September 17 & 18, 2021 – Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec
Pandemic or not, Music 4 Cancer – the non-profit organization that brings punk rock to the streets of Sainte-Thérèse each year, to raise funds that are donated to the Canadian Cancer Society, took place on the 17th and 18th of September. Albeit not the original line-up, due to the closing of boarders and restrictions of international travel, Music 4 Cancer took place with a local flavor instead.
Quebec has a phenomenal music scene – always has, so a festival that consisted of Les Colocs, Grimskunk, The Sainte-Catherines, Mute, Exterio, The Match-Up, Pepe Et Sa Guitare, 4 Nocs, Colorsfade, The Speakeasy, Down Memory Lane, Bring The Light, Bad Skin and Our Darkest Days was always going to be a brilliant time. Especially at a time when the world was enshrouded in darkest and gloom.
See Also: Down at The Fillmore, New Orleans
Although it would have been nice to see some of the international pedigree attendees are accustomed to seeing at Music 4 Cancer, just having a music festival in these very trying times is a pyric victory. A victory gained at too great a cost. As we keep being told by the powers in office, Ca va bien aller. Although, who really believes that anymore? When our so-called leaders constantly make mind-numbingly bizarre choices for our collective society, it becomes difficult, to put it bluntly, to keep a chin up. We are ruled by headless chickens.
Enough of that. More rock. Friday felt a haze; a dream state. A small taste of the way things were in the before times. Bad Skin set the bare enormously high, with a rollicking performance that expelled raw energy and true punk rock spirit. The young all-femme fatale group certainly have a bright future ahead of them. As always, Rat and Burger, the always funny and amusing duo known as The Match-Up put on a fun set, as did Pepe Et Sa Guitare, complete with kazoo! The highlights of the opening night though, were Exterio and Grimskunk. And judging by the on-stage banter, this might be the last time we see Grimskunk in some time, hopefully we will see them again though. Day one was great, and not soon forgotten.
Saturday saw a much larger turn out, which is to be expected. Some of the provinces younger bands set the stage on the final day of the festival. Blistering skate punk sets from the likes of Colorsfade and Down Memory Lane, as well as throttling set from Our Darkest Days had the crowd warmed up proper, by the time the bigger names came out to play. A reunited 4 Nocs, natives of Sainte-Therese, played to great applause. Then Mute played a solid set as they often do, but the night belonged to The Sainte-Catherines. Although Hugo Mundie and The Sainte-Catherines are always good, on this night, they were phenomenal. As Grimskunk had been the previous night. Meaning that the artists had been as starved as the fans have.
Hopefully, the next time we all gather around the church in quant Sainte-Therese, it’ll be because the government imposed restrictions are finally lifted and we, as a populous have bounced back to the way things were. Although, I imagine that there will always be lingering effects left over from the pandemic – hopefully those will be minimal. I hope. I hope. Just the thought of a packed parking lot, full of beautiful people from all races and creeds, united to celebrate punk rock and battle cancer, is enough to light the tunnel and keep me going.
Fuck cancer. Fuck covid. Fuck Trudeau. Fuck Legault.
