Luke came out to a massive crowd that had filled the park to the brim. Extremely heavy rain, a chilly wind and a field that had turned completely into a muddy swamp were no match for the beautiful festival anthems and sparkling fireworks display that the DJ brought out with him. Mixing everything from his staples (Turbulence) to huge tracks like Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike’s Find Tomorrow and Calvin Harris’ Feel So Close, and even some classic rock, like Queen and Oasis, Laidback Luke delivered what was hands down the best, and most varied, set of the festival.

So, overall, what did I think of Île Soniq as a whole? I loved it. I absolutely loved it. Scheduling issues aside, which in truth isn’t exactly a bad thing (having too much good music never hurt anyone, right?), the festival was excellent. Production on both of the main stages was top-notch (I really dug the whole flower theme at Oasis), the headliners brought their A-game, organization was solid (except the entrance/exit situation could have been handled a bit better) and the VIP area, despite being a bit underwhelming, was still worth the money. Evenko did a fantastic job with the festival, especially considering it was their first outing with it, and I can’t wait to return to Montreal next year to see what they do for their sophomore effort.