Lasso Festival | A promising first edition

“Are there people who like country here? Immediately acclaimed, these words were pronounced on stage by singer Matt Lang, Saturday afternoon at Parc Jean-Drapeau. One could hardly better describe the enthusiasm of the Montreal metropolis for its first 100% country festival, Lasso.

William Theriault
special cooperation

In all, on Friday and Saturday, 35,000 festival-goers came to attend the shows of some thirty Quebec, Canadian and American country artists. Cowboy hats, jeans and checkered shirts as far as the eye could see… there was a bit of the southern United States on Montreal soil.

For evenko vice-president of programming Nick Farkas, who also oversees Osheaga and îleSoniq, this first edition of Lasso is a step in the right direction. He is particularly delighted that the visitors were able to enjoy the music collectively, like a “big group”.

“I have often heard people say at the end of the week: good vibesvery communal, he described to The Press Saturday. We really feel that there is the country community spirit. »

The crowd, made up of 80% Quebecers and 20% tourists, according to the organization’s estimates, was quite diverse. Festivals are usually mostly attended by young people in their twenties. This was the case in Lasso, but the forties and fifties did not hesitate to point the tip of their noses – and launch a few line dancing sessions.

The Lasso team also insisted on the family aspect: children under 10 could enter the site for free, and an area adapted to their interests was set up near the restaurants.

Festival-goers who were not left wanting

Luke Bryan was warmly welcomed at the closing of the festival on Saturday evening. The country music star performed on stage with intensity. Half-smiling, half-concentrated, he was more in his bubble at the start of his performance – but gradually became animated by chaining in particular Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset or Hunting, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day.

Known since the 2010s, he used his bank of classics to please Montreal. The 46-year-old singer even indulged in a tall drink while performing a more recent track, One Margarita.

Hair in the wind, Kelsea Ballerini arrived strong and confident on Saturday evening, during the penultimate slot. Armed with a solid voice with pop accents, the 28-year-old American paid tribute to her native Tennessee with half of my hometown, inhabited the scene with conviction and declared his love to the metropolis. “It’s my first time in Montreal, she exclaimed in front of the festival-goers. I’d love to move here if you’ll take me! »

The Ontario duo The Reklaws, made up of Stuart Walker and his sister Jenna, particularly stood out for their interaction with the crowd early Saturday evening. A young man wearing a Nick Suzuki uniform of the Montreal Canadiens was even invited to take a shoot with the band and… Suzuki himself.

Quebecer Matt Lang, spokesperson for the festival, kicked off the second day with an energetic half-hour on the Lasso stage. He interacted with visitors on several occasions.

“Quebec is a market that has not really been served by the enormous artists of Nashville, advances Nick Farkas, but it still had its community which has existed in Saint-Tite for 30-40 years. »

Calmer, Riley Green moved the crowd with I Wish Grandpas Never Died and made him dance while interpreting There Was This Girl, his most famous song. The Alabama native also earned points by donning an Expos shirt at the end of the number.

Dierks Bentley, who began his career some 20 years ago, was featured as the headliner on Friday. Performing some of his most popular songs, like What Was I Thinking Where Burning Manthe American has mainly relied on collaborations: Tenille Townes and Ashley McBryde, who had given a performance earlier, each made an appearance.

However, it was Old Dominion that stole the show on Friday. With a more than palpable complicity, the Nashville-based group has proven on stage why it has won many awards. With Matthew Ramsay and his four partners, the crowd sang beautiful songs like make it sweet, Written In The Sand or One Man Band. She also visibly had fun on lighter tracks like Hotel Keys, Snapback Where I Was On a Boat That Day.

During the first afternoon, festival-goers were treated to a mix of musical styles, courtesy of Blanco Brown. Effectively marrying country with hip-hop, the New Yorker has created a unique sound: his song The GitUp is the best example. And it is without forgetting that he offered roses to the spectators to the sound of I Need Love.

Most of the performances took place on one of the two main stages, located side by side. But a little further, the most intimate scene of the Ranch offered beautiful discoveries. American Alexandra Kay was one worth seeing. Note that Quebecers Sara Dufour and Léa Jarry also performed there.

A long-awaited meeting

The very first edition of the Lasso festival has been in preparation since 2019. It was originally to be held in 2020, before being postponed twice. Old Dominion, second headliner on Friday, had already agreed to perform there three years ago.

The vice-president’s sense of satisfaction was amplified by the “entirely positive” comments from the guest artists.

And now, what’s next? “The first year of a festival is an investment,” he points out. In three or four years, we would like to have 25,000 to 30,000 people on the site per day. »

“Next year it will be even easier to book artists, because now the word is getting out. »

The second edition of Lasso is scheduled for August 18 and 19, 2023.