It’s been a long road, but the Summer Festival finally convinced Post Malone to come sing on the Plains of Abraham as the main headliner of its 2024 lineup.
• Read also: All the passes for the FEQ have expired, the bringing forward of the sale is causing discontent
Programmer Louis Bellavance says he refused to sign Post Malone “one, two, three times” before his pop turn a few years ago because he wasn’t convinced of his potential for the Plains.
When he changed his tune, a little before the pandemic, the Malone clan let itself be desired. “I used the success of Imagine Dragons. I sent them videos,” says Mr. Bellavance, who got Post Malone’s only concert in Canada this year.
In addition to the 28-year-old American pop rapper/singer, the FEQ will be counting on Latin star J Balvin, rapper 50 Cent, veteran rockers Mötley Crüe, Nickelback and The Offspring, country group Zac Brown Band and the famous Jonas Brothers , announced the FEQ on Wednesday noon.
Carte blanche is given to Quebecers Alexandra Stréliski and Karkwa, while British DJ Alan Walker will lead the ElectroFEQ.
The Latino test
The year 2024 will allow us to measure interest in Latin music two years after an attempt spoiled by rain with Luis Fonsi.
With the very popular J Balvin and Ivan Cornejo, Louis Bellavance believes he has the best offer on the festival circuit.
“Yes, I believe it can work, but I can’t wait to see it because these are significant investments. I want this to happen. I know that this community is there, I just don’t know if they managed to buy tickets,” says Louis Bellavance.
The rockers hold on
Even if we keep announcing the decline of the genre, the FEQ still has three rock headliners out of 11 on the Plains.
Given that there were many festival-goers to see Green Day, Foo Fighters and Weezer in 2023, Louis Bellavance decided not to deprive himself in 2024.
“I could have only done two nights instead of three, but I had three good opportunities that are well spaced [Nickelback en ouverture, The Offspring au jour 4 et Mötley Crüe à la fin].”
Difficult year
According to Louis Bellavance, the 2024 program was more difficult to build than those of 2022 and 2023, which benefited from the abundance of artists who wanted to tour after the pandemic.
This time the supply was thinner and prices are increasing.
“Listen,” he said, “there are maybe eight artists on the bill who weren’t there at the same time yesterday. Not headliners on the Plains of Abraham, but significant names, headliners at the Parc de la Francophonie and opening acts on the Plains.”
Moreover, there are still two evenings left at Parc de la Francophonie whose stars could not be revealed at the same time as the others.
View the full schedule here.
- Listen to the interview with the CEO of the Festival d’été de Québec, Nicolas Racine, via QUB :
PLAINS OF ABRAHAM
4TH JULY
Nickelback
- Opening acts: Arkells, JJ Wilde
JULY THE 5TH
50 Cent
- Opening acts: Killer Mike, Ticaso Connoisseur
JULY 6
Jonas Brothers
- Opening acts: Carly Rae Jepsen, Diamond Cafe
JULY 7
The Offspring
- Opening acts: Rise Against, Meet Me @ The Altar
JULY 8
Alexandra Stréliski (carte blanche)
- Opening acts: Elisapie, Beyries
JULY 9TH
Karkwa (white card)
- Supporting acts: Fleet Foxes, Tokyo Police Club, The Hay Babies
JULY 10
Alan Walker (electro evening)
- Opening acts: Loud Luxury, Mike Demero
11 JULY
Zac Brown Band
- Part One: Charley Crockett
JULY 12
Post Malone
- Part One: Jessie Murph
JULY 13
J Balvin
- Part one: Ivan Cornejo
JULY 14TH
Mötley Crüe
- Part One: Seether
Francophonie Park
4TH JULY
Clay and Friends
- Opening acts: Fredz, Miel de Montagne, Calamine, Baby Volcano
JULY THE 5TH
Dead South
- Opening acts: P’tit Belliveau, Amigo The Devil, Bohemian Betyars, Matiu
JULY 6
Killswitch Engage
- Opening acts: Kittie, Havok, Get the Shot, Peer Pressure
JULY 7
Ava Max
- Opening acts: Charlieonnafriday, Jade LeMac, Clodelle, Laraw
JULY 8
Mt. Joy
- Opening acts: Future Islands, Elliot Maginot, Gabrielle Shonk, La Force
JULY 9TH
Nas
- Opening acts: Tobi, Rymz, Mike Shabb & Nicholas Craven, Violent Ground
JULY 10
11 JULY
Ben Howard
- Opening acts: Martha Wainwright, The Franklin Electric, New West, Sara-Danielle
JULY 12
Kansas
- Opening acts: Kim Mitchell, The Box, Mystery
JULY 13
JULY 14TH
Michel Rivard
- Opening acts: The Boulay Sisters, Marie-Annick Lépine, Hauterive, Maten
National Assembly Square
- July 4: Yellow Days
- July 5: The King, the Rose and the Lou(p)
- July 6: Valaire
- July 7: Old Farka Touré
- July 8: Lady Wray
- July 9: Hurray for the Riff Raff
- July 10: Philippe Brach
- July 11: Biga*Ranx
- July 12: The Entourloop
- July 13: Alaclair Ensemble
- July 14: Bombino