More than 75 artists during the summer and a location at the water’s edge, but above all a new special 360° stage, this is the combination that will be offered with the new musical event iO Experience to attract curious people to the area. of Sorel-Tracy.
Posted yesterday at 11:00 a.m.
At Quai Catherine-Legardeur, which overlooks the St. Lawrence River, the 360° performance hall will be able to accommodate 1,500 spectators around a central stage, according to the creators of this project. The structure, specially designed for the occasion, aims to provide an “immersive experience” to the public.
iO Experience programming director, Jean-Sébastien Hébert Brunelle, says the stage format is the main attraction of the event. “No matter where you are in the room, you’ll be no more than 50 feet from the stage, which is quite rare with a general admission ticket,” he points out.
People won’t feel like they’re seeing a traditional show. They will live a completely different sensory, sound and visual experience.
Jean-Sébastien Hébert Brunelle, Programming Director of iO Experience
At the end of the line, the president of iO Experience, Olivier Péloquin, seems excited. The idea has been in his head for ten years, and it finally comes true. A native of Sorel, he sought not only to create a project that would stand out for its originality, but also to “revive tourism” in his hometown.
“People are going to be part of the show,” he explains. We wanted to include the public. There are going to be lights everywhere in the room, as if you were going to some kind of huge discotheque. We’re going to have fun and create synergy for everyone. »
“The artist goes for a walk. In the middle of the stage, the DJ and the drummer can turn. They are the ones who will decide, adds Olivier Péloquin. We’re not used to it yet, so we’ll have to adapt. […] During the season, there may be changes to improve the experience. »
For all tastes
For the moment, the programming of the first season includes 16 evenings of 4 to 5 artists or groups, always on Fridays or Saturdays. As indicated by Jean-Sébastien Hébert Brunelle, these evenings are grouped into three musical themes, which will hold roughly the same number of performances each.
“We have a series of shows featuring international DJs and Quebec artists,” he explains. After that, we have Quebec rap shows and lately, a series of song shows with bands from Quebec. »
On June 3, from the first evening, iO Experience will welcome the popular rapper Loud, who will perform in front of the crowd his new album, No promise. Still in terms of local rap, Souldia, Lost, Connaisseur Ticasso, Koriass, FouKi, Jay Scott and Sarahmée will come to Sorel-Tracy this summer.
Several other names known to music fans in the province, such as Matt Lang, Travis Cormier, Alicia Moffet, Claudia Bouvette, Eli Rose, Jonathan Roy, Rick Pagano and Clay and Friends, will also have the opportunity to tread the circular stage.
Depending on the artists who will be on stage, the amount to be paid for a ticket varies between $23 and $40. This makes it possible to attract people who come from outside.
“It’s super interesting, for the budget, to see four or five big artists for less than $40,” says the director of programming. Sales, I’m surprised to see that they come from everywhere: Montreal and Montérégie, in addition to Lanaudière. »
Excitement
Laurianne Smolla, president of the Sorel-Tracy Events Corporation, admitted to The Press that there was “a lot of excitement in the air”.
We’ve been dreaming about it, imagining it for months. In Sorel, there has never been anything so big.
Laurianne Smolla, President of the Sorel-Tracy Events Corporation
On site, the customer experience will be very interactive. We plan to install a bright entrance and kiosks, then make a rest area with hammocks available to visitors.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY IO EXPERIENCE
The Catherine-Legardeur wharf, in Sorel-Tracy
“On the shores of the St. Lawrence River, the view from the location is truly magnificent,” she boasts. It is one of the beautiful places in Sorel to admire the river. [iO Expérience], it will give life. The landscaping was done a few years ago, but it will become even more beautiful. »
In the short and medium term, the objective is to establish itself well in Sorel-Tracy. On the other hand, if the first season goes to its liking, the iO Experience team keeps in mind the possibility of building 360° infrastructures elsewhere in Quebec.
From June 3 to September 10 in Sorel-Tracy
Learn more
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- From 16 to 35 years old
- Target audience of the iO Experience event, whose objectives are to improve the tourist offer in Sorel-Tracy and to please the region’s youth.
SOURCE: iO Experience