International tours | Is Montreal still on the map?

Is Montreal still an essential stop for stars on international tours? Yes and no. Between the lure of festivals and competition with Toronto, the metropolis is doing quite well.

Has the aura of Montreal faded?

Certainly, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift all skipped Montreal during their most recent tour. On the other hand, pop music heavyweights are expected at the Bell Center this year, including Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj, Burna Boy and Noah Kahan. And in the coming months, other international artists will announce their major tours and, for some, a stop in the Quebec metropolis.

“Montreal is really not bad located [sur l’échiquier]. For the size of the population and the market, it remains a place where the international offer, in terms of major tours, we are completely within the standards,” explains Martin Lussier, professor in the department of social and public communication at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM).

However, recent years have given the impression that the city was not selected for some of the most prestigious tours.

That being said, “things haven’t really changed” and it’s wrong to say that it’s worse than before, says Nick Farkas, vice-president of programming at promoter evenko. “It’s much stronger since COVID-19, even. We’ve never had two Depeche Mode dates or two Burna Boy dates before. We just saw it with Madonna too and we’re going to see it with Olivia Rodrigo. We’ve never seen so many doubles like that. »

Artists in “residence”

While things are going rather well, it is undeniable that Montreal has failed to retain the attention of some of the most popular artists of the moment. The touring market is changing and Montreal no longer has the power of attraction it once had.

The pandemic must be considered in the analysis of this “new context”, notes Martin Lussier. “Large producers are still managing capital after this period,” he recalls.

“As for the big popular artists in the mainstream, [cela] fact that we will look for cities where there is a greater capacity to fill a room, with fans who will pay a high price, observes Danilo Dantas, HEC Montreal expert in professional and entrepreneurial strategies of independent musicians . We look for the most interesting markets and focus on them. So it allows less effort for more returns [sur l’investissement]. »

Several artists decide to do 5, 10 or even 15 dates in a row at the same place, leaving fans with the task of traveling to see them.

Taylor Swift and her tour Eras are the best example of this new trend: the American artist gave a total of 60 shows in 2023, but only visited 24 cities. Drake presented a total of 43 shows during the year, stopping in only 27 cities, including Montreal twice at the Bell Center.

“By doing a series of shows in the same city, we save set-up and dismantling time and we save transport costs,” adds Danilo Dantas. We must also not forget that the artist is a human being, who also only has 24 hours in his day, who needs rest. Family life can also come into the equation. They are not machines. »

Too close, Toronto?

The presence of Toronto, some 500 kilometers from Montreal, weighs in the balance when it comes to attracting artists to the Quebec metropolis. The highest-grossing touring artist in 2023, Beyoncé, presented two concerts in Toronto, but did not set foot in Montreal.

According to a study by Radical Storage, the Queen City is the most visited by world tours, while Montreal ranks eighth. “Montreal still remains in the top 20 of North American cities when it comes to the most played locations, says Nick Farkas. It’s rare that we’re not on a big tour. But when it’s a reduced tour, it’s possible that there will only be Toronto, which is understandable, since we are a third of the population of Toronto in Montreal. »

Nick Farkas, however, gives the counter-example of Metallica: the metal group, particularly popular in Quebec, decided to present two shows at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal rather than stopping in Toronto. But perhaps it is the exception that proves the rule.

“Once a person has paid $300 for their concert ticket, the cost of travel and accommodation in Toronto is also part of the expense calculation, and it may not seem like such a big expense, which in itself “worth it,” he adds.

Without a “real” stadium, no Taylor

Gigatours, like those of Taylor Swift or Beyoncé last year, require equally gigantic infrastructure. The largest closed structure in town remains the Bell Center, with its 21,000 seats. Montreal does have its Olympic Stadium, with 56,000 seats, but the place does not have the appeal of a Yankee Stadium (in New York) or a SoFi Stadium (in Los Angeles). The roof is not in good condition, the acoustics leave something to be desired… If the Olympic Park, outside, allows major events to be held (the Metro Metro and Fuego Fuego festivals take place there in particular), it is good more difficult to convince artists to install their shows in the Stadium.

“Beyoncé or Taylor Swift, their production is huge and it wouldn’t work outside, at a festival,” says Nick Farkas. It’s certain that we would have more shows of this magnitude if we had a stadium that could [les accueillir]. »

So, should we invest in the Stadium? Nick Farkas remains cautious. “I can’t answer directly, but I know that people are asked if the roof will be redone, for example. There are a lot of questions. It’s sure that it would encourage artists to come and play at the Stadium. »

Montreal’s love rating

Many factors today affect the decision to play, or not, in Montreal. Some are completely random, like the question of availability. If an artist ends up in eastern North America, but the venue they need doesn’t have a vacant date, “those are things we can’t control,” says Nick Farkas.

Nevertheless, the metropolis remains recognized for the way its audience welcomes artists during their shows, assures Nick Farkas. And in addition to being welcoming, the Montreal public is fond of shows: “We sell a lot, a lot of tickets,” says Nick Farkas.

And if Toronto has the advantage in numbers as well as the presence of the Rogers Center and the Scotiabank Arena – which can accommodate up to 55,000 and 19,800 spectators respectively – Montreal offers something that Toronto does not have. : its festivals.

Kendrick Lamar, for example, did not have Montreal in his tour plan. “But he came to play at Osheaga [l’été dernier], underlines Nick Farkas. So artists who weren’t going to come, we are able to convince them to come and play in front of the huge crowds at our festivals. »

Not to mention that artists from all musical genres can now find a festival that suits them in the metropolis: Lasso for country music, Fuego Fuego for Latin music, Metro Metro for rap, ÎleSoniq for electronic music, not forgetting Osheaga , which alone covers a wide range.

“ [Les festivals] are a factor of attraction which puts Montreal on the route of great artists, even if our period is restricted because of the temperature, notes Danilo Dantas. But I think it remains a very important factor in this big equation of major tours. »