February 15, 2023
This years Pouzza festival will take place indoors exclusively
At one point in time, Montreal and its surrounding areas were like mecca for fans of punk rock and the subgenres and related musical styles that go with it. But sadly, more and more that is fading from existence.
It used to be that spring hadn’t officially started until the outdoor stage at Pouzza fest lit up and the distorted guitars rang out across the downtown core. It was like a beacon that winter had ended, and like the flowers that bud when the snow recedes and the sun returns – so too did Montreal’s aficionados of alternative culture. Not just for the locals either, as people would travel from all over to attend the three day festival, that traditionally has taken place in various venues throughout the city, with the highlight; the pièces de résistance, being the outdoor stage and surrounding beer garden.
See Also: Montreal Oi! Fest returns for its 8th edition
Those days seem so distant now, as the last few years have made it impossible to hold such festivities. With all the complications of the global covid pandemic, and now the difficult economic times, and the exploitation of condo developers that are throwing up tower blocks at every corner, and charging exorbitant amounts to inhabit them – it looks like 2023 will once again be deprived of the outdoor portion of Pouzza fest.
In a press release today, Hugo Mudie and Guillaume Lafond officially announced that this years festival will be an entirely indoor festival, that will take place at Cafe Cleopatra and on two stages inside the famous Foufounes Electriques. They also took the time to explain how difficult it has been for the volunteer staff of the festival to raise funds, and find sponsors, to try and keep the outdoor portion of the festival flowing.
Mudie expressed he understands the disappointment of the fans that have come to love the outdoor stage, and encouraged them to contact local politicians and government and to let them know that festivals such as Pouzza deserve funding. With the radio silence surrounding Evenko’s ’77 festival, and Montebello’s Rockfest also seemingly being finished, the indoor Pouzza festival is the best thing Montreal punk rockers are going to get within the city limits.
Lafond also mentioned that there are other outdoor festivals that music lovers can attend within the province of Quebec – at least those that can afford the lengthy car rides and hotels in order to do so. Festivals like Quebec City’s Envol Et Macadam, or Redbridge Festival, Music 4 Cancer in Ste-Therese and Rock La Cauze are all great options. Meanwhile, Pouzza plans to unveil it’s line-up in the coming days.
Advance tickets for Pouzza festival are on sale now. Click here.
Read More:
>> What is a pouzza?
>> A celebration of Pouzza festival ‘s past
>> Under Pressure festival 2021
The struggles that Pouzza are facing regarding the outdoor stage, are similar to those that another great iconic Montreal festival, Under Pressure, are also facing. Each year for more than two decades, Under Pressure has brought an urban culture festival to the city, and a large part of its activities stem around the painting of murals around the downtown core – but several of those buildings have been torn down in recent years, to make way for yet more unaffordable luxury condos.
More and more, gentrification and a poor economy are taking away the arts from the inner city of Montreal. If this continues, the city of Montreal which has always been high in culture, will suffer and its youth will lose ways in which to express itself. Festivals such as Pouzza and Under Pressure are vital to the identity of Montreal – and must remain a core part of our society.
