We Are Monroe

It was a true homecoming as Osheaga welcomed us all back to the original festival site after two summers of renovations. They did little to change the layout, which I love and everything seems a little bit more accessible! The new pathways make for better crowd control and the bathroom lines and water stations moved so much faster than previous years. Incredible job! If I had one complaint it would be just getting some hand sanitizer dispensers outside of all bathrooms! I’m not sure how I feel about massive crowds of festival-goers walking around with genital smegma on their hands! See Osheaga, you made me have to say genital smegma, let’s change this! On to the music.


We Are Monroe

The Lumineers
Speaking of genital smegma, how bad was We Are Monroe’s set on Friday!? I’m kidding guys! Every time I see this band it’s on a bigger stage as they continue to grow and expand their sound. I had originally compared them to Franz Ferdinand, and while you still very much could, they have chipped away at creating their own sonic landscape in the indie rock scene and uprooted the entire tree stage at Osheaga. The sound at some of the larger stages was lacklustre at the start of the day, I couldn’t pinpoint if it was the band’s performances or some difficulties back in the sound booth, but I was underwhelmed by Kodaline and Interpol. I was particularly psyched to see Interpol, the band I feel could get me the closest to experiencing what it would have been like to witness Joy Division live. Maybe their dispirited, gloomy alt-rock wasn’t best suited for an afternoon at an outdoor festival on one of the most perfect days of summer, but I still took joy out of hearing some of the classics, spanning their fifteen plus year career. No one could touch The Lumineers on Friday though, as they got the largest heart reacts of the day. Opening with “Sleep On The Floor” and never looking back, the band was in rare form. They even made their way over to a tiny stage setup, specifically for three songs to get a little more intimate with us, if that were even possible and teased a few new songs from their upcoming third album. They’ve already announced a show in Montreal in March for that album and I implore you to get tickets.


The Chemical Brothers
The sound issues seemed resolved by Saturday, but maybe it’s all the drugs I took before hitting the festival. Ahhhh, I’m just yanking your chain! I’m a professional. But ultimately Saturday was my favourite day. I could spend the whole paragraph talking about Beach House, but before I do I’ll mention that Radiant Baby, another local up and coming act started my day off nicely with some 80’s electro-pop vibes. SALES was a very pleasant new discovery and The Chemical Brothers put together a party that had the entire island bouncing and reminded me that there’s way more to this band than just “Block Rockin Beats.” Ok…Beach House. Not only are they one of my most beloved bands of the last fiveish years, but Saturday they put on a show that I have to make room for in my top five performances ever! I’m not kidding, the sound was pristine, the setting was immaculate, the setlist was biblical! Pure transcendence, you’ll be a better person if you get to see Beach House live. “Walk in the Park” set the tone as they continued to hit every note with pinpoint accuracy and inflection into “Drunk In LA,” “Space Song” and ended with “Dive,” which made hairs I didn’t even know I have stand up on my body.


The Franklin Electric

Tame Impala
Sunday was a solid, respectable day. But just like The Secret of the Ooze was a great sequel, you can’t touch that first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie! Hashtag Casey Jones is legend. The Franklin Electric took to the main stage and fucking owned it, be proud Montreal! They just released their latest EP In Your Head a day before their performance and commanded the stage like consummate professionals. My personal highlight of the day was Tame Impala. The visuals were stunning, as the crowd was doused with confetti and laser beams. Tame Impala have truly blossomed since they burst onto the scene in 2010 as a neo-psychedelic rock revivalist band, into what now just seems like an absolute pop-rock powerhouse band, defying and bending genres with every subsequent release. The largest crowd of the weekend was not surprisingly for Childish Gambino as I sauntered back to the hill to take it all in from afar. Like Tame Impala, Childish Gambino defies categorization; though he borrows a lot from seventies soul and R&B there is way more going on inside these songs. Jesus fuck is that band ever tight, undoubtedly all professionally trained the entire set felt like a religious experience. I didn’t stay long enough to receive communion, but it was a fascinating scene to witness and an appropriate way to close the festival. Hope to see ya all there in 2020 for the fifteen-year anniversary!

Written by Lee Ferguson
Photography by Michael Kovacs
*edited by Mike Milito - Bucketlist

It’s that time of the year when Montreal basically turns into one big music festival for a month! After Heavy Montreal last weekend, Montrealers gathered back at Parc Jean Drapeau yesterday to kick-off one of Canada’s biggest festivals, Osheaga.
We started our day at the further end of the site, with sets from American electronic music composer Bayonne and modern pop band Roy Juno, whose frontman Sayak Das’ energy helped us start the festival on a high note! In a festival with big names from all around the world, it’s always nice to see local talent on the lineup, which was the case for NDG born and raised rapper Naya Ali, who is clearly on her way to becoming a massive female rap star.

Back at the main stages, Saint Paul and the Broken Bones grooved the stage to their sounds of soul. This time around, Paul Janeway and his band had to trade their usual snazzy suits for some white rain jackets, as Delta Airlines lost their luggage on their way to Montreal! Over at the Scène des Arbres, Montreal’s We Are Monroe played their Osheaga debut and rocked a packed audience.


Our selection of shows then took a big detour into rap, with sets from the incredible JPEGMAFIA and Denzel Curry, whose incredible energy and banger tracks had the audience jumping and moshing throughout both sets.

Back at the smaller stages, New Jersey rock goddess Sharon Van Etten charmed the audience with her warmth and loving vibes, while Montreal-based, Japanese psych rock band Teke Teke set the Scène des Arbres on fire, making their performance one of our highlights for Day 1!

Next, Spanish sensation Rosalia took to the Scène de La Montagne in front of a jammed audience (which does not happen often on the first day of the festival at 4pm), seducing the crowd with her incredible vocals and sleek stage aesthetics. Back all the way to the Scène Verte, Irish rock band Kodaline had the crowd swaying and belting out the lyrics of their famously emotional songs like “High Hopes” and “All I Want”.

It should have been Jessie Reyez following Kodaline on that stage, but after a recent leg injury, it was American rapper Mick Jenkins replacing her, while another Alabama rapper, Gucci Mane, took over the Scène de la Montagne.

Back at the Scène des Arbres, the mysterious Francis and The Lights performed a long overdue set in from of a very eager crowd, as his previous show in Montreal back in December got cancelled. Speaking of cancellations, our next act was supposed to be Colombian regaetton sensation J Balvin, but he was not able to make it to the festival on time and had to be replaced by Toronto DJ duo MSTRKRFT. We then caught Japanese-American indie rock beauty Mitski over at the Scène Verte.

Finally, the headliners for the night were no strangers to Osheaga, as they performed before the Red Hot Chilli Peppers back in 2016. However, Osheaga now is the largest festival The Lumineers have ever been asked to headline. In front of a packed audience, the charismatic Wesley Schultz and the rest of the band put on a at times dreamy, at times banging folk show which ended Day 1 on a very high note! - Canadian Beats

Festivals 2019
It was Wednesday, July 31, that began the musical evenings of the 37th edition of the Festivent of Lévis. For me, it was a bit of a reunion since I used to go with my family every year until I was 16 years old. From what I remembered, it was the kind of event where the children have fun doing some rides and then went to the kiosks of skills to hope to leave with a doggie, impressive from afar, but stitched quaver when it was finally in his hands. Meanwhile, sitting on a blanket and a beer in hand, relatives and friends enjoyed the impressive landscape of hot air balloons. When tired of watching hot air balloons, because it's always good just big balloones inflating, we only had to turn around to watch the musical performances. To my delight, it was exactly as I could remember, but with two scenes rather than one, to multiply the musical performances.

Day 1 of the Festivent | Smash Mouth | 07/31/2019
We Are Monroe
For the first evening of the Festivent, We Are Monroe opened the evening on the Loto-Québec Stage at Champigny Park. Indeed, the group, Indie-rock style, is mounted on the scene while the gray sky leaving us predict that we would not spend the evening dry. With two albums in their pocket, White Lights and Funeral, Montreal musicians have played more than a dozen of their compositions. Among them, they decided to start the show with I'm cool with all nations , Pull me Under and No Vacation Land .

The relaxed atmosphere at the beginning of the evening intensified towards the half of the show as more and more people gathered in front of the stage to discover them. I was surprised to see the keyboard player catch a guitar for one song and follow the rhythm to percussion for another. In addition, I loved the bassist's style, which moved with long strides and dancing with knees always very high. He really helped put action on stage. After having finally managed to gather several hundred people, it was then the turn of Smash Mouth to play their greatest hits.

Smash Mouth
From 9:30 pm, Smash Mouth came on stage, all to prolong my feeling of nostalgia and bring me back to childhood. At first glance, the only songs I could not wait to hear were I'm Believer and All Star . Obviously, they kept them for the end. However, I was surprised to know almost by heart all the other songs they played us. In particular, Why Can not We Be Friends that he sang while dancing with an admirer on stage.

Malgré une pluie qui a commencé dès le début du spectacle, c’était presque impossible de ne pas être heureux avec cette musique si rassembleuse. De plus, les membres du band donnaient vraiment l’impression d’être content d’être ici, après plus de six ans depuis leur dernier spectacle au Québec. J’étais peut-être trop dans une ambiance familiale, mais le chanteur me faisait vraiment penser à un oncle qui veut donner un show dans un party de famille à sa façon de bouger et d’interagir avec la foule et les autres membres du groupe. Bref, un personnage souriant et attachant, qui nous donne envie de l’encourager. En résumé, j’ai trouvé que l’ambiance était parfaite pour un mercredi soir qui allait me faire oublier ma grosse semaine de travail qui était encore loin d’être terminée. - Daily-Rock

FESTIVENT, je me retrouve, crayon et caméras entre les mains, prête à vous raconter une soirée qui s’annonce festive autant musicalement que visuellement! Pour lancer le bal, rien de tel que de la visite de Californie SMASH MOUTH et de Montréal, WE ARE MONROE.
Ces derniers décrivent leur musique comme un « indie rock » à faire bouger les danseurs de placard! Moi, je vous dis qu’ils sont à suivre et sinon à découvrir. Déjà bien connu dans l’ancienne métropole et après plusieurs arrêts chez nous, nous les voici aujourd’hui dans un contexte que l’on ne peut ignorer.

WE ARE MONROE
Par contre, la foule dispersée semble moins réceptive à leur énergie. Peut-être que la différence musicale entre WE ARE MONROE et SMASH MOUTH en est pour quelque chose! Par contre, c’est un bel avant goût de la présentation du lendemain.
Ensuite, SMASH MOUTH et leur 20 ans de hits ont fait vibrer les festivaliers. Avec leurs airs parfaits pour la saison chaude ils ont de quoi plaire à bien des gens. C’est sous les ballons de plage et « aliens » gonflables que les membres sont arrivés doucement sur la scène LOTO-QUÉBEC au son de « Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby ». N’étant pas reconnus comme des bêtes de scène, ils étaient tout souriant et vraisemblablement heureux d’être avec nous.

SMASH MOUTH
Sans surprise, ils ont enlignés les chansons les unes après les autres, le tout très bien exécuté. Moment fort, le chanteur STEVE HARWELL a fait monter sur le stage quelques fans ravis de pouvoir danser avec eux! Somme toute, cette performance rythmée aurait été un band de noce incroyable dans un mariage. Ce n’est pas dans le but d’une insulte, mais plutôt la façon dont les musiciens interagissaient avec la foule. Somme toute, j’ai passé une agréable soirée.
PHOTOS ET TEXTE: AMÉLIE VENNES // CHICKS ROCK MEDIA - Chicks ROCK Media

Last night, ISQ Media crossed the St. Lawrence River to attend the first all-music party at Levis Festivity.

It is We are Monroe who had the chance to open the festivities in the first part of the legendary group Smash Mouth.

Often classified as a post-punk-revival group, the 4 guys behind We Are Monroe themselves claim that they are not trying to reinvent rock in any way. The music they create is based on everything that inspires them.

The group Smash Mouth known for its catchy hits by the older ones and by their titles All Star and I'm a believer, in the Shrek movies for the youngest to conclude the evening.

Tonight festival goers will have the chance to see and hear Rick Pagano. The singer we knew thanks to the Voice and singer of the Final State group will ensure the first part of the group X Ambassador - ISQ (Info Sport Quebec)

While this year’s line-up at Osheaga is heavy on the electronic and hip hop acts, there are still plenty of bands for those of you who want to rock out. And personally, while it’s nice to have the mix, sometimes you just want to rock out.

Here my picks for the best indie rock performers playing Osheaga this year:

Real Estate
Indie pop sensations Real Estate have found themselves at a crossroads with their last LP, with longtime lead guitarist Matt Mondanile leaving the band, but still have the chops to take it all the way.

In Mind (2017), their fourth studio album and one recorded in the absence of Mondanile, shows the band is still very viable. With this album taking them in new directions, the future looks for Real Estate.


Sunday, August 4, 4:30pm @ National Bank Stage

Mac Demarco
I was supposed to avoid writing about the headliners, and let’s face it Mac Demarco is a headliner even if he isn’t the top bill. He has played shows in front of tens of thousands, spawned a resurgence in semi-psychedelic lo-fi sound (and many have tired to copy his trademark sound), and he smokes the king of all cigarettes, Viceroy.

His lo-fi sound started in Mile End but has now reached the four quadrants of the world. And boy has it been one long strange trip.

He’s known for being an oddball and goofing around on stage, so expect to see some serious antics! But his unique sound gives him the tight niche of laid back slacker rock that is just very compelling and very good.


Sunday, August 5, 5:15pm @ Bell Alt TV River Stage

Teke:: Teke
The eclectic coming together of musicians from well-known Montreal bands (Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, Boogat, Pawa) created Japanese-influenced post-punk psychorockers Teke:: Teke.

If you yen for some traditional Japaneese surf rock infusion then this might be the band for you.


Friday, August 2 3:45 @ Perrier Tree Stage

Braids
Montreal Art rock band Braids will take the stage a year after winning the Juno for Best Alternative Rock group.

They got me with their 80s electronic beats over Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s vocals, which can be pretty haunting at times especially when infused with some pretty interesting vocal effects.


Sunday, August 4th, 1pm @ Honda Valley Stage

Kurt Vile and the Violators
I’ve been a fan of Kurt Vile ever since the first time I saw him play at Casa del Popolo. He was alone at the time playing his guitar with crazy pedal effects and his sweet nasal voice. Sufficed to say, I was pretty impressed.

His lo-fi sound and voice fills the psychedelia of his songs with wry, sardonic lyrics. His last album Lotta Sea Lice, co-written with Courtney Barnette, was truly inspiring and now he’ll be on stage with the Violators, a band that adds overall emphasis to his unique style.


Friday August 2, 8:15pm @ Honda Valley Stage

We Are Monroe
If you really need to rock out at Osheaga this year then check out Montreal’s own We Are Monroe. They are part classic rock with a new twist Their singer brings a great voice in the singing style of The Black Keys complimented by some terrific backup guitar.


Friday August 2, 2:20pm @ Perrier Tree Stage

Reignwolf
Part metal, part rock, this band knows how to riff out an amazingly catchy song. They flew under the radar for a long time until Rolling Stone magazine called them one of the top 10 artists you need to know.

Now, with their new album out Hear Me Out (2019), they are set to go on tour with The Who later this year. Catch them while you can. - Forget the Box

The Montreal podcast that dares to as Montreal indie rock band We Are Monroe: Who do you wish was your dad?

We Are Monroe have big things planned in the next couple of months. Big things. They’re back in the studio with legendary producer Gus Van Go and a new album is in the works, but FIRST, they are playing the biggest party of the summer: Osheaga. Not only that, but they will be opening up for Kodaline and playing one of the official after parties on Friday night. Jason and Pat from the band join Walter and I to talk about road stories (Walter’s favorite), spending most of last year’s festival enjoying the perks of being an “on call” band and more.

Be sure to check out We Are Monroe the Perrier Tree Stage on Friday August 2nd at 2:20 at this year’s edition of Osheaga. And of course check out their official website, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Enjoy the show kids! - Go Plug Yourself Podcast

When it comes to festivals, people just want to dance. And in Montreal, people really like to dance. So, that’s exactly what We Are Monroe plans to help facilitate when they get to the stage at Osheaga. Playing their very first time at the festival, lead singer and guitarist Pat Gomes talked about the band’s experiences on tour and their upcoming show in their hometown.

We Are Monroe just finished touring Belgium and France through May and June. “It went really well,” Pat says, “It was our second stint and we had a lot of fun. We built the tour around festivals.” They put in appearances at the Festival des Bellovaques and Les Affolantes 3, among smaller venues. 14 shows in 17 days. It was enough fun, says Pat, that they’re planning to go back next year and take on Spain, Portugal, Germany, and even Italy if possible. “It’s like a mini vacation where you get to play music all the time,” he says.

Of course, Osheaga is kind of a big deal. “Already it’s a huge festival and a hometown festival,” says Pat. “It’s something we get to check off the bucket list.”

Playing for the hometown audience allows the band to approach things differently. “We do have a bit of a following here. So at a hometown show, we have fans that come out, fans that we’ve seen before,” says Pat. “Since it’s our hometown, we’re a bit more comfortable. You might be more risky in what you say and play, and how you play. We’re more apt to jam and be spontaneous. Outside of home, you’re a bit more calculated and thinking about being as effective as possible. You have more fun with it at home.”

At the same time, playing for a festival crowd is different from a full set, given the shorter set times and expectations than a traditional show. “When you’re playing a smaller set, the pacing can be different. In a longer set, you want to build dynamics, but in a festival, where you play half an hour or 40 minutes, you take more risks. You play more of your upbeat stuff. You try to get people to dance and move. The number one thing is to get people to dance and listen to the music.”

And that is the game plan for Osheaga, he says. The band wants to get people dancing. “It’ll be our upbeat songs.”

“I like playing festivals and I like them in different ways,” says Pat. “You’re not playing to your own crowd, so that’s kind of fun. You don’t know what to expect. There’s excitement in not knowing what to expect from the situation. It’s a festival and there’s a nice vibe.”

Of course, Pat has been to Osheaga as a member of the audience, and if the band has a chance, they’re hoping to catch some of the acts performing. “I haven’t looked too much at the lineup. I like to wing it,” he says. “That’s the best way to discover new stuff. You go to what attracts you.” But, their time will be cut short for checking out new acts anyway because they’re part of the After Party with Kodaline at the Corona Theatre. “Gotta go to soundcheck,” Pat says. “We’re missing Interpol, but it’s fun to play two shows in one night.”

We Are Monroe is hoping to come off a summer of touring and get back to writing some music. Producer Gus Van Gogh is on board, as the band has already recorded some songs for their next album with him. The plan is to release something, whether an EP or a full-length album, in the next couple of months. However, with two new band members, Brian as keyboardist and David on bass, Pat notes that We Are Monroe will have to figure out how the writing process will go. “Usually it’s a mix of everything, jamming and sometimes original ideas from a combination of Ben, Jay, or me.” Pat adds, “We’ll see how it goes.”

We are Monroe promises to bring the fun both to Osheaga’s Friday afternoon and the After Party at Theatre Corona. Don’t miss them before they hole up to bring us more great dance post-punk indie music. Osheaga takes place August 2-4 at Parc Jean Drapeau. Full weekend pass starts $325. Info HERE. The afterparty takes place August 2 at the Corona Theare (2490 Notre Dame Ouest) at 11 p.m. $38. Info HERE. - Montreal Rampage

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1730165 - CTV News Montreal

You know by now that we love live music. And we certainly love to be turned on to new artists. That is, we love to find “new to us” artists and bands. Friday night in Toronto we were introduced to We Are Monroe and they definitely caught our attention.

WE ARE MONROE
For the second time in a week we found ourselves at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern to take in some live music, and for the second time in a week we were introduced to a band who we had not seen before. Friday night it was We Are Monroe, an alt-rock band that hails from Montreal and brings a pretty cool vibe with their music. Their music is described as “dancy indie-rock with an edge” and we’d have to agree. They have a nice take on music, bringing a really nice sharp edge to their sound and style, excellent energy, and you’ll find it really gets in your face, and ears.

TIGHT AND LIVELY
The band drove for eight hours to get to Toronto for this gig, and they certainly didn’t show any weariness. They were tight and lively, with some powerful vocals and tasty guitar riffs. It wasn’t all “dancy” either. See the song “Funeral” – a real high tempo power tune. There is the cool feel of some 80’s-90’s new wave bands mixed with a hint of Arkells here with We Are Monroe as well. But when you listen to or watch the band live, you clearly see this is a passionate endeavour for them and they are original artists.

ROCK SOURCE RECOMMENDED
Their debut full length album, White Lights, was released earlier in 2017. We have no problem recommending that for your music collection. We might add that we LOVE full length albums and this one being 11 songs deep pleases us. The songs have great arrangements and should win you over if you’re looking for something great to listen to. Their live set was well received by the jam packed Horseshoe crowd and we hope to see the band again. - The Rock Source: by SCOTT BURNS

Life is all about embracing the new and accepting change in a positive way. We Are Monroe was about to unleash some new material on us and as for me, I’m still adapting to a recent move and some big changes of my own, some new material if you will. That said, still adapting, I found myself at Berri-UQAM metro an hour before the doors even opened at Theatre Plaza and decided to do the walk all the way up to Beaubien. It was a bold move, I survived many trials and tribulations along the way and showed up just after 8 PM, a little sweaty, ears stinging slightly, but in the right frame of mind to hear some new music.

Fast Romantics (Toronto, ON) were also in the mood to try out some new material as singer Matthew Angus politely asked the crowd if they were down to hear some new material, some of which was being played in front of a live audience for the first time. The meandering, soft yet epic sounding “Mexico” was actually released the day of the show and had me already digging the new material at the same time I was getting acquainted with the bands older stuff! Fast Romantics certainly live up to their name, as it didn’t take them much time at all to win a piece of my heart. Some highlights of the older material, although songs from 2017’s American Love shouldn’t really be termed older…were “Julia” and “Get Loved,” during which Angus strolled through the crowd singing and waving to the balcony calling to mind The National’s Matt Berninger. Sound wise, Fast Romantics remind me a fuck ton of Bruce Springsteen in that almost every song seems to carry an air of epicness to it. Having two keyboard players has a lot to do with this as Kirty and Lisa Lorenz add layers upon layers to these already guitar heavy jams. Having so many moving parts can be a dangerous affair but Fast Romantics play as an incredibly tight unit, professionalism abounds and great things are undoubtedly in store for this Toronto sextet.

It had been over a year since We Are Monroe (Montreal, QC) played a proper show in Montreal (they had done a number of secret shows for members of their mailing list) and the anticipation throughout the crowd was mightily apparent. Indeed, it felt like one of those special shows where you know even before the band takes the stage that you’re in for something extraordinary. The band had also just gone through some roster changes although you wouldn’t have known it based on how insanely tight the set was! Before we were introduced to the new material, We Are Monroe reacquainted us with some staples from the previous two albums, “Bitter Teeth” and “Tiger in a Box” from 2015’s Funeral and “Mind Games” off of last years release White Lights. Not a speck of rust was apparent as frontman Pat Gomes took command of the stage amidst the gleam of scattered fluorescent tube lights. A few more tracks from White Lights before We Are Monroe began to test the new stuff on us! If you’re not already privy to the type of grooves We Are Monroe get into, I would best describe it as falling somewhere between The Strokes and Modest Mouse; hard-edged, angular indie rock with a penchant for moodiness. So I was pretty fucking floored when the new jams started to hit me and I had to do a double take and make sure I wasn’t at a Talking Heads show! Yes, my dear friends, it would appear We Are Monroe have caught a bit of experimental fever, and while that can be scary, especially if you’re a fan of their previous work, I’m here to tell you to get goddamn excited! The new songs sounded straight up badass.

Maybe it’s time we all look inward and see about making personal changes for the better. I’m not sure yet where my own changes are taking me, but you know what I am sure about? We Are Monroe is going to be releasing some very fucking badass material in the near future and that’s something to hang your hat on. While we wait for that…dig your claws back into Funeral and White Lights, support these Montreal boys, before they bust out big time! - Bucket List Music Reviews: Written by Lee Ferguson *edited by Mike Milito*

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Home / Shows / IN PHOTOS – We Are Monroe and Fast Romantics in Montreal, QC
IN PHOTOS – We Are Monroe and Fast Romantics in Montreal, QCBy Marie Demeire on November 3, 2018

Who: We Are Monroe, Fast Romantics
When: November 2nd, 2018
Where: Théâtre Plaza, Montreal QC

More than a year after their last performance in their hometown, Montreal indie-rock band We Are Monroe made their grand return to the city, with a show at Théâtre Plaza last night.

The Toronto-based Fast Romantics opened the show, treating the audience to their emotional lyrics, layered on tracks that blur the lines between indie rock and classic pop. The band went through old songs (from previous records Afterlife Blues and American Love), and also played some new songs from their forthcoming album (set to release next year). Frontman Matthew Angus gave a generous performance to the audience, interacting with them between songs, telling stories, and jumping in the pit to give high-fives all around at the end of the set!






Between the two sets, you could feel the excitement and anticipation growing in the air. It’s been a busy year for We Are Monroe: coming off their first-ever European tour, the band could only make a quick stop for a hometown show, before heading off with renowned producer Gus Van Go to go record their second album. All through their set, the band went through old and new, yet-to-be-recorded songs, entertaining the crowd to the sounds of their upbeat, sometimes borderline punk, indie rock.






For more photos from the show, head to our Facebook page! - Canadian Beats: By Marie Demeire

Here are some events and shows taking place in and around Montreal this weekend from November 2-4, 2018. Keep up-to-date with the latest happenings in Montreal with Mornings Rock with Terry DiMonte, heard weekday mornings from 5:30-10am on CHOM 97.7 in Montreal, via the free iHeartRadio app or at chom.com. Around Town is made possible thanks to Le Balcon d'Art (650 Notre-Dame, St. Lambert).

MUSIC
We Are Monroe
November 2, 2018 @ Theatre Plaza (6505 St. Hubert)
Doors 8pm, Show 9pm, $15-$20 (tickets here)
Post punk rockers and CHOM staple, We Are Monroe, are back after a brief break from their hometown. The band is promising previews of their upcoming album.

Mothership: Tribute to Led Zeppelin
November 3, 2018 @ Dollar Cinema (6900 Decarie)
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm, $20
Mothership pays tribute to Led Zeppelin at this all ages event.

Battle of the Bands 4
November 3, 2018 @ Theatre Plaza (6505 St. Hubert)
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm, $20 (tickets here)
7 bands compete in this battle of the bands with funds raised supporting MMA's Ray of Light Charity.


Shannon & the Clams
November 3, 2018 @ Bar Le Ritz PDB (179 Jean Talon West)
Doors 9pm, Show 9:30pm, $20-$23 (tickets here)
Doo wop, R&B, surfer rock, and psych rock come together as this quartet draws inspiration from early rock and roll influences.

DJ Matthieu Beauséjour
November 3, 2018 @ Turbo Haus (2040 St. Denis)
10pm-3am
DJ Matthieu Beauséjour starts a new weekly Saturday night residency and promises to spin punk, hardcore, garage, psych, krautrock, post-punk, proto punk, new wave, cold wave, no wave, synth punk, power pop, soul, funk, and more.

Behemoth
November 4, 2018 @ Metropolis (59 Ste. Catherine East)
Doors 6pm, Show 7:30pm, $39.50 (tickets here)
Polish black metal act, Behemoth comes to town this Sunday.

Iron & Wine
November 4, 2018 @ Corona Theatre (2490 Notre Dame West)
Doors 6:30pm, Show 7:30pm, $36-$39 (tickets here)
Indie folk singer-songwriter, Sam Ervin Beam, better known as Iron & Wine brings his mellow repertoire to the Corona on Sunday.

Fucked Up + Mil Spec
November 4, 2018 @ Sala Rossa (4848 St. Laurent)
Doors 8pm, Show 9pm, $20-$25 (tickets here)
Hardcore punk band, Fucked Up, brings their indie sounds to Sala on Sunday.

Windhand + Satan's Satyrs
November 4, 2018 @ Le Belmont (4483 St. Laurent)
Doors 8pm, Show 9pm, $20-$24 (tickets here)
Doom metal act, Windhand takes over Le Belmont this Sunday.

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La Grande Degustation
November 2-3, 2018 @ Place Bonaventure (800 De La Gauchetiere West)
Friday 3pm-9pm, Saturday 1pm-9pm, $15
Montreal’s ultimate wine gathering! Organizers have wrangled in over 200 winemakers, distillers, and brewers for this 2-day event. This year’s event will also highlight wines from Italy! Tickets and more info here. - iheartradio

Video:
https://www.facebook.com/CHOM977/videos/10155514045158342/ - CHOM 97 7

VIdeo:
https://www.facebook.com/wearemonroe/videos/1683773985075761/ - CKUT

Video:
https://www.rtp.pt/play/p4314/e340184/lusa-music-box - Lusa Music Box

https://www.facebook.com/poetssound/posts/best-albums-of-2017-no21-30httppoetssoundblogspotgr2018012017-no21-30htmlno30-b-/904875826359339/ - POEt'S SOUND

Montreal post-punk outfit We Are Monroe released their debut LP White Lights earlier this year, and now they've given album cut "D.M. Me" the video treatment.

Infused with healthy dose of darkly danceable synth work, the track exists in the tension between the primal urges that humans feel and the social constrictions that prevent us from acting on them.

The accompanying video was directed by Thomas Fontaine, and gives viewers a glimpse at ultimate "relationship goals." An elderly couple engage in a clandestine relationship, sneaking away and going out drinking and dancing in broad daylight.

"This video demonstrates how there is no age to stop living," frontman Patrick Gomes said in a statement. "It doesn't matter if you're old or young, healthy or sick; It's a choice that we make."

Watch the video clip for "D.M. Me" down below. - Exclaim: By Sarah Murphy

Video:
https://www.facebook.com/nickaunpodcast/videos/302913950184908/ - Nick a un Podcast de dictionnaire

Je quitte un peu avant la fin, sur invitation d’un de mes amis que je n’ai pas vu depuis un bon moment et qui voulait me payer une bière à We Are Monroe. J’arrive finalement comme à l’habitude trop à l’avance, mais le jeu en aura quand même valu la chandelle. Je ne m’attends à rien du show et c’est finalement une grande quantité d’énergie que je reçois directement dans la face. Le quatuor me semble un peu dans la lignée de Half Moon Run et autres Franklin Electric: des bands de grande envergure, avec un son alternatif, mais qui sont rendus à un stade de la carrière autre que celui de l’émergence. C’est donc à une belle performance de style Chom FM et grand public (sans que ce ne soit aucunement négatif) à laquelle le public du Belmont a droit pour le lancement d’un clip du groupe. Salutations également au drummer, qui fête son anniversaire, ce qui lui vaudra un gâteau et plein de biscuits lancés dans la foule. - FAV: feu a volonte

Video:
https://www.facebook.com/wearemonroe/videos/1333180973468399/ - CHYZ-FM

Video: https://www.facebook.com/wearemonroe/videos/1332900403496456/ - CKIA 88,3 FM

ARTIST NAME: WE ARE MONROE

1. What’s your favourite thing about a festival like Indie Week?

Not getting paid lol. Discovering music and meeting bands and realizing we all struggle equally, but are all just as passionate. It’s a beautiful thing.

2. What should we expect from your live show?

Ass-crack sweat for sure! Our shows are high energy but also very dancy once the crowd stops being shy. It gets hot, so don’t skip the deo! - SPILL MAGAZINE

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/sports/montreal-indie-rock-band-we-are-monroe/vp-AAulMTZ


Turn on the radio these days, and you’re sure to hear We Are Monroe rocking the airwaves. The four guys from Montreal are rising fast, and they recently released their first full-length album: “White Lights” - Breakfast Television

Le Festival FAST a frappé un grand coup pour son 10e anniversaire. Le groupe We are Monroe sera la tête d’affiche d’une programmation variée en art émergent, du 17 au 19 août.

« Après que le groupe ait posé sa candidature, il a signé pour sortir un album. C’est devenu plus difficile. Mais vu qu’on les voulait vraiment dans notre programmation, on a réussi à les convaincre », raconte la responsable de la programmation, Laurianne Gauthier Grenon.

« Notre mission est multidisciplinaire, poursuit-elle, au sujet de la programmation du FAST. On essaie d’avoir des choses qui sortent de l’ordinaire. On a une vibe un peu plus folk et hip-hop. On essaie de trouver la prochaine relève. En même temps, c’est ce qu’on reçoit beaucoup dans les candidatures. ».

En plus de We are Monroe, le volet musical du FAST, qui se déroulera au Pub O’Callaghan, se compose de Clay and friends, Les Perdrix, Aramis, Virginie B, Artifice Palace, Cheshire Carr, The Bright Road, Natation, Vanessa Marier, Les Passagers et The Golden Tribe.

Le vernissage en arts visuels aura lieu le 17 août à l’Espace show suivi de la projection de court-métrage. Par la suite, des pièces de théâtre, des performances et des lectures littéraires seront présentées le vendredi et samedi dans cette salle.

La troupe Théâtre à l’eau froide, dont la Soreloise Kariane Héroux-Danis fait partie, ajoutera une nouveauté à l’événement. Les comédiens travailleront sur la création d’une production unique la semaine précédant le FAST. La pièce sera présentée devant le public le 18 août à l’Espace Show.

Le FAST présentera également des boutiques éphémères d’artistes dans le cadre du Symposium des arts le 19 août.

Durant la fin de semaine, une parcelle de la rue Prince sera fermée à la circulation automobile. La rue Augusta sera également réduite afin de permettre une voie piétonnière entre le Pub O’Callaghan et l’Espace Show.

La programmation complète du Festival FAST est disponible au www.festivalfast.com. - Les 2 Rives

Présentez-vous aux lecteurs
​
Pete - Bassiste
Pat - Voix / guitariste
Jay - Guitariste
Ben - Batteur

Qui compose ? Comment cela se déroule au sein du groupe ?
​
Ce n’est jamais pareil; des fois un membre apporte une idée individuelle au groupe et on la décortique, on la travaille, on tente des choses. Autrefois, c’est plutôt un jam qui finit par aboutir à quelque chose, surtout après une bouteille de Sailor Jerry, encore plus si c’est congé le lendemain ;)
En bout de ligne, c’est vraiment une question de chimie.

Qui écrit les textes ? De quoi parlent- ils ? L’inspiration vient comment ?
​
C’est Pat qui compose la totalité des textes; ses paroles reflètent majoritairement des sujets qui nous touchent de près ou de loin, mais une grande partie vient de l’introspection. C’est la découverte de soi, les obstacles, l’anxiété, la colère, le sexe, l’indulgence, etc. C’est vraiment un amalgame du quotidien.

Le nom WE ARE MONROE pourquoi ?
​
À quelques semaines de notre premier spectacle, nous n’avions toujours pas de nom, et nous devions en fournir un pour l’impression des affiches. Nous étions chez Jay qui avait à l’époque une reproduction de Marilyn Monroe d’Andy Warhol, donc nous avons simplement opté pour Monroe. Toutefois, quelques mois plus tard, un groupe de Montréal partageait également se nom et pour éviter tout problèmes légaux (et pour éviter une petite guerre) on a simplement rajouté le We Are devant. Pas tant rock n’ roll.

Quels sont vos goûts musicaux personnels et vos influences ?
​
Il y en a TELLEMENT! Clairement, l’inspiration et nos influences ont été en croissance au cours des 4-5 années que nous avons été ensemble, mais entre autres, Joy division, The Sound, Led Zeppelin (surtout pour leur drummer), Royal Blood, Franz Ferdinand, Phil Collins, Wolf Parade, Noir Désir, Plastic Bertrand, etc. :-)

Quel regard portez-vous sur la scène musicale actuelle chez vous à Montréal ?
​
Montréal possède une excellente scène musicale locale, par contre, c’est un milieu très américanisé où les gens semblent de moins en moins enclins à découvrir des groupes émergeant. On pousse très fort pour entrer dans les canaux de diffusions canadiennes et américains, mais la culture Européenne, la réception des plus petits groupes que nous avons vu tenter leur chance sur le vieux continent nous inspire beaucoup. Nous y seront d’ailleurs au printemps 2018; nous sommes en pleine planification de tournée J

En général, quelle est la réaction du public lors de vos concerts ?
​
C’est certain que le volume et l’intensité des performances surprennent les gens qui ne nous connaissent pas, mais cela ne signifie pas qu’on leur fait peur. De façon générale, il en faut peu pour convaincre la plupart des publics. C’est vraiment avec les concerts qu’on gagne en nouveaux fans; Ils nous arrivent de vendre toute la marchandise disponible sur place, et d’avoir des fans qui se tatouent notre logos/nos signatures sur leur. C’est un peu fou!!

Quel est votre meilleur souvenir live ? Et pourquoi ?
​
Le lancement de l’album au Théâtre Fairmount en mai dernier a été un moment très spécial pour nous; les gens chantaient nos chansons, dansaient, la salle était plein.
Il y a aussi notre spectacle au Festival d’été de Québec l’an dernier qui a été assez cool, de un parce qu’on participait à un festival d’envergure international, et de deux parce que nous n’avions aucune attente et que la réception a été exceptionnelle. La salle était comble et c’est vraiment là qu’on a constaté l’impact que nous avions dans d’autres régions que la nôtre.

En studio quelle a été l’ambiance pour cet album « WHITE LIGHTS » ?
​
C’est un album qui a été composé de nuit, et enregistré pas mal de nuit aussi. Nous n’avions pas de direction précise. L’esprit final de l’album s’est forgé au fil du temps à coup d’idée et d’impulsion, mais au départ, c’était un peu flou.

Comment s’est déroulée la conception de la pochette ? et pourquoi ce titre ?
​
Avec l’ambiance très nocturne qui s’en est rapidement émanée, l’album avait un peu un feel de ce qu’on écoute la nuit en voiture par une soirée chaude d’été. C’est d’ailleurs une des premières chansons que nous avons complété (et le premier single) Midnight Cruiser, et un peu ce qui a aider à diriger le ton de l’album grâce au texte qui reflète ce thème. Avec ceci en tête, nous avons demandé à une amie artiste (Claudia Fortin - @LaClodita sur instagram) de créer une image qui concordait et voilà. Pour ce qui est du titre de l’album, White Lights jouait bien dans la vibe que nous recherchions, les phares de voiture, la lumière au bout du noir, c’est métaphorique. C’est vrai par contre qu’on a passé environ 75 autres titres potentiels avant de revenir à notre toute première idée; la première est toujours la meilleure haha!

Quels sont vos projets ?
​
On doit aussi garder le momentum donc nous sommes déjà en écriture pour sortir un autre EP au début de 2018.
Le but principal est toujours de jouer le plus de shows possibles, d’explorer le monde, de faire de la tournée. Qui sait, on ira peut-être faire un pit stop en Belgique pour manger du chocolat et voler la recette du pain belge.

Qu’aimeriez-vous que le futur vous apporte ?
​
Ce que le passé n’a pas trouvé haha!
Une certaine rentabilité, on ne va pas se le cacher, mais surtout une visibilité internationale. On veut tous lâcher nos day jobs.

Quelle est votre devise ?
​
Le dollars canadien (blague de mononcle, désolé!) mais pour vrai, on n’a pas tellement de devise. C’est le travail acharné, être sérieux dans son art et être sympathique avec tout le monde.
Sinon, on une tendance alcoolo (non étrangère au groupe de musique), et au Québec, on dirait des expressions du genre (haha!) :
-En cas de doute, bois toute
-On n’engraisse pas un cochon à l’eau clair

A rappeler les sites
​
Website - wearemonroe.com
Facebook - facebook.com/wearemonroe
Instagram - instagram.com/wearemonroe
YouTube - youtube.com/longlivemonroe
Spotify - play.spotify.com/art ist/7gJc9WeezoP6wAsOTm3dh5
iTunes - https://itunes.apple. com/ca/artist/we-are-monroe/id 983149568
Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/we aremonroe
Bandcamp - https://wearemonroe .bandcamp.com/

Qu’avez-vous envie de dire aux lecteurs ?
​
Écoutez notre musique, aimez notre page Facebook, supportez les artistes indépendants.
Les plus belles découvertes musicales se retrouvent la plupart du temps dans les rayons de la musique indépendante, et qui dit indépendant ne veux pas dire inaccessible. C’est d’ailleurs très souvent le contraire. Donc garochez-vous, allez voir des shows, vous verrez peut-être des Arcade Fire du genre avant qu’ils deviennent des artistes mondiaux. - Webzine: Rock Your Underground

10/10

Well, it happened. I finally heard an album that transcends criticism and is perfect in just about every way imaginable. So, let’s all do the band a solid and give them a round of applause, no matter where you’re at. Now that that’s taken care of, we can get into the meat and potatoes of the album, and my my, was it ever tasty.

Officially released by We Are Monroe in early May, of 2017, White Lights takes all the benefits and beauty of bands like The Cure, Joy Division, and even a little bit of The Cars, and slams them together with non-stop dance action. No sad, brooding boys are they.

The first thing I noticed about the album was that my legs and feet just couldn’t keep still. Set against a backdrop of savage dance-like drum and bass, performed by Ben and Pete respectably, the songs all had kick. This dynamic duo pressed their rhythmic presence to the forefront of each song. This should have come as no surprise, as the two instruments were recorded together to capture that energy. It was a good, great, grand call.

I was doubly impressed with the use of fuzz on the bass, too. It was added with skill, and did more to influence the dynamic of the songs than one would think. The case in point is “Mind Games.” The bass starts the song with a thick tongue of sound, while the guitars do their notes; then, when the guitar tone brings the heavy, the bass drops the aforementioned fuzz to accommodate the song. It allows the power to still be there, without things getting too muddled.

Next up comes the props to singer and rhythm guitarist Pat. Always slathered with high-intensity emotion, his vocals have an edge that’s never far from cutting you. Even during his more mellow moments, there is something sharp about the attack he brings. I’m awfully surprised he doesn’t spit out mud with all the grit he’s got in his voice. Sound-wise, he’s got shades of Chris Thile with some Chris Cornell and Ian Thornley thrown in there for good measure. It’s a well-crafted sound that adds something inexplicable to each song. I wonder how this would translate to a live show. Just my luck, and yours too. They’ll be performing at Turbo Haüs on June 16th. We can all see for ourselves together.

Lastly, as far as favourite songs on the album go, my brain is torn between “Mind Games” and “Perimeter,” while my heart says, “Fuck that, it’s all of them.” I think I’m gonna go with my heart on this one folks. Give the album a listen and let me know what your favourite song is in the comments below. - Bucketlist Music Review

Vendredi dernier, Sherbrooke a reçu deux très bons groupes dans sa Petite Boîte Noire bien-aimée, soit le groupe montréalais We Are Monroe et l’auteur-compositeur-interprète Krief (accompagné de ses musiciens). Bien qu’ayant chacun leurs forces, les deux groupes partageaient un petit côté indie qui semblait plaire aux chanceux qui étaient présents ce soir-là. Décidément, on allait avoir droit à des prestations électrisantes et chargées.

La soirée débuta avec Krief (Patrick de son prénom), qui se produisait en formule band. Et quel band! Outre Krief qui chantait en jouant de la guitare, on avait un guitariste au whammy endiablé, un bassiste bien présent, un batteur efficace et un claviériste qui assurait les nuances plus aériennes tout en jouant du tambourin. Les musiciens étaient tous bien entassés sur la petite scène, entourés de milles amplis et pédales… une image digne d’un groupe qui aurait assurément eu best new music sur Pitchfork, circa 2009. La musique de Krief était douce-amère et se caractérisait par son mélange de poésie et d’explosions de guitares. D’ailleurs, vers la fin, les chansons se désintégraient souvent en jam, ce qui permit à Krief de nous montrer ses talents de guitar-shredding. Mention spéciale à son tone de guitare, sans doute l’un des meilleurs que j’aie entendus à la Petite Boîte Noire.

C’était maintenant au tour de We Are Monroe d’entrer sur scène et de nous prouver qu’ils étaient un quatuor digne des nombreuses comparaisons qu’ils ont eues avec des groupes tels Joy Division ou bien The Killers. Ces comparaisons sont faciles à faire, mais pas tout à fait représentatives du son bien caractéristique que s’est forgé le groupe. On retrouve bel et bien des éléments post-punk et new wave dans les chansons de We Are Monroe, mais ces chansons semblent aussi être influencées par le dance-punk et le power-pop, un mélange de styles efficace et dansant à souhait.

Comme sa première partie, le groupe a surtout joué des chansons de leur nouvel album. Et comme sa première partie, l’un des musiciens avait un tone exceptionnel (mention spéciale au tone de basse, sans doute l’un des plus monstrueux que j’aie entendus à la Petite Boîte Noire!), ce qui n’a pas nui à l’immensité des refrains de We Are Monroe. C’est pas compliqué, ils sont un power band. Les chansons étaient efficaces, et la voix puissante du chanteur n’avait rien à envier à tous les Brandon Flowers de ce monde. Krief nous avait d’ailleurs prévenu : « Le prochain groupe, j’ai travaillé sur leur nouvel album, pis ça va être vraiment bon! » - ECOUTEDONC.CA

Le groupe indie-rock montréalais We Are Monroe lançait en grande pompe son tant attendu premier long-jeu, White Lights samedi soir devant un Théâtre Fairmount complètement packed! Deux ans suivant la sortie de leur premier EP, Funeral, la foule semblait avide d’entendre le nouveau contenu! Et le nouveau contenu, ils l’ont reçu, direct dans les dents! C’est avec autant de fougue que de charisme que le quatuor a livré la marchandise, avec un set particulièrement long pour un groupe aux balbutiements de sa carrière. (Pas que quelqu’un aurait osé se plaindre!) La table de merch complètement dévalisée laisse croire que We Are Monroe est sur le point de prendre pas mal d’élan avant d’exploser sur la scène musicale canadienne. En tout cas, y’a une pénurie de t-shirt! - Nightlife

On va se le dire, les belles années de l’indie-rock sont bel et bien passées. Dans les années 2000, les Interpol, The National, Walkmen et Broken Social Scene ont balisé pour de bon un genre qui serait par la suite copié en abondance. Les groupes mièvres sans personnalité se succèdent reprenant sans originalité ce que les grands avaient proposé. Certaines formations osent encore essayer de pousser le genre plus loin et We Are Monroe est un de ceux-là.
White Lights est le premier album du groupe montréalais. Le quatuor offre un indie-rock qui emprunte des éléments au dance-punk. Le résultat est des chansons très entraînantes débordant d’une énergie contagieuse et qui donne autant envie de « headbanger » que de se faire aller les hanches jusqu’au petit matin. We Are Monroe, offre onze chansons mélodieuses, rock qui sans révolutionner le genre, satisfait pleinement les oreilles.
Dès Midnight Cruiser, on comprend que le quatuor a écouté Interpol à profusion. De la voix du chanteur Pat Gomes qui est capable de jouer dans les mêmes basses et qui navigue dans les mêmes maniérismes vocaux. Par contre, la formation est un peu plus excitée que la bande de Paul Banks quand il s’agit de riffs. We Are Monroe rentre souvent la pédale dans le fond. Sur Mind Games, la suivante, les riffs sont aussi efficaces que dynamiques. C’est facile de s’abandonner à la haute dose d’énergie que nous propose la formation montréalaise.

Ils sont tout de même capables de nuance comme le démontre habilement Strange Condition. No Vacation Land fait aussi belle figure avec ses rythmes rock’n’roll qui oscille entre noise rock et pop. D’ailleurs, We Are Monroe, aime la belle mélodie et le démontre tout au long de l’album. Parfois, c’est même un peu trop maniéré. Oui, les airs accrocheurs et quelques effets de voix, mais un tantinet plus de sobriété aurait peut-être donné parfois un peu plus de puissance brute aux chansons. Car malgré leur tendance bruyante, on sent bien que la formation en fait beaucoup pour plaire à l’oreille qui préfère la pop. Un penchant qui leur permettra sans doute bien des rotations à CHOM FM, mais qui aliénera certains fans de rock.
We Are Monroe offre un White Lights qui possède de beaux atouts. C’est plaisant pour les oreilles et c’est le genre d’album qui te donne une bonne dose d’énergie même s’il fait gris à l’extérieur. Pour un groupe qui de son propre aveu ne réinvente rien, ils font très bien leur mélange d’influence qu’ils tissent minutieusement.
MA NOTE: 7/10

We Are Monroe
White Lights
Indépendant
43 minutes - Le Canal Auditif

Après avoir présenté son premier EP intitulé Funeral en 2015, We Are Monroe sortait le 18 avril dernier son premier album White Lights. Voici une entrevue réalisée avec le chanteur Pat Gomes et le bassiste Pete Juteau à l’aube du lancement qui aura lieu le 6 mai au Théâtre Fairmount.

« Je te dirais que le thème principal de White Lights est l’exploration de soi. Ce n’est pas toutes les pièces qui en traitent, mais c’est plutôt un aspect global. Par exemple, Break the Silence parle de la façon qu’on gère l’anxiété. Tandis que No Vacation Land explique que de suivre les tendances ne te définit pas en tant que personne, ni que tu vas être heureux parce que tu es populaire et connu », m’explique la formation montréalaise We Are Monroe.

Être musicien, c’est aussi de devoir rouler plusieurs kilomètres la nuit afin de rentrer chez soi après un spectacle. Inévitablement, le « midnight driving » est rentré en jeu lors du processus de réalisation de l’album : « C’est un peu l’esprit qu’on avait : composer une playlist, c’est-à-dire un album que tu peux écouter d’un bout à l’autre ».

Qu’est-ce que les pièces Midnight Cruiser, Mind Games et White Lights ont en commun? « En plus d’être les trois premières chansons qu’on a complétées pour l’album, c’est vraiment celles-ci qui donnent le ton à l’orientation de notre disque. Tandis que Mind Games est très happy et très forte dans ta face, White Lights est très lay back et plus relax. C’est ce qu’on voulait soit explorer ses deux extrémités. C’est sûr que sur le prochain, on va l’explorer encore plus ».



Midnight Cruiser, un premier extrait

Inspiré du « midnight driving », le groupe a proposé, en janvier dernier, son premier extrait intitulé Midnight Cruiser : « C’est drôle car, pour moi, c’est la première toune que j’ai écrite en pensant à l’album. C’est vraiment l’esprit de ce qu’on voulait exprimer dans nos thèmes, soit de conduire le soir. Je voulais aussi une toune qui avait un double sens : upbeat et dansant, mais aussi atmosphérique et lay back. En fait, le refrain est très excitant, très big et très loud, mais les verses sont très down chords ».

« De plus, les paroles traitent de cette dualité à l’intérieur de nous. Malheureusement dans la vie, il faut être un peu dur et un peu fort. La vie n’est pas toujours facile, c’est un peu le conflit entre être une bonne personne et une image de qui tu es. En même temps, il faut sortir, des fois, cette image et être un peu plus dur », avoue le chanteur d’origine portugaise Pat Gomes.

Quelle est la place pour les groupes rock au Québec?

« Je pense que ça serait plus facile si on chantait en français. On connaît des groupes, comme Caravane, qui sont excellents et on ne leur enlèvent rien, loin de là, car ils méritent franchement tout le succès qu’ils ont. Mais quand j’écoute les radios francophones après 9 heures le soir dans l’auto, il y a de la grosse marde qui passe aussi. J’ai l’impression que c’est parce que c’est en français, les radios se doivent de respecter leur quota francophones. Ça donne avantage à ses groupes que s’ils chanteraient en anglais, on n’entendrait jamais parler. Et ça, c’est mon impression et je n’ai pas la prétention de dire qu’on est meilleur, mais plutôt qu’il se fait du très bon rock francophone tels que Galaxie et Caravane », admet le bassiste Pete Juteau.

Une ouverture nationale, voire internationale

En plus d’avoir plusieurs propositions sur la table pour des concerts à venir un peu partout au Québec, We Are Monroe envisage aussi de se promener à l’extérieur dans les prochains mois: « Je pense que, cette année, on va jouer à des nouvelles places. On veut essayer de jouer devant de nouvelles personnes et avoir de nouveaux fans. C’est sûr qu’on va mettre l’accent sur l’Ontario. Toronto, c’est une plaque tournante au Canada et ce n’est pas normal qu’on aille jouer une fois par année à Toronto. On pense aussi aller jouer dans les Maritimes et peut-être même faire l’Europe l’année prochaine ».

À la demande spéciale du groupe, Pat Gomes et Pete Juteau tiennent à remercier le travail du « cinquième membre du groupe » ,soit le producteur Dave Traina (alias L’étalon italien de Montréal) : « C’est notre thérapeute, c’est notre mère. Il y a des soirs qu’on était en studio et que ça nous tentait moins. Mais lui, il jouait presque les tracks pour nous. Étant donné qu’on était toujours en studio, c’était difficile de toujours avoir la drive. Mais, Dave était là pour nous et il nous a forcé afin d’aller plus loin, à redéfinir notre son et d’amener le meilleur de chacun de nous. C’est sûr qu’il nous a beaucoup aidé pour faire en sorte que l’album sonne de la façon qu’il sonne ». - ALT. ROCK PRESS

Two years following the release of the Funeral EP, the indie-rock band We Are Monroe from Montreal are getting ready to launch their first full-length effort, White Lights, on April 18th, an album which will be officially celebrated at Montreal’s Fairmount Theater on May 6th.

The sound of crickets fill the night air in the beginning moments of the opening track, and first single, “Midnight Cruiser”, setting the tone for the album. While the band sought out inspiration through the nocturnal escape, the infinite road that lies ahead, and the freedom of living on impulses, the subdued introduction is nothing short of misleading. With the songs deeply rooted in the band’s signature drum-and–bass core, the overall sound of the album echos a certain audacity and shows signs of the maturity acquired along the last few years.

Whether it’s the incisive immediacy of “Mind Games”, the pulsating groove of “DM Me”, the fleeting intensity of “Pull Me Under”, the winding tunnel-vision of “No Vacation Land”, or the dark melancholy of the instrumental “Perimeter”, listening to the album front-to-back is easily done in one continuous listen, to the beat of the unfolding narrative.

Produced in collaboration by Patrick Krief (Krief, The Dears) and Dave Traina (The Damn Truth), and mixed entirely by the latter, White Lights was shaped by the contribution and influence of the two seasoned musicians, adding an overall depth without ever compromising We Are Monroe’s singular identity.

The complete mastering of the album was achieved by London-based John Davis, who has worked with so many of the music’s great over the years, including Jimmy Page, U2, Foals, FKA Twigs, White Lies, Haim, Led Zeppelin, New Order and Florence & The Machines to only name a few.

The album, for which the artwork was illustrated by the talented Montreal artist Claudia Fortin, will drop Tuesday, April 18th, and will be officially celebrated with the launch event happening on May 6th at the Fairmount Theater.

Preorder White Light at this location. - Bucketlist Music Review

Montreal indie rockers We Are Monroe released their debut full length White Lights via Stand Alone Records on April 18, and the band is celebrating its release with an official launch party this Saturday at Theatre Fairmount.

Filled with the band’s driving and anthemic take on moody post-punk by way of early 2000’s dance-rock, White Lights is reminiscent of acts like Interpol and Joy Division, with the sort of big memorable choruses that show why local rock radio has eagerly embraced the group.

Co-produced by Patrick Krief (of The Dears and his own project Krief) and Dave Traina (of The Damn Truth, who also handled mixing duties) with mastering by John Davis (Jimmy Page, U2, Led Zeppelin, New Order and Florence & The Machine), White Lights finds the band embracing the widescreen scope of their sound while retaining a bit of the dark underbelly beneath its sheen.

We Are Monroe launch White Lights with guest Krief at Theatre Fairmount (5240 Parc), May 6, 2017 at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $12 / $15, available here. - BAD FEELING Magazine

Montreal based band We Are Monroe have been embedded in the music industry for years, with roots beginning in the late 90s, developing into the formal establishment of the band in 2010. We Are Monroe deliver a form of music that is not only melodically pleasing, but also a kind that envelops you with a rush of energy and ignition. Their music drives you; seeking to propel you further into your dreams, making a reality out of what you see as illusory. The sound is heavy, but also uplifting; it has a grit that surges through your bloodstream, catching on you at certain moments in its poignancy. I was lucky enough to speak to the band about their new album launch, "White Lights" and discover what keeps them going through the motions of it all.



Somnium Music: You guys have been established for a long time now. What made you start a band, was there a particular trigger?

Pete: We weren’t particularly good at sports, so we had to think of what else we could put our energy into. Ben and I began a band together but it wasn’t really what we had envisioned; so, once the band ended we decided to start a new band that leaned more in the direction of what we were looking to do - more upbeat; rock indie. We auditioned Jay (whose on guitar), from a friend of a friend and then got drunk with him; that’s when we knew he was in. After that, we found Pat from another band, and pretty much stole him away.
Pat: I was looking for a band where everyone wanted to put in the work; where each member participated equally and joined together to create something new, and that's what these guys had.
​
Somnium Music: The new album is brilliant, so, where did the inspiration for it come from, and what did you want to convey in the songs?

Pete: It’s pretty much what we wished we’d hear from other bands that we don’t get to. A lot of bands have 2 to 4 upbeat songs and the rest is quite mellow, but we wanted something that was high energy, whether it be high tempo or low temp; it’s something that you can blast when you want to pump yourself up. Indie rock is rather saturated with atmospheric mellow, very slow, hipster sounds, and we wanted to distance ourselves from that genre.
Ben: We wanted people to dance from A to Z when they came to see us, and we wanted something that was applicable to all kinds of people, not just one niche crowd.
Pat: I want people to just let it out and and feel the positive vibes and energy. That feeling that makes them want to conquer the world.

Somnium Music: What other artists are of inspiration to you; or, any specific tracks?

Pete: Not the Killers and Interpol, (that’s what people keep comparing us to).
Ben: We love to discover bands from the late 70s post-punk era because it was a very minimalistic time; drum, guitar, bass. Although it was fairly simple, it was still very easy to move to, and rich at the same time.
Pat: We’re not necessarily inspired by bands, but more so we feel compelled by the vibes that certain musicians give off.




Somnium Music: What do you want to evoke in your listener? I know that whenever I hear a good song, I’m hit by a range of uncontrollable feelings; to me, that is a sign of good music. So, what is it that you guys want your audience to feel?

All: Ultimately, drive.

Somnium Music: Do you guys ever encounter problems working together, creativity can be hard to collaborate on, so, how do you make all of your separate ideas work?

Pat: It’s normal that you encounter problems, part of being in the band is compromise. We do what’s best for the song and not for the individual egos; plus it really helps to have outside unbiased opinions now and again.
Ben: We have a particular way of working together, sometimes we figure out ideas together in 5 minutes, but then, if it's not flowing, Sailor Jerry definitely helps fuse the separate ideas together!
Pat: The best individual ideas are often the worst ones collectively.

Somnium Music: The album artwork is beautiful, what made you choose such a tender image? The music is quite heavy, so this image nicely juxtaposes that.

Pat: It's because men always seem to wreck what’s gentle, so this image opposes that masculine-fuelled sound we have through it's delicate depiction.
Pete: Ultimately, we really wanted a piece of art; rather, than say a band image, and our friend Claudia (Fortin) thankfully understood what we were looking for.
Pat: We were aiming for something that wasn't necessarily commercially appealing, more so we wanted something that stood out, contrasting our image in a poignant sense.




Somnium Music: Finally, what does making music mean to you as a band? And what do you want to pursue in the future, music-wise?

Ben: I just want to be on stage, to perform. We’re not a studio band; we’re definitely a live band, although our album sounds great! Our strength also lies in the fact that we adapt our sound to the different types of crowds; we vibe it out, and we take in what the crowd is giving us. Sometimes we go really hard, sometimes it’s more about setting the mood.
Pat: Music to me is what life should revolve around.
Ben: We’re not doing it for the money. We might fight, we argue, but when we’re on stage, it unifies us as a whole, and that feeling is just awesome.
Pat: Making music is freedom. It’s doing something you love versus spending so much more time doing things we don’t want to do. We make a lot of sacrifices, so it’s nice to have that outlet.

The band feature their music on Youtube, Spotify and their Bandcamp; plus other platforms - just search We Are Monroe and you'll be directed to your new music source.

Furthermore, if you're interested; or, willing to be converted into a new fan, check out their event at The Fairmount this Friday: https://www.facebook.com/events/668431410011161/ - SOMNIUM MUSIC

We Are Monroe represent a part of that unique indie rock sound that has been a part of Montreal before Arcade Fire amassed critical success and what undoubtedly makes the city stand out on an international level. While the band self-admittedly holds no intention of re-inventing rock music they do present a high-energy post-punk revival sound that delivers something special to their listeners. Members Pete on bass, Drummer Ben and lead guitarist/backup vocalist Jason have been playing together since the late 90’s while lead singer Pat came in much later circa 2010 when he was snatched away from other less eventful projects. Since then they have released one EP titled, “Funeral”, and, “White Lights”, their first full length which have given an adequate introduction to what is sure to be a long and prosperous career for the band.

“White Lights” begins with Midnight Cruiser, a track that sets the tone for the album’s high energy sound and rhythmic drum/bass core. You may recognize the song if you’ve spent just one hour listening to CHOM FM since the album debuted in late April. The track’s emotional lyrics effectively deliver the tone of not only the album, but that of the entire band.




The energy continues with Mind Games, a track reminiscent of what one would typically expect from Toronto’s, Death From Above 1979, if it weren’t for the Ian Curtis-like vocal signatures of Pat. Jason’s rapidly picking guitar riff combined with the lyrics in DM Me, the album’s hard hitting third track keep the pace and emotion moving at a satisfying pace. Highlighted by the chorus line, “Nobody’s gonna f–k this up tonight but me” the song certainly provides an insight into the personal mind set of Pat.

The album’s fourth track, Lost in the Dark, introduces the first ballad-like piece of “White Lights”, well as “ballad” as one can expect from a band with such an dynamic post-punk quality. A significant factor to appreciate about this track and its placement in the album is that it shows how varied the band’s style is. Evidence of a good album lies within its ability to produce layers, and while the band self-admits to not seeking groundbreaking status, the tracks of “White Lights” vary significantly enough that listeners can attest to their songwriting prowess.




Continuing with Pull Me Under, a song defined by its heavily strummed bass riff, the album returns the energy level to full throttle. Strange Condition lets listeners know why the band have been compared to Joy Division, signified by a 1980’s like nostalgic throwback riff. Moving along we arrive at the titular track, White Lights, another ballad like piece that gives listeners greater insight into the personal space Pat Derives his lyrics from. The following two tracks, No Vacation Land and Perimeter lower the vibe slightly while simultaneously maintaining enough drum and bass rhythmic core to allow listeners to zone out and head bop at the same time. White Lights concludes with two heavier pieces, Break the Silence and Hit back, returning the atmosphere to that of the band’s signature style.

“White Lights” delivers on all levels and provides its audience a potent introduction into We Are Monroe. The band is currently touring Quebec and Ontario and will be back in Montreal on June 16th at Turbo Haus. Their live performances manage to take the already profound energy of their recordings to another level so make sure to check them out if you find the opportunity. - RReverb.com

Les amateurs de musique psychédélique auront du choix ce mois-ci. Premièrement le festival Distorsion aura lieu pour une deuxième édition dans une plus grande salle, et ce durant cinq jours, du 10 au 14 mai. De plus, le groupe Corridor lancera son album supermercado le 25 mai à la Sala Rossa. Sans oublier UUBBUURRUU qui donne une performance épique à tout coup, c’est à ne pas manquer!

Les amateurs de psych ne seront pas les seuls à être servis, puisque le Pouzzafest revient en force avec grand nombre de spectacles extérieurs comme intérieurs, afin d’assouvir tous les punks de Montréal en recherche de musique forte!


Côté festivités, il y a We Are Monroe qui lancera son album White Lights le 6 mai au Théatre Fairmount, ainsi que The Damned qui fêtera son 40e anniversaire avec un passage à Montréal le 2 mai au Club Soda.

Bref, voici notre liste des shows à ne pas manquer ce mois-ci:

The Damned
2 mai au Club Soda | 19h30

Jazz Cartier , J.I.D, Levi Carter
3 mai au Belmont | 20h

UUBBUURRUU
4 mai à l'Escogriffe | 21h

Slowdive
6 mai à l'Olympia | 20h

We are Monroe
6 mai au Théatre Fairmount | 20h

The Black Lips
9 mai au National 20h30

Mac Demarco
10 mai au Métropolis | 20h30

Mystic Braves
13 mai à l'Escogriffe | 21h

We Are Wolves (Distorsion)
13 mai à l'église du Mile End | 20h30

Pouzza Fest
19-21 mai au centre-ville de Montréal

The XX
24 mai au parc Jean Drapeau | 20h30

Chance The Rapper
25 mai au Centre Bell | 20h

Corridor
25 mai à la Sala Rossa | 20h

Animal collective
27 mai au Théâtre Corona | 20h

Com Truise
26 mai au Théatre Fairmount | 21h30

Sigur Ros
30 mai à la Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier | 20h

The Weeknd
30 mai au Cente Bell | 19h30 - Nightlife

PRÉ-ÉCOUTE EXCLUSIVE | WE ARE MONROE – WHITE LIGHTS
Le groupe indie-rock montréalais We Are Monroe frappe fort avec son tout premier album complet intitulé « White Lights », qui plaira à coup sûr aux adeptes d’indie rock un peu post-punk à la Interpol ou The Killers. L’album sera disponible dès le mardi 18 avril prochain, mais en attendant, Sors-tu.ca vous propose une pré-écoute exclusive. Branchez vos écouteurs et crinquez le volume !



White Lights nous arrive deux ans après la parution du EP/carte-de-visite du groupe, Funeral, qui était paru en 2015.

Cette fois-ci, We Are Monroe a confié la réalisation de l’album à Patrick Krief (connu pour son rôle au sein de The Dears, mais également en solo sous le nom de Krief) et Dave Traina (The Damn Truth), ce qui donne à White Lights une identité sonore affinée, qui convient parfaitement à l’approche du groupe. John Davis (Jimmy Page, U2, Foals, FKA Twigs, White Lies, Haim, Led Zeppelin, New Order et Florence & The Machines) a assuré le mastering du tout.


Nos pièces préférées : Mind Games, Pull Me Under, No Vacation Land et le single Midnight Cruiser (voyez le vidéoclip ci-bas).

We Are Monroe soulignera l’arrivée de ce premier album avec un spectacle au Théâtre Fairmount le 6 mai prochain, avec Krief en première partie, justement. Détails du spectacle et pré-vente de l’album par ici.



Voyez aussi le vidéoclip pour la chanson Midnight Cruiser :



We Are Monroe – White Lights

we are monroe

MIDNIGHT CRUISER
MIND GAMES
DM ME
LOST IN THE DARK
PULL ME UNDER
STRANGE CONDITIONS
WHITE LIGHTS
NO VACATION LAND
PERIMETER
BREAK THE SILENCE
HITBACK - SORS-TU.CA

A year and a half after their successful debut EP, Funeral, Montreal-based We Are Monroe release “Midnight Cruiser”, the first single off of the upcoming album set to drop at the end of April.



The band was lucky enough to collaborate with Patrick Krief (Krief, The Dears) and Dave Traina (The Damn Truth) during the recording and mixing process of “Midnight Cruiser”. The input and influence of both these talented musicians can be heard on the track and has helped the band accentuate and deepen their identifiable sound, bringing it to a whole other level.

London-based John Davis, who has worked with so many of the music’s great over the years (including Jimmy Page, U2, Foals, FKA Twigs, White Lies, Haim, Led Zeppelin, New Order and Florence & The Machines to only name a few) mastered the track.

The video, produced by Frédérique Gaudet and directed by Sacha Aubé and Thomas Leblanc Murray, premiered at the Single Release Show on January 28th at The Belmont, in Montreal, along with Po Lazarus and Mike McKenna Jr who warmed up the room.

About We Are Monroe:
Often categorized as a post-punk revival band, We Are Monroe creates an unpretentious form of dancy indie-rock with an edge, based on a drum/bass rhythm core, and has grown famous for the raw, hard-hitting, high-energy dynamic of its live shows, while steadily selling out venues and playing renowned festivals. - Bucketlist Music Review

We Are Monroe – Midnight Cruiser


CATEGORY INDIE ROCK, QUEBEC
Midnight Cruiser

First single off of We Are Monroe’s upcoming, full-length album set to drop in April 2017. - SOUNDSPOT

Post-punk revival band, We Are Monroe are from Montreal.

They offer up an unpretentious form of dancy, indie-rock reminscent of the likes of The Killers, and we dig it. They're hard-hitting, high energy dynamic during live show really puts them in a category of its own and people are starting to notice as they continue to sell out venues and play renowned festivals.

The new single "Midnight Cruiser" has been officially released on all digital platforms and we get the chance to show you the visuals that accompany the release before anyone else.

The video follows the narrative and linear progression of the song, featuring a young man who seems to be running away from someone. As the song builds up, the mood follows with fast-paced shots cutting between the band performing and the young man trying to find a way out. You'll want to stick to the end as the whole thing climaxes and offers up a twist, which reveals what is actually going on.

Watch above.





"Midnight Cruiser" is the first single off of We Are Monroe's upcoming, full-length album set to drop in April 2017. - IX DAILY

Often categorized as a post-punk revival band, the 4 guys behind We Are Monroe will themselves claim they are in no way trying to reinvent rock. The music they create is based on an mash of everything inspiring them, leading it to a drum/bass rhythm core. Ballsy, yet unpretentious, We Are Monroe delivers a form of dancy, indie rock with an edge, that intrigues from the very first chords, and smittens any crowd after just one song. True Story: there is a very real 93 year-old rocking lady to prove it.

We Are Monroe, which officially formed in early 2012, slowly came together over time, starting with the high-school friendship of Pete (bass) and Ben (drums) in the late 90s; their coincidental, home-brewed beer-fueled meet-up with Jay (guitars) more than a decade later; and finally, the not-so-casual encounter with Pat (vocals, guitar) who was unashamedly snatched from his band by the other three members in late 2011.

Nothing says humble beginnings like a rehearsal space in a fabric store's basement, especially when the jams must be muted at the flick of a light controlled by the store's manager as customers walked in. Still, the hours of music each member has put in, all while slaving away at full-time professional jobs, have helped them pay their dues, first on the local scene, and now as they slowly grow their reach thanks to the reputation of their performances.

The raw, hard-hitting, high-energy dynamic that embodies each and every single one of their live shows has proven worthy as the guys are steadily selling out venues and playing internationally renowned festivals such as the Ottawa Folk Fest, the Festival d'été de Québec, and M for Montreal.

Having shared the stage with some of the best local, national and international acts such as The Dears, The Damn Truth, Foster the People, We Are Wolves, Plants and Animals, Elephant Stone, Tommy Stinson, The Beaches and American Authors to only name a few, We Are Monroe are well on their way to becoming the best hidden gem of the eastern Canada indie rock music scene.

With the release of their first EP in the spring of 2015, Montreal's CHOM FM has continuously given the band some well-deserved air-time, even scheduling them on an on-air interview and performance during its morning show, and naming ''Funeral'' in the top 30 of 2015's best songs of the year.

We Are Monroe is currently in the process of recording its first full-length album which is set to be released in the spring of 2017.

we are Monroe
We are Monroe Facebook
Mots-clés: Featured Band, Groupe Québecois, Groupe Affilié - Rock Statik

En avril prochain, We Are Monroe présentera son tout premier album en carrière. Afin de « teaser » son public, le groupe indie rock montréalais a invité ses fans au Belmont le samedi 28 janvier. En plus de présenter des extraits de cette première palette attendue, la formation montréalaise a projeté le vidéoclip officiel de Midnight Cruiser en exclusivité.

Après nous avoir envahi de fumée comme si on se retrouvait dans un show de Timber Timbre, We Are Monroe nous a transporté dans un tout autre registre musical. Avec sa musique mixant à merveille l’indie rock ainsi que le psychédélique rock, la formation montréalaise a soulevé la foule réunie au Belmont.

Pour avoir assister à la prestation de Galaxie (avec Marie-Pierre Arthur) lors des FrancoFolies 2016, je me suis senti bercer dans le même genre d’univers musical samedi soir. En regardant attentivement les fans aux abords de la scène, je n’étais clairement le seul qui était submergé par cette musique et cette intensité. En réalité, Le Belmont grouillait de spectateurs dynamiques qui désiraient groover avec le band.

Après une telle réussite, le quatuor en a profité pour faire le plein de confiance à l’aube de la parution de son premier album studio : « C’est certain que le lancement en avril nous rend tous un peu nerveux. C’est une grosse étape pour nous, fort probablement dans une plus grande salle. Mais on a très hâte de le partager avec notre public, surtout après presque deux ans de travail. On aussi hâte de voir la réponse des gens face à la vibe de l’album. De voir la réaction de la foule aux nouvelles pièces, ça nous met plus en confiance ».

« Les mois qui séparent le show et le lancement en avril vont nous permettre de prendre un peu de recul et vraiment d’examiner tout ça dans son ensemble afin de mieux définir la vibe de l’album », admet le chanteur Patrick Gomes en entrevue à la suite de sa prestation.

En attendant le lancement, je vous invite à découvrir We Are Monroe via son Bandcamp. Si vous voulez les voir en show prochainement, ils seront du côté de Québec (18 février) à L’Anti Bar & Spectacles. - Alt. Rock Press

We Are Monroe is currently in the process of recording their first full-length album which is set to be released in the spring of 2017. Learn more follow the links. - SoundSpot

Often categorized as a post-punk revival band, and going back as far back as the late 90′s, Montreal’s We Are Monroe have been building ther reputation in their home town for a while now, with their take on dancy indie-rock attracting bigger and bigger crowds, demonstrated by tonight’s packed out Belmont.

This show isn’t just another gig though. Tonight, the band are here to celebrate the release of new single Midnight Cruiser, ahead of the release of their debut album in April 2017. They play the song tonight while also debuting the official video, although frontman Pat Gomes warns they’re likely to play it too fast to sync with the clip on the wall behind them.

After opening sets by Po Lazarus and Mike McKenna Jr it’s time for the main attraction. The sound inside the venue is crystal clear and the band have obviously made a concerted effort to dress the stage. A line of amps isn’t enough tonight. The band’s name fills the back of the stage in lights, adding to the sense of occasion. The packed out crowd dances and cheers throughout their set and all those on stage seem to be genuinely enjoying the performance.

Songs like the soaring Give Me Some… are performed with real passion, while crowd favourite Funeral gets the entire room moving to its uplifting Franz Ferdinand-like beat. The relentless rhythm of Tiger In A Box ensures things don’t slow down for a second while Tear Yourself Apart gives Gomes’s vocals time to shine.

Occasionally you’ll witness a local band and realise they’re about to move onto far bigger things. If there’s any justice in the world, We Are Monroe are about to have a very big year! - Montreal Rocks

From Canada comes one of the best indie rock sounds I’ve heard in a while from a new and up and coming band. Simply let got of the rules and inhibitions and let the tunes take over your body and all of your senses as “Midnight Cruiser” becomes part of you. Listen to that masterful change of pace that always seem to happen in the right moment, the union of instruments that make up an enticing and electrifying sound that becomes a true masterpiece with that voice that is able to embrace you softly as if you were a child and then shake you like a madman until you dance until there’s no tomorrow. We are Monroe aims to make Canada the country that dominates the indie rock modern scene and with this track they are showing us that it could happen really soon. Listen and enjoy this magnificent showcase of powerful vocals, unison sounds and that special “IT” factor that a few chose ones posses. - Wolf in a Suit

Qu’est-ce qu’on écoute?

La semaine dernière, le groupe rock montréalais We Are Monroe lançait Midnight Cruiser, le premier extrait de son prochain album à venir en mai. Énergique, le simple a été produit par Patrick Krief (The Dears) et Dave Traina (The Damn Truth) et annonce un album intense aux couleurs de The Killers et d’Interpol. Le groupe lancera officiellement Midnight Cruiser et la vidéo de la chanson ce samedi 28 janvier au Belmont. - Voir

A year and a half after their successful debut EP, Funeral, Montreal-based We Are Monroe are releasing Midnight Cruiser, the first single off of the upcoming album set to drop at the end of April. The official video will be launched at the Single Release event held at The Belmont in Montreal on January 28th.

Listen below:



The band collaborated with Patrick Krief (Krief, The Dears) and Dave Traina (The Damn Truth) during the recording and mixing process of Midnight Cruiser. The input and influence of both these talented musicians can be heard on the track and has helped the band accentuate and deepen their identifiable sound, bringing it to a whole other level.

London-based John Davis, who has worked with so many of the music’s great over the years (including Jimmy Page, U2, Foals, FKA Twigs, White Lies, Haim, Led Zeppelin, New Order and Florence & The Machines to only name a few) mastered the track.

The video, produced by Frédérique Gaudet and directed by Sacha Aubé and Thomas Leblanc Murray, will premiere at the Single Release Show happening on January 28th at The Belmont, in Montreal, along with Po Lazarus and Mike McKenna Jr who will warm up the room. Get tickets HERE

Often categorized as a post-punk revival band, We Are Monroe’s sound has been described as dancy indie-rock with an edge, based on a drum/bass rhythm core, and they’ve built a reputation for the raw, hard-hitting, high-energy dynamic of its live shows. - Montreal Rocks

Le groupe montréalais We Are Monroe nous fait plaisir aujourd’hui en dévoilant un tout premier extrait de l’album à paraitre en avril, Midnight Cruiser.

On retrouve la signature indie-rock du groupe et on ne peut s’empêcher de hocher discrètement la tête devant notre ordinateur en écoutant la chanson. On se voit déjà en train de sauter comme des fous sur Midnight Cruiser lors du lancement officiel du simple qui aura lieu le 28 janvier prochain au Belmont. Lors de cette soirée, seront présents pour réchauffer la foule, Po Lazarus et de Mike McKenna Jr.

De plus, sache que le vidéoclip, réalisé par Sacha Aubé et Thomas Leblanc Murray, sera également présenté en primeur dans le cadre du lancement à la fin du mois!

Bref, pour l’instant tu peux écouter, sans retenue, Midnight Cruiser sur le Bandcamp de groupe! - Nightlife.ca

We are Monroe had a busy couple of years: the boys released their first EP – “Funeral”, back in 2015, toured all over Quebec (a couple of times even), playing with such renown bands as The Damn Truth, We are Wolves and The Dears, played various festivals, namely CMW, M for Montreal and Les Premiers Vendredis… and we could go on. So you’d think they’d pat themselves on the back and take some well deserved time off to you know, breath a little, take a vacation…but no.

The band is not showing any signs of slowing down, surprising us (or not, if you follow them on social media) with a new tune – Midnight Cruiser – first track off their upcoming album, which should see the light of day sometime in the spring (April-ish). Upbeat, catchy: this is We are Monroe in it’s truest form, with a few surprises here and there, including a gripping drum solo about 30 seconds in. Though it does have unmistakable Killers or Ferdinand flavours to it, this song, like most of what WaM has done up until now, brings a fresh, modern spin on the new wave, post-punk revival genre. Which sets them apart from the rest of the crowd. (And really, earns them the right to be thought of as a group of it’s own, without incessant comparisons. Our two cents!)

We are Monroe will release the official “Midnight Cruiser” video during their single release party,on January 28th, at Le Belmont. They will be playing with Po Lazarus and Mike McKenna Jr. - Naked Underground MTL

Depuis près de deux ans, le groupe We Are Monroe surfe sur le succès de Funeral. Propulsé par la radio CHOM, le quatuor montréalais vient énergisé le public du Grove Hall samedi.





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Depuis près de deux ans, le groupe We Are Monroe surfe sur le succès de Funeral. Propulsé par la radio CHOM, le quatuor montréalais vient énergisé le public du Grove Hall samedi.

«On n'est pas un band doux. Ce n'est pas du heavy metal, mais on joue fort, rapide, c'est énergique. On déplace de l'air. »
Pierre-Luc Juteau

«CHOM, c'est assez gros, mais on n'est pas conscient du rayonnement, concède le bassiste Pierre-Luc Juteau. À Huntingdon, les gens écoutent de la musique, mais il faut faire voyager le nom du groupe là-bas. »

La formation actuelle, complétée du chanteur et guitariste Pat Gomes, du guitariste Jason Lalonde et de Ben Dupuis à la batterie propose son post-punk moderne depuis 2011.

«Je n'aime pas mettre d'étiquette à la musique, mentionne Juteau. Mais j'aime beaucoup l'image que si Joy Division et The Killers avaient un enfant, ce serait We Are Monroe. »

Déjà, le groupe travaille sur un album à paraître au printemps. Un nouvel amalgame de chansons plus douces enregistrées sous la supervision d'un membre de The Dears et d'autres plus rentre-dedans avec Dave Traina de The Damn Truth. Déjà, la réception des nouvelles pièces est bonne en spectacle, ce qui conforte le groupe dans ses choix.

Ce qui est sûr c'est que le Grove Hall aura une rencontre percutante avec We Are Monroe samedi. «On aime les lumières, assure le bassiste. On s'est donc construit un kit qui punch visuellement. On a joué à La Boîte noire à Sherbrooke et un des locataires en haut de la salle est venu nous dire qu'on n'était pas au Centre Bell et qu'on l'empêchait d'écouter sa télévision. » - Journal Saint-François

On Saturday, November 19th, Grove Hall will host We Are Monroe, a band who has toured with past hall performers such as The Damn Truth on several occasions.

Dubbed a post-punk revival band, the group has been a regular on CHOM FM over the past year and a half. Currently recording an album set to launch this spring, their song “Funeral” earned a spot on CHOM’s top 30 best songs of 2015. Composed of Pat Gomes on vocals/guitar, Pete Juteau on bass, Jason Lalonde on guitar and Ben Dupuis on drums, the group “…creates an unpretentious form of dancy, indie rock with an edge based on a drum bass rhythm core referencing what could be best described as the love child between Joy Division and The Killers,” says Roxane Trudel—the Huntingdon native who has inspired the Montreal-based band’s trek to the Chateauguay Valley.

Montreal resident Trudel moved to the city to pursue an education in marketing and communications—a path that led her to Montreal’s underground music scene. Eventually she began collaborating with several influential websites and webzines, including Naked Underground and Nightlife.ca, writing about new music, reviewing shows and conducting interviews. After watching close friends The Damned Truth perform at local art hub Grove Hall, Trudel was inspired. “I was beyond excited! I'm friends with several other great up-and-coming bands as it is a portion of my job, and I've decided to invest time to try and make the valley a sort of hub for new music, a little bit like other towns were able to create,” explains Trudel, calling out Sherbrooke’s La petite boîte noire as an example.

“We Are Monroe has grown famous for the raw, hard-hitting, high-energy dynamic of its live shows while steadily selling out venues and playing multiple renowned festivals,” continues Trudel. Having shared the stage with the likes of acts such as The Dears and Foster the People, it is certain that We are Monroe is a band that is definitely worth taking note of.

For more information, contact Roxane Trudel at Roxane.trudel@hotmail.com or 514-513-1668. Showtime is 8:30 P.M. Tickets: $10 presale, $12 at the door. - The Gleaner

Il y avait une foule monstre sur les Plaines d'Abraham pour accueillir en grand Coeur de pirate qui s'est dit très touchée d'être là avant d'avouer qu'elle n'aurait jamais cru se rendre là où elle est aujourd'hui. Dans la capitale, il y avait de la fébrilité dans l'air à l'occasion du Festival d'été de Québec, puisque nous avons également fait la rencontre des énergiques Wintersleep à l'Impérial Bell, des harmonieux BELLFL0WER sur la scène Fibe et des enthousiastes We Are Monroe à L'Anti Bar & Spectacles. - La Bible Urbaine

Les projecteurs sont éteints, on a commencé à démonter les scènes. La 49e présentation du Festival d’été de Québec est maintenant terminée et c’est l’heure des bilans. L’organisation du Festival a présenté le sien lundi : bien entendu, c’était un succès sur toute la ligne. On s’attendait à cette affirmation, mais on sentait en voyant les mines fatiguées, mais ravies, qu’au FEQ, on le croit dur comme fer.

Faut dire que les festivaliers ont répondu à l’appel. Beau temps (le deuxième week-end), mauvais temps (le premier samedi), les différentes scènes ont été prises d’assaut. On a évité les flops gênants, mais la plupart du temps, on était plus confortable, conséquence de la diminution du nombre de précieux sésames mis en vente. Même la nouvelle scène au coeur du FEQ, déplacé devant la fontaine de Tourny, a été un grand succès! D’ailleurs, on se félicite au Festival de cette (excellente) idée. De nombreux artistes ou groupes locaux et émergents ont ainsi pu montrer leurs talents à un vaste public, qui en profitait pour casser la croûte. Les différents food trucks installés sur place proposaient des trucs savoureux (la poutine au porc effiloché des Recettes paumées était divine). À prix fort raisonnable! Ça faisait changement des hot-dogs et du Monsieur Chips!

Le Festival en a profité pour montrer son nouveau logo pour la prochaine année. Les couleurs auxquelles on nous avait habitués ces dernières années sont toujours présentes, mais on y a ajouté un beau 50 stylisé sur lequel tombe une bordée de confettis. C’est moderne, c’est festif, ça souligne le jalon atteint tout en demeurant résolument moderne.

La conférence de presse s’est terminée en annonçant la date du prochain FEQ : du 6 au 16 juillet 2017. Oh, Louis Bellavance a dit que le FEQ préparait quelque chose en basse-ville en septembre. C’est con, j’ai l’impression que c’est le genre d’événement qui pourrait nous intéresser.

Tout n’était bien sûr pas parfait dans ce bas monde, même pour une organisation bien rodée comme le FEQ. Les nouvelles mesures de sécurité renforcées ont fait beaucoup jaser. En règle générale, les mesures de sécurité ne s’adressent pas aux terroristes ou aux méchants, elles s’adressent au public qu’on veut rassurer. De son côté, le public veut qu’on lui prouve que le lieu est sécuritaire, mais il ne veut pas subir les désagréments qui en découlent. C’est ainsi qu’on a vu au FEQ la sécurité, la liberté, la rapidité d’accès et le gros bon sens s’affronter dans une lutte à finir.

Le principal problème rencontré touche l’interdiction des bouteilles d’eau (tout en permettant les bouteilles froissables et les sacs-gourdes vides, qu’on pouvait remplir dans l’une des quelque cinq stations de remplissage). Tout le monde, même notre équipe, a goûté à cette nouvelle règle. Je suis même sorti des Plaines avec une bouteille d’eau achetée sur place et que j’ai dû vider avant de rentrer! Ne riez pas, j’ai été distrait.

L’idée était bonne (réduit les risques ET les déchets), mais avouons-le, l’exécution laissait un peu à désirer. Sur les Plaines, qui sont absolument immenses, il doit y avoir beaucoup plus de quatre stations de distribution d’eau. Au Parc de la Francophonie, une de chaque côté suffirait, en les plaçant à des endroits stratégiques. Elles n’ont pas toutes à être aussi high-tech que celles qu’on a vues, quelques éviers à robinets multiples disséminés çà et là (on pense notamment en haut de la butte) pourraient très bien faire le boulot, non? On propose une solution, là, on sait qu’amener l’eau à destination peut être compliqué (même au-dessus d’un réservoir d’eau comme sur les Plaines…). Autre suggestion : pourquoi ne pas tolérer UNE bouteille d’eau scellée, comme on le permet dans d’autres festivals comme Bonnaroo, qui est loin d’être une organisation de broche à foin? Est-ce que ça ralentirait beaucoup le débit à l’entrée?

On ne vous parlera pas trop de notre expérience sur les Plaines. Pour la première fois depuis des années, je n’y suis allé qu’une fois et ce fut pour prendre des photos. Je sais aussi que la plupart des collaborateurs du blogue n’y ont passé que très peu de temps.

Non, si vous nous cherchiez, vous aviez beaucoup plus de chances de nous trouver à L’Anti (où on a commencé notre festival), au District St-Joseph (où on l’a fini), à l’Impérial Bell ou à la nouvelle scène Fibe, où nous avons eu quelques coups de coeur. Oui, nous avons vu des artistes que nous voyons souvent (bonjour Anatole), mais nous avons aussi fait quelques découvertes qui en ont valu la peine (Mansfield TYA).

Nous avons aussi fait quelques incursions au Parc de la Francophonie, où nous avons eu le bonheur de voir plusieurs excellents spectacles. Personnellement, je ressens encore une grande partie de cet état de béatitude dans lequel j’étais au spectacle de Louis-Jean Cormier et j’ai encore le sourire aux lèvres à cause de la baleine mangeuse de musiciens pendant le spectacle des Decemberists. Je sais que mes camarades ont adoré la magie de Half Moon Run. Puis on a beau ne pas être des fans, il faut admettre que les 10 minutes passées au spectacle d’Éric Lapointe nous ont permis d’être témoins de toute une bête de scène. Même pas une toune de jouée qu’il était déjà en sueur, la main dans la poitrine, prêt à y sortir son coeur et à l’offrir au public. Et puis cette rentrée québécoise de Karim Ouellet qui, avec l’aide de ses amis, a su régner en roi et maître devant un parterre conquis d’avance!

À Place d’Youville, si nous avons aimé la prestation endiablée des Hôtesses d’Hilaire, c’est à Dumas que nous devons nos plus grands frissons avec sa fièvre du mardi soir qui nous a fait danser toute la nuit (toute la, toute la), toute la nuit (toute la, toute la)… Du côté de la scène Fibe, force est d’admettre qu’ici, les organisateurs du FEQ ont réussi un tour de magie. Il y avait toujours un grand nombre de curieux prêts à découvrir des artistes d’ici ou émergents dans tous les styles. Dès le départ, Peter Henry Phillips a donné l’exemple, qui a été suivi par des Safia Nolin, Mansfield TYA et autres Bellflower pendant 10 jours.

Parlant de Bellflower, j’avais hâte de voir la formation. Très hâte. J’en avais entendu tant de bien! Eh bien voilà, toutes les attentes ont été dépassées, et je sais que le groupe a fait de nombreux nouveaux fans. Yukon Blonde a également été très efficace. Raton Lover, qui a suivi, a profité d’un cadre parfait pour sortir quelques nouvelles chansons qui m’ont redonné espoir en l’humanité. Le contact avec Placard a fait des petits et j’ai l’impression que l’expression Québericana (merci Valérie) risque d’être sur de nombreuses lèvres. Enfin, on n’était pas là, mais il paraît qu’il y avait vraiment foule pour The Strumbellas. Pas de mal à le croire.

L’Impérial Bell nous a aussi donné de belles soirées. Faut dire qu’avec la nouvelle formule (première partie, tête d’affiche, after), on pouvait plus facilement choisir ce qu’on avait envie de voir tout en facilitant la rotation des festivaliers dans la salle. On a pu y voir Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Koriass, Brown et plusieurs autres, mais ce sont surtout les fins de soirées avec Les Deuxluxes (sur le bord d’exploser, les amis, sur le bord d’exploser) et Canailles (avec qui on a beaucoup aimé faire la fête) qui nous ont fait le plus bouger.

Nous sommes allés moins souvent au District St-Joseph que nous ne l’aurions cru au départ, mais nous y avons passé d’excellents moments à plus d’une reprise. Que ce soit pour voir le rock efficace de Casual Rites ou le mini-triomphe de Gabrielle Shonk, la petite salle était un lieu formidable pour ceux qui viennent ÉCOUTER un show. On l’a vu avec Archer, tout le monde était accroché à ses lèvres (et à sa camisole défraîchie). Le plus beau moment de tout mon festival est cette nouvelle chanson de Saratoga, Fleur, au milieu d’une foule qui écoutait attentivement chacune des paroles prononcées par Chantal et Gasse. Une chanson que personne ne connaissait, mais qui a donné moult frissons et fait monter quelques millilitres d’eau jusqu’aux yeux de votre serviteur.

Bien entendu, nous n’avons pas boudé L’Anti, nouvelle salle qui remplace le Cercle dans le circuit du FEQ cette année. Si nous y avons vu d’excellents artistes locaux (Jérome Casabon, Medora) en début de soirée, il faut avouer que nous avons adoré nous faire brasser la cage de toutes les façons possibles (Solids, the OBGMs, We Are Monroe). Et notre Totole national (Anatole) y a offert une de ses meilleures prestations depuis qu’il a quitté L.A.! Très beaux succès de foule pour la petite salle de la rue Dorchester.

Les PopUpFEQ ont encore une fois le plaisir des festivaliers mélomanes en quête de belles surprises. Half Moon Run, Louis-Jean Cormier, Koriass et Safia Nolin, ainsi que Steel Panther (on aurait peut-être choisi un autre lieu pour eux, par contre) ont égayé les curieux qui ont trouvé ce qui se cachait derrière les indices. Quels beaux moments passés avec Half Moon Run à l’église Saint-Coeur-de-Marie!

Encore une fois cette année, ce fut l’occasion de faire de nouvelles rencontres intéressantes. On a rencontré Emma, de Rocknfool, un joli blogue sympathique d’outre-Atlantique. Musicalement parlant, on a quelques affinités. Just sayin’, des fois que vous y feriez des découvertes. Il y a aussi cet ami, jeune papa, qui apprend à la dure comment concilier vie familiale et trip de festival. Il y a tous ces journalistes/bloggueurs d’un peu partout que j’ai vus dans les pits photo. Si on m’avait dit qu’un jour, je prendrais des photos de Flea à côté d’un gars du Consequence of Sound et que pendant 5 minutes, nous serions égaux, je vous aurais ri dans la face (surtout que j’étais bien moins bien équipé que tout le monde dans le pit…). J’ai aussi retrouvé plusieurs personnes que je croise dans les festivals. Des photographes parmi les plus courtois au monde (du moins, sur les petites scènes). Des journalistes professionnels. Des amis, un peu partout. Les employés du Snack-Bar St-Jean et de Chez Gaston (oui, je mange sainement pendant le FEQ).

Après m’être endormi pendant le show à Bonnaroo en 2012, j’avais beaucoup d’attentes envers les Red Hot Chili Peppers. C’est donc avec une certaine fébrilité que j’ai assisté au début du spectacle, un début ma foi fort explosif. Tout allait bien jusqu’à ce qu’on entende Anthony Kiedis rater quelques notes, puis quelques bouts complets. On voyait bien que ça le dérangeait, que quelque chose clochait, mais en pro, il continuait à chanter (pas tout à fait juste). C’était juste… agaçant. C’est ce que les critiques (que certains fans n’ont pas hésité à traiter d’estie de chialeux) ont souligné. Heureusement, les problèmes se sont estompés et on a eu droit à une finale enlevante et Flea était là pour voler le show, mais il y a comme un petit goût amer qui accompagne cette prestation.

Je me souviens d’avoir vu July Talk en 2014… au Cercle. Il faisait chaud, on pissait la sueur de partout, pis il nous arrive ce groupe aux deux bêtes de scène qui ont ensemble un magnétisme fou.

Deux ans plus tard, ils étaient là, sur les Plaines, devant plusieurs dizaines de milliers de personnes, et ils ont proposé une prestation aussi chaude et charnelle que celle qu’ils avaient présentée au Cercle. Nullement intimidés, parfaitement à l’aise. Ma seule soirée sur les Plaines, c’est beaucoup à cause d’eux. Ils me l’ont bien rendu. - Écoute Donc Ça

Harfang et We Are Monroe
Pour découvrir la nouvelle salle de L’Anti

10 juillet 17h et 22h à L’Anti

Le Festival d’été de Québec a choisi de s’associer avec L’Anti Bar & Spectacle après que le Cercle ait choisi de ne pas renouveler leur entente. Toutefois, ce lieu est plutôt connu de la scène underground de la Vieille-Capitale. Pour vous la faire découvrir, la soirée du 10 juillet en compagnie de Harfang et We Are Monroe serait un choix judicieux.

Ces deux formations québécoises–Harfang de Québec et We Are Monroe de Montréal–proposent deux styles de musique qui connaissent leurs similarités, mais aussi leurs différences. Harfang se spécialise dans le planant mélancolique, à la Patrick Watson presque, tandis que We Are Monroe plongera également dans le mélancolique mais d’une manière qui groovera un peu plus, avec plus de mordant.

Harfang compte un album, Flood (2015), ainsi qu’un EP homonyme. La formation de Québec vient de faire paraître leur plus récent single, à écouter maintenant.


Ils ne dénombrent peut-être qu’un EP et un single, mais We Are Monroe sont des habitués de la scène, ayant joué dans plusieurs festivals et salles de spectacle. Ici, un avant-goût ce que vous pourriez voir à L’Anti le 10 juillet prochain. - Sors-Tu

CMW 2016: We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography picturesWe Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe put on a cool show at The Bovine Sex Club on May 6 for Canadian Music Week. They are a post-punk band from Montreal whose music delivers high energy hard rock you can dance to.
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography picturesWe Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography picturesWe Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
We Are Monroe at The Bovine Sex Club in Toronto for Canadian Music Week CMW 2016, May 6 2016 Photos by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative live music blog concert photography pictures
Here's some We Are Monroe music:

"Funeral"


"Tiger in a Box"


"Modern Day Gentlemen"


"Sunglasses"

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We are Monroe are, in my eyes, already famous. These gentlemen will make Montreal 100% proud. You want to know why? Because they sing about relationships of the human kind in a straightforward way, and the tunes bang out harder than a donkey punch. I would have liked to see them at Le Belmont this past January, and I can only imagine it went down well. The music from the Funeral EP on their Bandcamp page is such a teaser- damn you, We Are Monroe! Three songs is just not enough, so I’m going to buy the Funeral Deluxe Vinyl Package online on their website once this review is complete !

The first song “Funeral” jumps into high gear with drummer Ben and bassist Pete rocking a post-punk rhythm. Jason on guitar and Pat on vocals and guitar make it complete with precision-distorted riffs and an angry, melodic singing style reminiscent of the Killers, but much more raw and edgy.

“Tiger in a Box” bashes you in the face with an upbeat, post-punk-inspired rhythm section and unforgiving lyrics such as, “I tried to help you but you turned me away, I have the words, have the mind, have the heart to tell you that I couldn’t stay when it’s all about you” and, “So why you hating on me.”

The high energy continues with “Bitter Teeth” as the band brings you a story told through lyrics like, “Changing your mind all of the time, living a lie” over a four-chord progression.

With songs like this that provoke you to ring someone’s neck that’s been pissing you off and then dance up a frenzy to celebrate, I see a lot of people connecting with We Are Monroe, especially in this city. I for one will definitely not miss their next show in Montreal. - Bucketlistmusicreviews

Afin d’entreprendre cette nouvelle session la tête haute, quoi de mieux qu’une brochette épicée de shows rock nous procurant l’énergie nécessaire pour foncer brutalement dans les semaines à venir. Voici ce que le line-up inoubliable du Show de la Rentrée avait à offrir, mercredi dernier, au Grand Salon.

DE LA REINE

C’est devant une salle remplie que De la Reine livre sa toute première prestation musicale. Fraîchement sortie du Pantoum, la formation offre une expérience musicale originale qui se démarque par le pouvoir transcendant des percussions de Jean-Étienne Collin Marcoux et la prestance du chant d’Odile Marmet-Rochefort. Le tout enveloppé de la guitare vibrante de Vincent Lamontagne qui réchauffe les cœurs présents.

De la Reine propose un jeu de lumière intéressant, épousant bien l’honorable scène du Grand Salon. Une prestation qui ne fut malheureusement pas assez longue. Vivement les prochaines représentations de ce jeune groupe au talent fleurissant !

WE ARE MONROE

La formation We Are Monroe débute en force, et entre sur scène avec une énergie réchauffante, entraînant l’assistance à se lancer dans quelques pas de danse. En regardant le guitariste et le chanteur gratter leurs instruments d’une manière presque animale, on comprend très vite que le groupe est possédé par la musique.

Esclaves du rock, Pat, Ben, Pete et Jason proposent un show enivrant qui complète l’apparition de De la Reine et qui nourrit en attendant la venue de We Are Wolves. Il donne droit à un moment divin où les artistes enclenchent un riff accrocheur en attendant l’accord de leurs instruments afin d’entamer une nouvelle mélodie. C’est lorsque la foule ne peut plus attendre qu’ils se lancent et crachent leur son de plus belle sur l’auditoire. L’ambiance est chaude, le chanteur attache sa crinière signature. La salle est prête maintenant.

WE ARE WOLVES

Les visages couverts de foulards, les gars de We Are Wolves prennent d’assaut la scène du Grand Salon. L’ambiance est à son comble. La fine odeur de bière et de sueur renvoie aux pures racines du rock and roll. Le trio électrise la foule avec un son punk rock post-moderne et balance le premier titre de cette longue et majestueuse soirée.

« Nous voulons créer un monde derrière la musique, mais on ne veut pas non plus exagérer pour ne pas que ça devienne un spectacle visuel, oubliant la présence du band. On a un respect pour ce qu’est le show de musique rock, on ne veut pas gâcher cette proximité qu’on entretient avec le public », a admis le chanteur et bassiste Alexander Ortiz quelques heures avant d’entrer en scène.

Les puissantes vibrations senties par la guitare d’Ortiz, accompagnées des percussions de Pierre-Luc Bégin, font décoller les pieds du sol humide et enclenche une danse prenant le contrôle de chaque individu présent dans la salle. À l’intérieur du mosh pit, les corps se propulsent les uns vers les autres au rythme des arbres analogues. L’échange de sueur et de phéromones crée une ambiance surréaliste. Avec une body surfeuse à gauche, un autre à droite, le Grand Salon se transforme en temple rock débridé.

La proximité du band envers l’assistance et la délicieuse voix d’Alexander Ortiz proposent une ambiance ardente. We are Wolves présente ses meilleurs titres tels Fight and Kiss et Feed Them. On a même droit à un succulent cover de Paranoïd de Black Sabbath. Rappel obligé, le groupe se réapproprie la scène et le chanteur plonge dans la foule en guise d’adieu. Celle-ci le porte amoureusement un instant et le repose sur la scène. Quel show !

FONKYNSON

Fonkynson s’installe ensuite sur la scène et fait danser l’assistance grâce à un rythme électro à la touche française. C’est une expérience scénique haute en couleurs. Le DJ présente ses meilleurs mix comme celui de Body, de Ja Rule ft Ashley Joi. Fonkynson, DJ qu’il ne faut surtout pas perdre de vue, a livré une expérience électro-funk agréable, de manière à bien terminer cette soirée haute en émotions. On attend avec impatience son prochain retour à Québec. - Impact Campus

De la Reine, We Are Monroe, We Are Wolves et Fonkyson : si l’identité musicale du prochain Show de la Rentrée est aussi claire, c’est surtout par souci de cohérence de la part des organisateurs.

Contrairement à l’édition automnale, où l’envergure permet d’assigner un genre précis à chaque scène, il faut viser « quelque chose de plus accessible » à l’hiver, tout en proposant un ensemble cohérent, constate Anthony Fournier, vice-président aux affaires socioculturelles de la CADEUL.

Bien plus qu’à l’hiver 2015, où le punk de Jesuslesfilles et la synth pop d’Anatole côtoyaient l’électro d’aRTIST oF tHE yEAR, la cuvée 2016 possède un fil conducteur évident. Des quatre bands invités, trois distillent un son brut aux consonances rock et/ou punk : De la Reine, We Are Monroe et We Are Wolves. Seul Fonkyson, qui verse dans le Nu Disco et l’électro, s’en détache.

Anthony Fournier parle d’une progression du post rock ambiant du groupe De la Reine au « post punk assez rock » de We Are Monroe, crescendo « que pousse un peu plus loin We Are Wolves ». Malgré la direction musicale choisie, la proposition reste générique et accessible, estime-t-il.

Québec peu représentée

Si le concert de septembre dernier avait été marqué par une abondance de groupes locaux – 11 sur 18 –, on ne peut pas en dire autant de celui du 20 janvier prochain. Des quatre groupes invités, seul De la Reine est issu de la Vielle Capitale, les autres évoluant dans la métropole.

Pour le VP aux affaires socioculturelles, c’est en partie pour conserver l’homogénéité de la programmation qu’il « a fallu élargir un peu » et lorgner du côté de Montréal.

Surtout que le line-up s’est construit autour du trio We Are Wolves, dont le dernier passage au Show date de quatre ans. « Ça faisait du sens, le timing était bon », notamment avec l’annonce de la sortie d’un album en février, avance Anthony. Le groupe avait aussi fait sensation lors de son passage au SPOT l’été dernier, ajoute le jeune homme.

Il y aussi que le bassin de groupes locaux « reste relativement limité » et que beaucoup ont déjà participé à l’événement, constate Jean-Étienne Collin Marcoux, cofondateur du Pantoum et consultant pour le Show de la Rentrée.

Un délai de deux ans, voire de deux ans et demi est nécessaire après chaque passage d’un band pour éviter la redondance, signale Anthony Fournier, qui évalue à une cinquantaine le nombre de groupes invités lors de cette période.

D’où la nécessité de trouver chaque fois de nouveaux artistes, « ce qui n’est pas toujours facile parce que certains manquent d’expérience ou leur musique n’est pas cohérente avec la direction choisie », conclut Jean-Étienne, qui évolue également dans les X-Ray Zebras et dans De la Reine.

Ambiance post-Noël

Dévoilée en même temps que la programmation, le 6 janvier dernier, l’affiche du Show de la Rentrée d’hiver donne peu indices sur l’ambiance qui règnera au Grand Salon le 20 janvier. Du bleu, des paillettes, certes, mais quoi d’autre ?

Jean-Étienne Collin-Marcoux, parle d’une « ambiance hivernale festive », voire d’un « show de boules » avec designs sphériques, boules de lumières de Noël suspendues et projections sur une sphère, sans toutefois confirmer. À une semaine de l’évènement, bien des choses peuvent encore bouger.

Le Show de la Rentrée d’hiver aura lieu le 20 janvier dès 21h au Grand Salon du pavillon Desjardins-Pollack. Entrée gratuite. - Impact Campus

En ce vendredi 6 novembre 2015, le groupe We Are Monroe a interprété quelques titres de son répertoire sur l’heure du midi, et ce, au BarUQAC.


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Le groupe a profité de leur passage à l’université du Québec à Chicoutimi pour mentionner qu’ils ont apprécié leur dernier passage au Saguenay. Selon les membres du groupe, les gens qui s’étaient déplacé lors de leur dernier spectacle au Sous-Bois avaient une très bonne « vibe », et qu’ils étaient clairement présent pour s’amuser et écouter de la bonne musique. Ils en ont profité également pour mentionner qu’ils étaient contents de revenir à Chicoutimi.

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L’équipe de CEUC rappelle que We Are Monroe Seront en spectacle ce soir, au Sous-Bois. Le spectacle commence à 21 heures, et les billets coûtent 17 dollars. - CEUC: Communications etudiantes unversiataires de Chicoutimi

À propos de We Are Monroe

WEAREMONROE.COM
We Are Monroe : Un spectacle effréné qui frappera immédiatement votre envie de bouger.

Après avoir eu l’opportunité d’ouvrir au Théâtre Corona pour le groupe originaire de Brooklyn American Authors, les gars de We Are Monroe ont tout récemment livré leur tout dernier EP Funeral. Le lancement de leur vinyle a d’ailleurs fait salle comble au Petit Campus.

La chanson Funeral tourne présentement sur les ondes de CHOM FM et est également disponible via téléchargement gratuit au www.wearemonroe.com. Toujours en collaboration avec CHOM FM, le groupe vient de compléter une session d’enregistrement pour Show’s To Go. La vidéo sera disponible sous peu sur le site web de CHOM FM ainsi que sur les médias sociaux.

Tiger in a Box est aussi offert sur le EP Funeral et la vidéo de ce deuxième extrait est maintenant en ligne.

2015 a offert au groupe l’opportunité de développer de nouveaux marchés au Québec en s’associant avec des groupes tels que Caravane et The Damn Truth et We Are Monroe souhaite offrir son premier LP dès l’automne 2015. - Bonsound Concerts

La semaine dernière, nous avons rencontré Ben Depuis et Jason Lalonde, deux des quatre membres du groupe alternatif montréalais We are Monroe. Pour décrire le son du band, on pourrait dire que c’est un heureux mélange de plusieurs influences rock, à mi-chemin entre Joy Division, The Killers, en passant par The Hives et Franz Ferdinand. En d’autres mots, c’est un groupe qui est sur le point de prendre beaucoup de place sur la scène rock montréalaise. Surveillez-les bien!

Le groupe vient tout juste de lancer leur dernier EP « Funeral » et s’apprête à avoir un été plutôt chargé. D’ailleurs, ils seront en spectacle au Divan Orange le 12 juin dans le cadre du festival Fringe.

Plus d’infos sur We Are Monroe ici:
– Facebook
– Bandcamp - Dans tes Oreilles

Les premières parties de spectacles sont souvent des couteaux à doubles tranchants. D’un côté, y’a d’assez grosses chances que ton plus grand souhait soit que la fille qui se lamente sur le stage aille reprendre son souffle ailleurs afin que tu puisses enfin voir le show pour lequel t’as payé. D’autres fois, tu reçois une chaudière froide de bonheur quand t’entends des sons un peu l’fun avant de te dire: ce groupe méconnu ne sonne pas faux. Eh ben.

Tu finis par prendre le nom en note dans ton téléphone, à écouter le band à la job, à fredonner les airs dans la douche, etc. Mine de rien, «garde donc ça», tu tripes pas mal en bout de ligne.

Des histoires comme celle-là, ça n'arrive probablement pas assez souvent, faute de ne pas allez voir assez de spectacles ou de toujours arriver en retard, justement pour être certain de rater les premières parties. Je ne fais pas exception à la règle, même si j’essaye vraiment, vraiment fort; je suis juste en retard tout le temps, partout.

Bref, au mois de mars dernier, les astres se sont alignés et je suis arrivée à temps pour la première partie d’un concert au Théâtre Fairmount. For real, je me suis fait couper le souffle assez vite par We Are Monroe, un petit band de Montréal, assez sympa on top of it, qui avait honnêtement l’air de rien. Mais une fois la machine lancée, j’ai eu droit à une version moderne et rafraîchie de rock à la Joy Division, et ça rentre assez solidement dans les dents, surtout en spectacle. Tu me crois pas? Check ça:



Fait que là, je suis en fait assez énervée justement parce que le groupe lance (enfin) Funeral, leur premier EP / vinyle (of course il va y avoir des vinyles) au Petit Campus. Et cette fois-ci, n’arrive pas en retard; Caravane en première partie, ça aussi c’est assez fort. #MusiqueLocaleForever - NIGHTLIFE

On savait déjà que le spectacle de samedi au Cercle allait rocker solide avec Caravane. Aucun doute là-dessus. Mais la formation de Québec ne sera pas la seule à nous faire bouger avec des riffs solides : les Montréalais de WE ARE MONROE devraient également brasser la cage avec leur rock à saveur indie qui n’est pas sans rappeler Interpol ou The Killers.

En attendant la parution d’un album cet automne, le quatuor composé de Ben Dupuis (batterie), Pat Gomes (voix, guitare), Jason L (guitare, choeurs) et Pete Juteau (basse, choeurs) a lancé cette semaine un simple comprenant trois chansons intitulé Funeral. Ça brasse joyeusement, dans l’esprit post-punk des Strokes et autres bands du genre.


On devrait avoir Funeral de même que d’autres chansons du répertoire de WE ARE MONROE samedi. Ceux qui les ont vus en spectacle ne tarissent pas d’éloges. Il s’agit d’un groupe qui n’a pas peur de la scène et qui a longtemps fait la tournée des bars. Gomes et ses acolytes ne devraient pas avoir de mal à gagner le coeur des gens de Québec. - Ecoute Donc

CHOM’s Montreal Rocks’ 5th anniversary hit us pretty hard last Saturday, read about it here, but we still managed to sneak backstage and interview some pretty slick musicians. Among them, the hi-la-ri-ous lads of We Are Monroe, who participated in the event on Jay Walker‘s demand: ”You just can’t say no to Jay Walker. He’s too sweet of a guy. He’s the most helpful person in Montreal for bands.”

First though, we must pay respect where respect is due: Jay (Jérome) was called in to replace ORIGINAL Jay (Jason) on guitars just TWO days prior to the show and managed to kill it on stage. Why you ask? Because original Jay sliced part of his finger off in a woodshop. It’s now stitched back on. Hope you weren’t eating.
Not to worry, he’ll be back in time for the band’s mini tour in May; you may sleep easy.

More often than not, when interviewing bands in a pre/post show context, the ol’ ‘‘what’s the inspiration behind this album’’ question doesn’t really get us much further than some semi-drunk, post-punk, indie non-sense. The Monroe guys seemed relieved we didn’t take that route: ‘‘GOOD! ‘Cause we didn’t know the answer to that one!’’ And since yours truly doesn’t relate to any of that bullshit, we’d rather ask fundamental, life-changing, mind-blowing questions from the likes of: If you had to sing a song on American Idol, which one would it be?

Yeah. We went there.
‘‘That’s a good question, I never really thought of that! As a group, probably Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell,’’ says Pat, the band’s frontman. Ben, on drums, added on with a surprising answer… to say the least: ‘‘Probably one of Garou’s songs. (Everyone else : ?!?) He has a good voice!’’ HA HA mmk! Back-up Jay jumped on the bandwagon here: ‘‘Hey les gars; la voiture, je la gare où?’’ (T’a pognes-tu?) HA! We’re suckers for bad jokes!

That being said, if the band had to choose one of their own songs as the only one to play for the rest of their lives? ‘‘Probably one of our most recent ones, like Mailbox.” (NOT the song’s final title.) It truly reflects the direction the band is taking; it’s more dancy. Actually, we were always dancy, but it’s a more… researched sound; it’s ballsy-dancy.’’ Who knew ballsy-dancy was a thing? Whatever, it totally works!



The interview then took an interesting turn for the better (maybe?). Wondering if anything odd had ever happen to the band at/during/after a show, well, turns out, women still want their boobs autographed : ”I was asked to sign a boob at Les Trois Minots” says Pat, somewhat proudly. If you’re wondering what kind of boob it was, rest assure it wasn’t saggy: ”I mean she didn’t pop it out or anything but the top half was nice. It was very smooth, easy to write on. (laughs)” Speaking of interesting fans, seems like Sorel has their own breed of them:”At this show, a lady bought everything we had on the merch table, like doubles of everything, and it wasn’t our best stuff! It’s sweet ’cause she bought all the things we weren’t selling!” explains Pete.

With the alcohol flowing much more than what is considered reasonnable – but who cares – the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best drunk feast in the city is’. According to original Jay, Pizza Jarry has a… wait for it… BUTTER CHICKEN PIZZA! (on our list now.) But our main concern went out to the late Rapido, who’s fame was almost solely due to Carmen, Waitress-Wonder. Which now brings up the question: where the hell is Carmen? ”I swear if you guys find her, I’ll drop everything and go see her!”says Pete.

We’re now on a quest: #FindingCarmen | #OuEstCarmen

Listen to these super swell guys right here, and don’t miss their album launch on May 15th at Petit Campus. - Naked Underground Mtl

October 28, 2014 / 606 views



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Montreal bred We Are Monroe will be rocking out at Barfly this Saturday night. Though the all-male quartet has been making a buzz on Jay Walker’s Montreal Rocks and has played multiple festivals these past few months, the boys are getting back to what they love: playing for a small crowd at a no-fuss, sweaty dive bar. Take it from us, this might be one of the last time you’ll be able to check out the band in such an intimate venue. So brave through the post Halloween hangover and head on out to the St-Laurent venue.

With music that sounds like the lovechild of Joy Division and (a young) The Killers, We Are Monroe’s shows tend to be infused with danceable rhythms with a rocking edge that will get even the unlikeliest of dancers to bust a few moves.

Familiarize yourself with the band by downloading their self-titled EP “Give Me Some” via their website www.wearemonroe.com.

You can also check out their latest video, Modern Day Gentleman. - Naked Underground MTL

It was on a balmy night that I was to make my way to l’Escogriffe, a small show bar on St-Denis in the heart of the Plateau in Montreal, to check out local artists We Are Monroe. This show was to celebrate the release of their song “Modern Day Gentleman” and its accompanying video, which can be seen below.

Upon my arrival, I could tell that we were going to witness something very cool as the place was already packed, the audience waiting in anticipation. Many folk arrived early to enjoy some “pops” before the big show. Once everyone was socially lubricated, it was time to get the show started.

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By The Fiends
By The Fiends had the honour of kicking off the show. Not knowing this act, I was excited to hear what was to be offered. The first song played was a somber, which felt weird and somewhat out of place considering the type of music that would be played by the headliner. By The Fiends definitely has a niche sound that is not for everyone. As I am not particularly familiar with this genre of music, I can’t sit here and tell you whether it’s good or bad. It’s definitely not up my alley. The last song played really felt like it was put together by a toddler as it was all over the place. There was no flow, nor were there harmonies. As my mom would say, it was just noise! But that was only one song… The highlight for me was “Crash & Burn.” I definitely suggest making up your own mind about this band by checking them out here.

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We Are Monroe
Finally, around 11pm, We are Monroe came to the stage ready to rock, and that they did. This was my second time seeing them; the first was a few weeks ago when they opened up for The Red Rails at O Patro Vys. This time they came out swinging, each song hitting you like a Mike Tyson punch of awesomeness.

From the first note, I knew I was in for a good time, and with every song they got better and better, leading up to the reason we were all there – the release of Modern Day Gentleman, a great song that displays their talents. In addition, the video shows that one can be great and get a haircut at the same time! There is nothing more bad ass than being able to sing while having a barber cut your hair!

This band is just so damn good. I could go and critique every little thing about this performance, but, in the end, all I can do is recommend you check them out and get the live experience. What type of music do they play? They describe it as alternative/ post-punk revival. I just call it good music. Their sound is similar to that of The Killers, so if you like them, you will love We Are Monroe. You need to listen to this band. Do it now and thank me later. You won’t regret it.

There is something about the band that makes them stand out. They are humble; singer Pat Gomes could not stop thanking everyone for coming out and supporting them between songs. I’ve got news for you, Pat. You’re going to be thanking many more fans in the future, as the show these guys put on is a genuine good time.

I could definitely tell these guys have talent, and with perseverance and hard work, they should be able to make waves in the music industry. I feel lucky to have been seen them in this intimate setting because I am sure they will be playing bigger gigs in the future.

If you’re in the Ottawa region this week, they are playing at the Ottawa Folk Festival, opening for Foster The People on Wednesday, September 10th,2014, at 6pm. - Bucketlist Music Reviews

The Ottawa Folk Festival rolled into Hog’s Back Park last night with equal parts indie rock and old-time alt-country. Montreal-based We Are Monroe, folk artist M. Ward, rollicking jammers Blues Traveler, and Los Angeles-based indie-pop trio Foster the People, Folk Fest drew a diverse crowd; denim-vests in lawn chairs and white hair, and denim-vests in Herschel backpacks and cut-offs. The lawn-chair crowd stuck to the Ravenlaw Stage, while the cut-offs crowd dipped over to Foster. As soon as they were introduced We Are Monroe drummer Ben Dupuis tore into a frantic beat. He was quickly joined by bassist Pete Juteau, guitarist Jason L, and finally frontman Pat Gomes. The foursome ripped through a bouncy instrumental. Opening with an instrumental is a gutsy move and We Are Monroe pulled it off without being either contrived or high-brow. The sans-vox opener set the tone for a pressure-driver set. Clamouring with jangly guitar work, furious drum work, and tight bass lines, the group dipped listeners into a pool of garage and post-punk, alt-rock goodness. They twisted the sounds of bands like The Strokes, Tokyo Police Club, and The Vaccines into an agreeable dose of poppy, dance-beat alternative. Gomes’ vocals were truly engaging. I could make some half-assed comparison to Young the Giant’s Sameer Gadhia, but that discounts the tone and spread of Gomes’ bass-heavy wailing. The instrumentals as exemplified in the first minutes were top-notch and the sound mix was perfect. Blues Traveler took the Ravenlaw Stage at 8 p.m., as rain showered the thousands already crowded around the stage. The New Jersey five-piece was pure talent and their musicianship had a clinical proficiency. Contrary to the pop appeal of We Are Monroe, Blues Traveler’s long-running, jam-style tunes tended to the older listeners. With covers like “Devil Went Down to Georgia” and Sublime’s essential “What I Got,” the crew wove an unmatched power-blues set. John Popper’s frantic harmonica solos wowed even a few uninterested audience members. The night ran the risk of losing attention in the waits between bands. While M. Ward and Blues Traveler played tunes to impress and dazzle a demographic with more nostalgic interests, We Are Monroe and headliners Foster the People were decidedly youthful outfits. Bored-looking crowds of young guns trudged aimlessly toward the beer tent while John Popper gave it his all onstage, thoroughly disengaged from the harmonica impresario’s feats. The three-hour genre-gap left a little too much room for many. Curating a more thoughtful lineup might be in the cards for next year. - The Charlatan

When I purchased my folk festival pass at the low, low early bird price of $99, my intention was only to attend three of the five days of the festival, those being the three days of this coming weekend. This intention held fast until just over a week ago when I thought to myself, “but why couldn’t you just nip in on opening night, check out M. Ward, and then, head home right after?” Of course, I couldn’t think of a good reason why not so I that’s what I did. I wandered over to Hogs Back Park after work yesterday afternoon, hoping to get in early to get the lay of the land of the this year’s layout, and unsurprisingly, the gates had not opened on time (I never learn).

When the gates finally did open, I was thirsty so I got myself a Beau’s Lugtread (yes, you read that right: good beer at a music festival) and went about exploring the “paid” section of the festival park. For those of you unaware of format of Ottawa Folk Festival, they have the park sectioned off into an area for those who purchased tickets (the main stage, two side stages, and a handful of beer and food stands) and also an area that is free admission, including a craft beer tent, (I’m guessing) some concession stands, and smaller stages for songwriter sessions and other performances on the weekend. I wanted to get over to the free section before M. Ward’s set to see what was happening over there but construction of a throughway between the two sections had not yet been completed when I went to check it out. And well, I was far too lazy to walk the long way around through the main gates so I decided to stay where I was, grab another beer, and check out the opening act. I’ll save more exploring for the weekend.

We Are Monroe, Ravenlaw stage, 6:00pm

We Are Monroe

To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for the set of this Montreal-based quartet, mostly based on their unfortunate name (no offence guys), but also because their self-identification as a post-punk rock band (a genre that is perhaps a little overdone by now). Still, they got things off to rockin’ start with a romping bass line and a wicked edge on their prolonged instrumental intro. After that, when they jumped right into their first proper song, I found they were true to their word, duly adhering to all the hallmarks of a good post-punk revivalist outfit: the deep monotone vocals and dark and droning angular guitars. At different points, they called to mind a litany of popular indie bands of the 00s, like The Stills, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, and even, The National, who are due to hit this same festival in a day’s time, and yet, I still found myself immersed in their set. Indeed, We Are Monroe could stand to work on their stage presence but their music certainly does rock and they perform with such high energy and charged emotion that you can’t help but embrace it. Perhaps this isn’t the last we’ve heard of them.

M. Ward, Eh! stage, 7:00pm

M. Ward and his band

In comparison with the bravado of the first act, M.Ward’s entrance on stage was as quiet and unassuming an opening as a musician could have. But it didn’t matter. His guitar work and his talent spoke volumes.

I saw him perform at Bluesfest last year as part of She and Him, oddly, a higher profile act than his solo work. Despite the star power and silky vocals that Zooey Deschanel adds to the sound, I much preferred last night’s solo set. The spotlight was shone directly on M. Ward and his raspy, yet smooth vocals and the aforementioned crazy guitar work, his presence commanding, larger than the stage, catching everyone’s attention, even during the quietest of songs. His set was all over the place, crossing all sorts of genres, yet stuck in that rootsy place that all of us are familiar with and recognize as home. He played a selection of original tracks, including personal favourites “Rollercoaster”, “Clean slate”, and “Primitive girl”, a rousing cover of Buddy Holly’s “Rave on”, and finished with a blistering performance of Chuck Berry’s “Roll over Beethoven” that had the audience begging for more.

M. Ward

If this was just the bonus night for me, I am in for an awesome weekend. I am so glad I decided to stay out on a “school night” for these two sets. - Music Insanity!

Montreal based band We Are Monroe opened Ottawa Folk Festival 2014 on the Ravenlaw stage in Hog’s Back Park on Wednesday night. The four-piece band played to a relatively small but engrossed crowd, with fans standing front row centre. Front man Pat Gomes, rumoured to have played ping pong with Mark Foster of Foster the People, invited the crowd to dance to his favourite song. He cried, “It’s dancey!” And the crowd willingly obliged. Their alternative yet pretty punk rock sound was enjoyed by audience members of all ages. For their last song and latest single, “Modern Day Gentleman“, Pat retired his guitar to dance and sing, engaging fully with his fellow band members.

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M.Ward
M. Ward, who puts the ‘Him’ in the duet She & Him, performed on the Eh! stage, lit in deep reds, purples, and blues. Ward’s velvety voice, in tandem with the impending dusk, made for a hazy and rich atmosphere. The sound of the steel guitar cut through the crowd, where fans were dancing to the singer/songwriter’s crooning. The four-piece moved smoothly from song to song, making the most of their time on stage, only stopping to thank the crowd for their ample applause between songs. Ward supplemented his own vast catalog with covers of “I Get Ideas” (previously recorded by Tony Martin, Louis Armstrong, and Peggy Lee), and closed with a version of Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven”. At the end of the set, fans rose to their feet with applauding hands in the air.

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Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler welcomed the crowd by stating how happy they were to be back in Canada. Front man Jon Popper carefully selected his harmonica, and, after a mere few bars of music, the majority of heads in the crowd were nodding along as the familiar rhythms filled the park. Midway through the set, the rain finally started to come down, but it didn’t dampen the crowd’s spirits at all – hoods went up, and the dancing feet remained. The Travelers covered the Charlie Daniel’s song “Devil Went Down to Georgia”, which was embraced warmly by the crowd. After a few social sips of tequila, Popper, accompanied only by piano, performed the song “Cara Let the Moon”, written about a bar in Brooklyn, New York, which left the crowd in contemplative silence. This quickly changed when the band started jamming, and the crowded cheered them on.

Foster the People walked onto a dark Eh! stage to an uproar from the crowd. Vocalist Mark Foster approached front and centre with his hands cooly placed in his jean pockets, as he sang the first words of “Pseudologia Fantastica“ from their latest album Supermodel. Centre stage was adorned with backlit white crystal stalagmites. Band members frequently changed instruments between songs; Foster took over on keys, while other members doubled up on percussion. They seemed to be having as much fun as the audience. The rain persisted throughout the set, acknowledged by Foster who said, “may the rain bring you closer to God.” The mud under foot only provided an excuse to dance to their infectious rhythms. Foster the People were able to provide an alternate sound to some of their more well-known songs – definitively a more electronic sound – while still remaining true to the original versions. Keeping their breakout song “Pumped Up Kicks” from the album Torches in their back pocket until the second last song, the crowd celebrated with an outburst of cheering and whistles. They ended their set with another song from Torches, “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)”, closing out the first night of Folk Festival by leaving the crowd in awe of both their musicality and enthusiasm.

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Lorde
New Zealand native Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, otherwise known as Lorde, graced the Eh! Stage at Folk Festival on Thursday night. Set against a brilliant ornate backdrop of an oversized chandelier and empty picture frames, Lorde took the centre spotlight and opened the set with the song “Glory and Gore”, from the album Pure Herione. The light shone through her black and white outfit, complete with a black cape, only adding to the haunting experience. In time with the crescendo of the song, Lorde began to dance like a marionette who had just been cut from her strings. Her dancing continued throughout other songs from her canon, including “White Teeth Teens” and “Buzz Cut Season”. During the song “Tennis Court”, sections of video were projected into the gold frames, and aqua and green lights were introduced on stage. After a quick costume change, a patterned light board was brought on stage, creating a individual backdrop for the singer. She made one final costume change, getting into a red crop top, pants, and cape, for the song “Royals”. She then closed the evening with “People Will Talk”, a poignant precursor for the crowd reaction to her brilliant performance.

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Hey Rosetta!
Closing the festival on Sunday night on the Eh! stage was Hey Rosetta! from St. John’s, Newfoundland, filling in at the last minute for Gaslight Anthem. If you don’t enjoy biased reviews, then perhaps this is where you should stop reading. Being from Newfoundland, Hey Rosetta! can do no wrong in my eyes. In my experience, there are two things that always happen at their shows. First, there is the inevitable ‘Hey Rosetta!’ hockey chant, used primarily to coax the band on stage at the beginning of a set, or to encourage an encore. Second, sparklers always magically and spontaneously appear during the performance of “Yer Spring”, likely inspired by the song’s video. I was not disappointed as both the chant and the sparklers made an appearance at Folk Festival. Within the first three songs, singer and front man Tim Baker had switched from keys to tambourine, and then to guitar. The other members were also shuffling instruments: brass to string to percussion – quite a demonstration of musicality and talent. They drew on some older songs, such as “Red Heart” from the album Into Your Lungs, but also debuted a number of new songs from their upcoming album Second Sight, to be released October 21st (catch a teaser here). Hey Rosetta! reappeared on stage for an encore, and played the song “Bandages” from their 2011 album Seeds. The audience left satisfied with the performance of the last minute addition, and I left with just a little piece of home. If you missed Hey Rosetta! at this year’s Folk Festival or, if my overly-doting review of them has got you intrigued, you can check them out at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on February 7th, 2015. Tickets go on sale September 19th and are available on their website.

Despite the cantankerous and uncooperative weather, Ottawa Folk Festival 2014 was a resounding success. The musical acts were diverse, talented, and encouraged a spirited atmosphere. The organizers, sponsors, and volunteers are to be commended for outdoing themselves in the planning and execution of such a great festival. - Bucketlist Music Reviews

I recently got the opportunity to speak with the lead guitarist, Jason of We Are Monroe about the release of their debut self-titled EP and their plans for the future. You can read our review of the EP here as well as check out their website and Facebook page for show information and more. Read the interview below, and if you want to download and listen to the full interview you can do so here.

First off, can you please tell the names of the members in the band and their roles?

Pat – He’s singer and does a little bit of back guitar
Ben – Who plays Drums
Pete – Whose on the bass and does a bit of back vocals
Jason – Plays most of the lead guitar and does some back vocals

How did you guys meet?

Ben and Pete known each other since grade school kept in touch throughout the years. Ben was a hired musician and when they both finished school, Pete wanted to join the band, so they played music together for a while. When their last project ended, they wanted to start something up and I met those guys at the beginning of a new adventure they were trying to start through a mutual friend, another musician who was supposed to be in the band. Right away we really clicked, we were musically, initially compatible. We started as a three – piece, and eventually we realized that we wanted to move into a more, rock, direction. I realized that my voice was suited more to acoustic/folk stuff, and it didn’t fit to what we were trying to do. So we found Pat, who was in another band. And we kind of stole him from that band as they were kind of coming to an end anyway. He was at the top of our list, and we jammed with a few guys, but he was the top of our list, eventually he came back form travelling and agreed to come by, and then it became obvious that something was happening that was really cool.

Where did the name “We are Monroe” come from?

We were kinda brain storming one day, and after a while, the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe stood out. Sort of like the Warhol Pictures. There was something about it that seemed cool, and matched the aesthetic of it. Originally we wanted Monroe, so we Google searched it to see if it was available, but there was an obscure band that we had never heard of that didn’t seem to have much going on, but we didn’t wanna take any chances, so eventually we slowly added the “We Are” on and the “We Are” is the collective idea, the reference is the spirit of the collective, and that’s where that came from.

What genre would you classify as? Who would you compare yourself too?

A lot of the bands tend to reference/fall under is post-punk revival. Sort of like what The Strokes are doing when they first came up, and same thing as The Killers. It’s a title really and post-punk revival is something that is easiest for us to say. Its rock, there are some pop sensibilities. It’s more of the mood/vibe when it really comes down to it. The more we write songs, or the more we try to tap into what we continuously worked towards as our sound. It’s a point of reference, but from there it’s more about the mood of the song. We knew what we were good at, but eventually we kinda just opened up a little more.

What is the music scene like in Montreal?

For a band like us there is still something indie – rockish there is a good collection of bands that are really active and gigging around, still helping each other out. Overall Montreal has become pretty eclectic about not necessarily one type of band, but about seeing what kind of bands can matchup and cross genres. The one thing that keeps coming back is the sense of community. I think there are a lot of the gaps that perhaps could’ve existed 5 – 10 years ago when Montreal was starting to get the reputation as the next “Hot Bed” for music. That bridged a lot of gaps, so that young bands who are just starting out could associate with bands what had a little bit more of a track record.

Which artists were your inspiration when you were growing up?

When I was younger, and a bit more naïve, I had a distorted view of what it meant to be in a band and have success. There were bands that matched up to that like Radiohead, Green Day, Weezer or Oasis. In the last 5 – 10 years since I’ve been in Montreal and being in bands, gigging and touring a little bit you develop a deeper appreciation of working in the industry. As well as the different levels of what it is to be successful. For me now, any level that would continuously keep me making music, touring, being able to make record and make a living. To become a “Working Class Band”.

We Are Monroe Self-Titled EP

Ok now on to the EP! You recently released your first self-titled EP. How did you see it turning out? Did it turn out the way you wanted it to?

We recorded that EP back in November. Going into the recording process we had a list of songs, which we could choose from, and a limited amount of time. We were trying to figure out what would make sense in what songs to put on, and how many songs it should be. We recorded in this old school studio, so it was a bit more out of the pocket to do it. All these factors made us have to decide what was going to be on the EP. The mixing was only a matter of 3 – 4 days. We had an amazing time, that it became just the fact that it was less about the songs, and more about the experience. We got the first part of the rough mixes a couple weeks later, and we were convinced it would be something we weren’t expecting. Everywhere we listened to it, it just kept surprising us because it was cool listening to it in other locations. All in all we had a great experience and we’re really happy how it turned out.

Why choose to release an EP first instead of an album?

The EP was already what we felt was good for us. For a lot of different reasons; being an independent band, not having a label behind it. It was the reality of where we were at the time. The idea of a full album is not over, its not like people are not gonna get it. For now we gravitated towards the notion of the idea of releasing less music but more frequently. Let people know where you’re at, and let people see you evolve as the months go by. It’s easier to do independently.

What was the main inspiration behind the EP?

The sonic element of having it being raw and trying to avoid putting in extra instrumentations that wouldn’t be live. A real representation of what people can expect to see when they come to see a show. Also the fact that we did the bed tracks, like the drums, bass and main guitar was all live off the floor, it gives the EP a that other raw element.

Can you tell me anything special about your songwriting process?

It differs from song to song, generally we write very democratically. A lot of songs will start with either a guitar riff, or a beat to have a rhythm section. Its lot of jamming is what it is. Sometimes Pat comes in with a vocal melody and we come in to cater that melody. Sometimes a song will take forever to come together, sometimes it takes weeks. Sometimes it’s a challenge cause you want it to sound good and have high expectations. Some best songs we feel we’ve written were written in 15 minutes, creating the melodies.


Why did you choose these for songs four songs for the EP? Do the songs have any special or significant meanings behind them?

Give Me Some Love was one of the first songs written as the four of us after pat joined the band. We felt really, really strongly about. It came together really quickly and we had a good feeling about it right away. It the oldest song on the EP, and it was sort of a no brainer to have a song like that on the EP as an easy introduction. Old Orchard made the cut do it its brute energy. You can’t hide behind a song like that, because it’s fast and fun and energetic which is what we want to show that we’re about. Modern Day Gentleman was newer at that point and it was a really different than everything else we had written at that point. Tear Yourself Apart was all about the vibe and darkness of the song. It’s a creepy kind of song. But what happens on the guitar is interesting to our sound and us. There were a few others songs we were interested in. We recorded five but it didn’t come out the way we wanted.

So is there anything you can say about a second EP or new album in the future?

We’ve been talking about the idea of trying to release music more frequently, but less songs at a time. There are 3 – 4 people that are interested in working with us and help record our music. We’re gonna try to build up a few collection of songs over the weeks and months until the end of the summer. When the rest of the guys get back after vacation in the fall, then we will go into it. We don’t now if its gonna be 1 – 2 songs a month, but its gonna be often. Also trying to exploit YouTube as a means to get out there, by doing live performances and putting that online.

What are your plans for the rest of the year? Any tours that should be noted?

A few things happening in Montreal between now and end of August. An acoustic showcase on 17th at Le Petit Medley through Yo Montreal Production Company. There might be a Montreal show, a show in Quebec. Through Facebook and our website we can put all shows and tour [Linked above]. We post in there as often as possible.

Great that’s about it for me; do you have any last words?

We’re excited about meeting new people and playing in new cities. We’re always excited to play wherever we are welcomed and meeting people. Trying to make ourselves accessible, and talking to people and build a fan base one person at a time. If anyone is interested check out our shows, write messages, email or tweet to us. - Lost in the Sound

The Montreal based band, We Are Monroe at the start of this year released their self-titled EP. It opens up with the track, Give Me Some… which right off the bat demonstrates their signature style of commanding vocals and post-punk guitar work. The fast paced guitar riffs and bass licks accompanied by frontman, Pat Gomes’ vocals create a catchy tune. Next up is Modern Day Gentlemen, stylistically similar to songs by Interpol and The Bravery, allows the listener to really understand and identify with the intricate melodies and percussion encompassing of the genre. The powerful vocals in the chorus highlight the undeniable passion for music that the band has. At times the pace is picked up, but this calmer listen really supplements the rest of the EP.

The third track, Old Orchard once again demonstrates the post-punk rock component of the band. It’s a personal favorite of mine, as you can fully hear the range of the vocalist, and each instrumental component is perfectly crafted to create a coherent standout track. Finally on the EP, there is Tear Yourself Apart, a perfect closing song. With a soft start up and an end that provides a bang, it allows a great finish to a fantastic EP. With intriguing powerful vocals, and catchy melodies, this self-titled EP should be appreciated due to the evident vision that was implemented into its creation. Fans of indie, post-punk, and rock will truly love their musical genius and hopefully help this band continue to grow and produce more music. Check out their website, Facebook page and Soundcloud for more information, and stayed tuned for an interview with the band in the coming weeks.

BY PHILLIP IMKAMP - Lost In The Sound

We are Monroe is a Montreal based band known for their upbeat performances. The band was formed in the summer of 2010, with lead vocalist joining the band in 2011. We are Monroe has continued to develop their sound and refuse to take part in musical trends.

On January 14, 2013 the band released their self titled EP. I have been given the opportunity to review it.

The EP starts strong with “Give Me Some”, an energetic, passion filled track. The vocals, done by Pat Gomes are powerful and pulls the song together.

Next is “Modern Day Gentlemen” and this is probably my favorite on the EP, as the lyrics seem to tell a story, and the band gives a completely different sound on this track. The beat is mesmerizing, but still packs that energy I spoke of before.

“Old Orchard” is the third track, within the first few seconds of the song, you hear the intense power that you are about to be immersed into. If you are a fan of post-punk, you should give We Are Monroe a listen.

The final song gives you yet another side of the band. “Tear Yourself Apart” has a lighter feeling, featuring a softer vocal tone, but make no mistake, the song does not lack power or energy, as you get into the chorus, you hear those unmistakable high intensity vocals that will no doubt continue to captivate you through the entire EP.

I look forward to hearing more from We Are Monroe, and recommend you go here and buy the EP:
http://wearemonroe.bandcamp.com/

-Jenna Melanson- Canadian Beats - Canadian Beats

Video interview - Bucketlist

Interview at 20:30Mins - NOOVO